João Nicolite

João Pedro Nicolite Rocha — known throughout the jiu-jitsu community as João Nicolite and by the nickname "Nicolitz" — was born on October 28, 2002, and took his first steps on the mats at age seven in January 2010. His entry point was a social project near his home in the coastal town of Búzios, Brazil, a community initiative that gave him both his foundation and his first taste of competitive fire. Within six months of beginning training, he entered his first competition — an early signal of the drive that would define his career.

After approximately two years developing at the social project, Nicolite transitioned to a Checkmat-affiliated camp in the Búzios region, coming under the guidance of coach Igor Rodrigues. The move initiated a more structured competitive development phase, and Nicolite trained under Rodrigues through his purple belt, building the technical depth and competitive consistency that would accelerate his ascent through the ranks.

With professional ambitions firmly in place, Nicolite relocated from Búzios to Rio de Janeiro in pursuit of a training environment capable of matching his competitive drive. He found it at Atos RJ, the academy led by former ADCC champion Davi Ramos, who guided Nicolite through both his brown and black belt promotions. In July 2023, Ramos awarded him the black belt — a milestone that formalized years of disciplined, results-driven development.

Brown Belt Dominance

Before that promotion, Nicolite's brown belt year in 2023 served as a powerful statement of his potential. He claimed the number-one end-of-year ranking in the heavyweight division on both the gi circuit through the CBJJ and the no-gi circuit through the IBJJF — a rare sweep that distinguished him as the top-ranked brown belt heavyweight across both formats. His results substantiated that standing: a first-place finish at the 2023 IBJJF European Championship No-Gi confirmed his dominance at the colored belt level, while a third-place finish at the CBJJ Brazilian Nationals underscored his ability to perform consistently on the sport's biggest stages.

Nicolite launched his black belt career with an immediate international test. In March 2024, he traveled to the United States to compete at the IBJJF World No-Gi Championships, establishing himself on the global stage from the outset. During his time in North America, he trained at Caio Terra Academy in San Jose, California, working under instructor Caio Terra. The connection forged during that period proved lasting, and Nicolite went on to formally represent Caio Terra Association in subsequent competitions.

Early Black Belt Results

The results from his inaugural stretch of black belt competition in 2024 illustrated a rapid and seamless adjustment to the elite level. He earned a bronze medal at the 2024 IBJJF World No-Gi Championship, competing against the sport's top heavyweights and holding his own from the start. Later that year, he reached the final of the IBJJF American Nationals, taking home a silver medal and cementing his standing among the top black belt heavyweights on the North American circuit. He also claimed gold at the IBJJF Rio Summer Open No-Gi in 2024 — a title that added further weight to an early black belt résumé already pointing toward a long and competitive career at the sport's highest level.