Italo Lima Costa

Italo Lima Costa was born on June 22, 1994, in Mossoró, in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte, and spent his formative years in the neighboring village of Areia Branca. Sports options in northeastern Brazil narrowed almost entirely to football (soccer), and Costa made a sincere attempt at the game — only to discover that natural aptitude eluded him. He stepped away from it entirely.

The path to jiu-jitsu opened through his social circle. Costa's closest friends practiced the martial art, and informal play-fighting sessions were a regular part of their time together. Despite being physically larger and stronger than most of his peers, Costa found himself consistently outmaneuvered by a friend who held only a yellow belt — a humbling experience that ignited genuine curiosity about what the art could do. That curiosity deepened when another friend traveled to São Paulo and returned with a tournament medal won under CBJJE federation rules. The achievement became the talk of their community and gave Costa a concrete image of what jiu-jitsu could offer.

A practical obstacle remained: Costa lacked the money to purchase a kimono and felt too embarrassed to walk into a gym without one. The persistent encouragement of friends finally pushed him through the door of a local academy in August 2008, at the age of 14 — the beginning of a journey that would carry him far beyond Areia Branca.

Foundation Under Talison Soares

Costa's first instructor was Talison Soares, a coach who had trained under Weckcilley Cruz before affiliating with Checkmat under the Barreto Brothers — Thiago and Bruno. Soares proved to be a foundational influence, guiding Costa from white belt through purple belt and establishing the technical framework that would define his competitive identity.

A Difficult Split and a New Direction

In 2017, the relationship between Costa and Soares ended in a difficult and public falling-out. The split carried real social consequences: many of Costa's closest friends distanced themselves out of loyalty to their coach. Rather than retreating, Costa channeled the isolation into motivation. After completing a degree in Civil Engineering, he set his sights on competing abroad.

The European Open and a New Team Family

The opportunity arrived through an unlikely channel — a local tournament whose prize was an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2018 IBJJF European Open in Lisbon, Portugal. Costa won the tournament and made the trip, and the experience proved transformative. In Lisbon, he crossed paths with fellow athlete Márcio Pires — known in the community as Alicate — who told him about a gym in the United States that offered free training and accommodation to serious competitors. Costa reached out to the gym's owner, Dan Lukehart, widely known as Trumpet Dan, who welcomed the young Brazilian and gave him a foothold in North American competition.

Once established in the United States, Costa built a new team family. He befriended Aluízio and Osvaldo Moizinho of Ares Jiu-Jitsu, and team leader Samir Chantre brought him fully into the squad. The relationship with Moizinho — known by the nickname Queixinho — proved to be the most significant of Costa's career. On January 15, 2022, in a ceremony held in Goodyear, Arizona, Osvaldo Moizinho promoted Italo Lima Costa to the rank of black belt.

An Immediate Impact at Black Belt

Costa announced himself as a force on the IBJJF Open circuit from the moment he stepped onto the black belt mats in 2022. He claimed gold at the IBJJF Indianapolis Open and the IBJJF Sacramento Open, then extended his run with additional Open titles at the New York Open and the Miami Open — four gold medals across a single calendar year in the Peso Pesado division (94 kg / 207 lbs), competing under the Ares Jiu-Jitsu banner and representing the United States.

A Résumé Built Across Every Belt

The foundation for that success had been laid steadily at the lower belts. As a brown belt, Costa earned gold at the 2020 IBJJF American Nationals and reached the podium at the 2021 IBJJF Pan Championship. His purple belt résumé included a silver medal at the 2019 IBJJF European Open — evidence of a competitor who performed at a high level long before the black belt promotion.

The American Nationals Title

The defining achievement of Costa's black belt career came in 2023, when he claimed gold in the heavyweight division at the 2023 IBJJF American Nationals. The title stands as the most prestigious on his résumé and a testament to the long road traveled — from a village in northeastern Brazil to the top of the podium on the American national stage.