Ademir Barreto

Ademir Barreto Araujo was born on October 30, 2000, in Macapá, Amapá, Brazil — a city in the far north of the country, near the mouth of the Amazon River. His martial arts journey began at age 5 on the judo mat, where he absorbed the foundational principles of throwing, balance, and discipline that would underpin his entire athletic career. That early grounding in a throwing-based combat sport gave him a physical and tactical framework that translated naturally to the ground-based demands of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which he began training at approximately age 12.

His initial BJJ development unfolded under the instruction of John Azevedo, where he built the technical foundation of his game during his formative years. That structured period of learning established the platform for his eventual move into a higher-level competitive environment and his transition into the GF Team system.

Joining GF Team under coach Orlando Júnior marked a decisive turning point in Barreto's development. The structured training environment and high-level competition within GF Team accelerated his progress through the colored belt ranks, and his results on the circuit reflected that upward trajectory.

At purple belt, Barreto announced himself as a serious contender by claiming gold at the AJP Grand Slam in Rio de Janeiro in 2019 — a result that demonstrated his ability to perform at the highest level of the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro circuit well ahead of schedule. That title proved to be a preview of things to come. At brown belt, he continued building an impressive résumé, highlighted by a gold medal at the AJP World Pro in 2021. Given that the event regularly attracts established black belts and seasoned professionals, it stands as one of the most demanding tests available to any pre-black belt competitor — and Barreto passed it convincingly.

After a brown belt campaign that consistently placed him among the best competitors in the world regardless of rank, Barreto received his black belt from Orlando Júnior on July 27, 2022. The promotion was the formal recognition of a trajectory that had been building steadily since his earliest days on the judo mat in Macapá. He competes in the gi (kimono) division at Peso Pena, the weight class capped at 70 kg (154.5 lbs).

Immediate Impact at the Black Belt Level

Barreto wasted little time making his mark at the sport's top rank. In the months following his promotion in July 2022, he captured gold at the AJP Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi, defeating a field of established black belt competitors and demonstrating that the transition had done nothing to slow his momentum. He closed out the year with a gold medal at the AJP Teams Cup, giving him back-to-back individual and team titles on the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro circuit within his debut year as a black belt.

That 2022 double confirmed what his colored belt performances had long suggested: Barreto was not simply a talented prospect but a fully realized competitor capable of winning high-stakes events against the world's best. He carried that form into 2023, earning a bronze medal at the CBJJ Brazilian Nationals — a result that affirmed his relevance on the domestic circuit alongside his standing on the international stage.

2024 European Championship

The 2024 season opened with a bronze medal at the 2024 IBJJF European Championship, a performance that confirmed Barreto's standing among the Peso Pena division's elite heading into the year's major events.

2024 IBJJF World Championship

The season reached its peak at the 2024 IBJJF World Championship, where Barreto navigated a demanding Peso Pena bracket to reach the final — one of the most coveted stages in all of gi jiu-jitsu. In the gold medal match, he faced Meyram Maquine, and it was Maquine who secured the title, finishing Barreto with a choke from the back. The silver medal, while a narrow miss at the championship, placed Barreto firmly among the top competitors in his division globally and underscored the level he has reached under Orlando Júnior's guidance at GF Team. The result sets a clear benchmark for future championship campaigns as he continues to develop within the sport's elite ranks.