Saulo Ribeiro

Saulo Mendonça Ribeiro Filho (born July 2, 1974) is a Brazilian submission grappler and former mixed martial artist. He is a 6th-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) and brother of Xande Ribeiro. After earning a black belt in judo, he began his training of Brazilian jiu-jitsu in Rio de Janeiro under Royler Gracie, the son of Hélio Gracie, at Gracie Humaitá.^[1]

Saulo Ribeiro
Born	Saulo Mendonça Ribeiro Filho Manaus, Brazil[1]
Residence	San Diego, California
Nationality	American and Brazilian
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Division	Medio 181.5 lbs, 82.3 Kg, Medio-Pesado 195 lbs, 88 Kg, and Pesado 208 lbs, 94.5 Kg
Style	Brazilian jiu-jitsu, submission wrestling
Fighting out of	San Diego, CA
Team	Gracie Humaita / Ribeiro Jiu Jitsu
Rank	6th deg. BJJ black belʈ Judo black belt
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
Medal record Brazilian jiu-jitsu / submission wrestling World Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2007 Light-Heavyweight (black)[2] 2005 Absolute (black)[3] 2002 Light-Heavyweight (black)[4] 2002 Absolute (black)[4] 2001 Light-Heavyweight (black)[5] 2001 Absolute (black)[5] 2000 Super-Heavyweight (black)[6] 1999 Light-Heavyweight (black)[7] 1998 Heavyweight (black)[8] 1997 Middleweight (black)[9] ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship 2005 -88kg 2003 -88kg 2001 -88kg 2000 -88kg 1999 -99kg Pan American Championships 1998 Heavyweight (black) 1998 Absolute (black) World No-Gi Championship 2008 Medium-Heavyweight (black) International Masters and Seniors Championship 2015 Super-Heavy (black) 2010 Heavyweight (black)[10] 2010 Absolute (black)[10] World Masters and Seniors Championship 2016 Heavyweight (black) 2015 Super-Heavy (black) 2014 Super-Heavy (black) 2013 Super-Heavy (black)[11] 2013 Absolute (black)[11] 2012 Super-Heavy (black)[12] 2012 Absolute (black)[12] Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 1998 Medium-Heavy (black)[13] 1998 Absolute (black)[14] 1996 Super-Heavy (black)[15]

In this Portuguese name, the second or paternal family name is Ribeiro. "Filho" is a generational suffix meaning "son", which is used for someone whose name is the same as their father, like "Jr." in English.

Ribeiro received his black belt in BJJ on November 27, 1995. Less than two years later, he won his first MMA fight. He also won the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship five times, in several weight classes.^[1]

Biography

Saulo Ribeiro was born in Manaus, Brazil on July 2, 1974.^[16] At the age of 15 and already a judo practitioner, Ribeiro started training jiu-jitsu as a way to improve his judo game by learning submissions.^[16] He moved away from home in December 1991 and headed to school in Rio de Janeiro.^[16] Rio de Janeiro is where Ribeiro began his training under Royler Gracie at Gracie Humaitá.^[16] Shortly after receiving his black belt from Royler Gracie on November 27, 1995, Ribeiro won the Brazilian Nationals Lightweight Title.^[16]

Teaching

Alongside his brother Xande, Ribeiro ran the University of Jiu Jitsu (closed as of 2020) in San Diego, California.^[17] The school opened in Feb 10, 2007, and was the headquarters of the Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu Association.^[18] Ribeiro is also the author of the book Jiu Jitsu University, a detailed training manual that presents techniques for each belt level from white to black belt.^[19]

Ribeiro, through the Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu Association, is said to have over 2000 students.^[20] Ribeiro has also been coach to high-level grappling competitors such as World Jiu-Jitsu Champion Rafael Lovato Jr., and MMA fighter Diego Sanchez.^[1][21]

Retirement and return

The 2009 ADCC in Barcelona would be Ribeiro's last, and saw him, to the surprise of many, competing in the +99 kg weight category. He defeated Kouji Kanechika and World Jiu-Jitsu Champion Romulo Barral before losing to the much larger Fabrício Werdum in the semifinal on judges' decision. After losing on another judges' decision in the third-place dispute to Jeff Monson, Ribeiro announced his retirement from professional jiu-jitsu and grappling competition.^[22]

Less than a year later, Ribeiro announced he would be competing for the first time in the International Masters and Seniors tournament. He succeeded in winning his weight division, along with the team trophy for Gracie Humaita, who had lost it to Gracie Barra the previous year.^[23]

On August 9, 2014, Ribeiro fought Rodrigo Medeiros in a grappling match in Metamoris IV. The fight ended in a draw.

On January 31, 2022, Ribeiro was inducted as part of the inaugural class of the ADCC Hall of Fame for his achievements in the sport.^[24]

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown

3 matches	2 wins	1 loss
By knockout	0	1
By submission	2	0

Res.	Record	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Round	Time	Location	Notes
Win	2–1	Jason Ireland	Submission (Rear Naked Choke)	TFC 5 - Fightzone 5	September 21, 2002	-	-	Toledo, Ohio
Loss	1–1	Yuki Kondo	TKO (Punches)	C2K - Colosseum 2000	May 26, 2000	1	0:22	Japan
Win	1–0	Carlos Lopes	Submission (Rear Naked Choke)	CDL - Carioca de Freestyle	February 10, 1996	-	-	Brazil

Instructor lineage

Kanō Jigorō → Tomita Tsunejirō → Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda → Carlos Gracie → Helio Gracie → Royler Gracie → Saulo Ribeiro

See also

• List of Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners