Jose Rinaldo

In March 2019, severe flooding struck São Bernardo do Campo in São Paulo state, with the region recording over 70% of its monthly average rainfall within a single 24-hour period. The disaster caused widespread disruption across the municipality, affecting numerous residents throughout the area.

According to a single, unverified source, Jose Rinaldo was among those stranded during the flooding and was reportedly rescued by friends using a surfboard. While the flooding itself is a confirmed historical event, the specific details of Rinaldo's personal experience — including the circumstances of his rescue — have not been independently corroborated and should be treated accordingly.

The aftermath reportedly brought significant financial hardship. According to the same unverified source, Rinaldo lost his employment as a physical educator in the wake of the disaster — a development that, if accurate, would have placed considerable strain on his ability to continue pursuing high-level competitive Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Despite the reported financial difficulties following the March 2019 flooding, Rinaldo is said to have remained committed to competing at the highest level of masters competition. According to available but unverified source material, he supplemented lost income by working as a chauffeur and organized fundraising efforts — including crowdfunding and a community raffle — to cover the costs of international travel.

Support reportedly came from the Bola de Neve church community in São Caetano, which source material describes as playing a meaningful role in helping Rinaldo make the journey to compete. These details regarding his fundraising efforts and community involvement have not been confirmed through independent sources.

Rinaldo is reported to have competed at the 2019 IBJJF Masters World Championship in Las Vegas, where he reportedly won gold in both the Master 3 Heavyweight division and the Open Class at brown belt. This result has not been independently confirmed through official results databases, and accounts differ on whether he held brown or black belt rank at the time.

Rinaldo is associated with Atos Jiu-Jitsu/Ono Dojo, though neither the Ono Dojo component nor its relationship to the broader Atos Jiu-Jitsu organization could be confirmed through independent sources.

Source material describes Rinaldo as a student of instructor Douglas Ono, identifying him as one of only ten athletes to have earned a black belt under Ono's guidance and as the first World Champion produced by that team. No independent information about Douglas Ono, Ono Dojo, or any affiliation with Atos Jiu-Jitsu could be located to corroborate these lineage claims. These details are presented as reported, not as established fact.

Rinaldo represents Brazil and competes in the Heavyweight division. All details regarding his training background, instructor lineage, and team affiliation are drawn from a single unverified source and should be treated with appropriate caution until additional confirmation becomes available.