On record, Alexander Trans and Rodrigo Cavaca met 5 times, and Trans won all 5. Every meeting was in the gi, and none ended in a submission. Four of the five went to points, and the 2014 Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship semi-final was decided by advantage. These were close, positional matches settled on the scoreboard rather than by a finish.

The two are built differently as competitors. Trans carries a 74% win rate across 77 recorded matches, with a strong European Open run including the 2013 IBJJF European Championship final where he beat Cavaca. Cavaca sits at a 51% win rate across 76 recorded matches, a more even ledger of 39 wins and 36 losses. Trans leans on a Kneebar as his most frequent finish with 5 wins, while Cavaca favors the Triangle Choke, also with 5 wins.

The stages tell you these were high-level meetings, not tune-ups. They crossed at a European Championship final, an Abu Dhabi semi-final, a World Championship quarter-final, and a Copa Podio round robin. Trans found a way to edge Cavaca in each, usually by controlling the points exchanges.