Jonas Andrade

Francisco Jonas Andrade was born on June 16, 1996, in Bairro Planalto do Pici, a neighborhood in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Like many Brazilian children, he grew up playing futsal — a sport that sharpened his footwork, spatial awareness, and competitive instincts, all of which would translate naturally to the grappling arts. As he entered his teenage years, the rise of mixed martial arts captured his imagination, and at age 13, he joined a muay Thai gym, taking his first deliberate steps into combat sports.

The shift toward Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu came through the encouragement of friends who persuaded him to try grappling classes. On February 12, 2012, Andrade stepped onto the mats for the first time under coach Leandro Silva — a moment that would quietly redirect the entire trajectory of his athletic life. What began as curiosity evolved rapidly into dedication, as BJJ's technical depth and competitive richness proved to be a natural fit for his disposition and physical gifts.

Andrade's commitment to BJJ sharpened decisively in 2014 when he traveled to São Paulo to compete and train at the PSLPB Cicero Costha academy. The experience proved transformative — the culture of excellence, the caliber of training partners, and the mentorship available under Cicero Costha convinced him to pursue BJJ as a professional career. At age 17, he relocated to São Paulo and took up residence in Costha's Fighter House, training alongside elite prospects with the backing of his coach and sponsors.

The results on the competition circuit were immediate and emphatic. At blue belt, Andrade claimed gold at the IBJJF Pan Championship in 2016, announcing his arrival as a serious competitive force. His purple belt campaign elevated that promise into proven excellence — he won the IBJJF European Open in both 2017 and 2018, reached the podium at the IBJJF World Championship, and captured the 2018 IBJJF World Championship title, cementing his reputation as a dominant force in the lighter weight divisions.

His brown belt run in 2018 and 2019 was nothing short of exceptional. Andrade won the IBJJF World Championship at brown belt in 2019 and added AJP Grand Slam titles in London, Abu Dhabi, and Tokyo, along with a NoGi Pan Championship gold. During this period, he also established a meaningful connection with Unity Jiu-Jitsu in New York, broadening both his international profile and competitive network. In June 2019, following this extraordinary sequence of results, Cicero Costha and Murilo Santana promoted Andrade to the rank of black belt — a recognition of his competitive accomplishments and his maturation as a complete grappler.

At the black belt level, Jonas Andrade competes in the Roosterweight division at approximately 56 kg (122.5 lbs), one of the most technically demanding and fiercely contested weight classes in the sport. The division rewards precision, timing, and tactical intelligence — qualities Andrade has demonstrated with consistency across multiple major circuits since his promotion.

AJP Circuit Dominance

Andrade's most prestigious international title came in 2021, when he won the AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro, defeating elite competition to claim one of the most coveted crowns on the AJP circuit. That victory was part of a broader pattern of sustained excellence across the AJP Grand Slam series — he captured Grand Slam titles in Tokyo (2019), London (2020), Miami (2020), and Abu Dhabi (2022), demonstrating the globe-spanning consistency that distinguishes the sport's top competitors.

IBJJF Podium Performances

On the IBJJF side, Andrade has proven equally formidable. He earned a bronze medal at the IBJJF World Championship in 2021 before reaching the final of the 2024 IBJJF World Championship, finishing as runner-up in one of the most competitive roosterweight fields assembled at the event. Multiple podium finishes at the IBJJF European Championship and the IBJJF Pan Championship further underscore his ability to perform at the highest level across the full calendar of premier events.

Dual Affiliation and Global Training Base

Andrade operates within a dual-affiliation model that reflects the globalized nature of elite BJJ. He competes under the PSLPB Cicero Costha banner — the São Paulo-based powerhouse that shaped his development from his teenage years — while maintaining strong ties with Unity Jiu-Jitsu in New York. This transatlantic foundation gives him access to world-class training environments on both sides of the Atlantic, contributing to the well-rounded, technically refined game that has made him one of the most respected roosterweights competing on the international stage.