Antonio Carlos Junior

Antonio Carlos Junior, widely known by his nickname "Cara de Sapato," was born on March 16, 1990, in Brazil. His introduction to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu came in 2005, when he began training in Salvador da Bahia under Renato Velame — an instructor who recognized his raw potential and shaped his earliest development on the mats. Velame awarded Antonio Carlos his blue belt before the young athlete relocated, laying the groundwork for what would become a decorated competitive career.

Returning to João Pessoa, Antonio Carlos joined the Checkmat affiliate under Helder Medeiros, affectionately nicknamed "Bob Esponja." The move proved transformative. Under Medeiros, he wasted no time announcing himself on the competitive circuit, capturing the CBJJ Brazilian Nationals Juvenile title in 2007 and claiming South American Championship gold at both the juvenile and blue junior levels that same year. Those early results signaled the emergence of a generational talent.

Antonio Carlos Junior's progression through the belt ranks combined relentless competitive activity with a string of national and international titles. Representing Checkmat throughout his entire belt journey, he secured CBJJ Brazilian Nationals titles in 2008 at blue belt, 2009 at purple belt, and in both 2010 and 2011 at brown belt — a remarkable run of consistency across multiple divisions and weight classes that cemented his standing as one of Brazil's most dominant grapplers.

The defining moment of his colored belt career arrived at the 2010 IBJJF World Championship, where Antonio Carlos competed at brown belt and delivered a commanding performance, claiming gold in both his weight division and the absolute division. The double at Worlds elevated his global profile instantly, and Gracie Magazine took notice — naming him the "#1 BJJ Fighter to Watch" in 2011 in recognition of that breakthrough year.

His transition to black belt arrived in a manner befitting his competitive stature. Helder Medeiros awarded Antonio Carlos his black belt directly on the podium of the World Pro Cup Trials — a rare and symbolically powerful honor that reflected both the magnitude of the performance and the depth of respect between athlete and instructor.

Antonio Carlos Junior wasted little time establishing himself among the black belt elite. Competing in the Peso Pesado division (94kg/207lbs), he carried the same aggressive, submission-oriented grappling that had defined his colored belt years into the sport's highest level.

The 2012 season represented the peak of his black belt BJJ career. At the 2012 IBJJF Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship, he delivered a landmark double performance — capturing gold in the absolute division while earning silver in his weight class, demonstrating both his versatility across all body types and his capacity to grind through deep, multi-match brackets. He reinforced that form by claiming the CBJJ Brazilian Nationals Absolute title later that year, further solidifying his reputation as one of the premier heavyweights on the Brazilian and international circuits. Winning across both absolute and weight divisions within a single season placed him firmly among the most complete competitors of his generation.

In 2013, Antonio Carlos Junior made the deliberate decision to redirect his competitive ambitions toward mixed martial arts. The transition was a natural extension of his grappling identity — his submission-finishing ability and pressure-based game translated seamlessly into the cage environment.

His MMA debut and early outings in Brazil produced three consecutive submission victories, an immediate validation of his grappling credentials in a new arena. The dominant start attracted attention from the UFC, earning him a coveted spot in The Ultimate Fighter Brazil heavyweights season. The internationally broadcast platform introduced Antonio Carlos Junior — and his "Cara de Sapato" nickname — to a global audience well beyond the BJJ community, opening a significant new chapter built upon a decorated grappling foundation stretching back to his earliest days on the mats in Salvador da Bahia.