Juliano Di Pelli Machado

Juliano Di Pelli Machado is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt competitor and professional athlete who has built his career through years of high-level competition. A defense statement published on August 31, 2026, confirms that he has earned medals at both the European Championship and the World Championship, though specific years, weight divisions, and placement details for those results have not been publicly documented. Prior to the events of August 2026, Juliano carried no reported history of unsportsmanlike conduct or disciplinary action throughout his competitive career.

The Incident

On August 22, 2026, during a match at the Super Pro Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, Juliano Di Pelli Machado was involved in an on-mat incident with opponent Willian Hiroyuki Masuda, known as "Kabuto." Masuda sustained a fracture-dislocation of the cervical spine, with fractures to the C5 and C6 vertebrae, and subsequently underwent surgery lasting close to ten hours.

In the days following the incident, Masuda was described as conscious, clinically stable, and able to eat, though with no movement in his legs; reports regarding arm movement were said to be shifting day to day. A family update from Masuda's wife, Fernanda Masuda, posted approximately twelve hours before the August 31, 2026 article publication, noted that he remained in the ICU, in significant pain, but clinically stable.

Legal Proceedings

Prosecutor Renato de Lima Castro requested that the case be classified as an especially serious bodily injury matter. In his official filing, Castro cited an approximate 40 kg (88 lbs) size difference between the two competitors and described the act as follows: "It happens that, in an act of high danger, evident to any athlete or ordinary spectator, the reported Juliano threw himself completely, letting all of his body weight fall on the body of the target Willian 'Kabuto' at once, severely injuring the target in a serious submission position." The Civil Police confirmed that a formal inquiry was opened in connection with the incident.

The event organizer, Super Pro Jiu-Jitsu, acknowledged the injury in a public statement, noting that Masuda received prompt medical attention from the on-site medical team and the ambulance service Mais Saúde, with appropriate referrals made following technical evaluation. The organizer stated it had maintained ongoing communication with the family and reaffirmed its commitment to safety and established protocols.

The Leaked Recording

On the morning of August 23, 2026, the day after the tournament, Juliano recorded a voice or video message intended for what he described as a private student group. In it, he walked through the positional sequence of the incident and characterized Masuda as thin and weighing approximately 70 kg. The recording later circulated widely on social media and drew significant public backlash. In Juliano's own words: "The match was going on and I fell on him. When I got up, he tried to fit a triangle and I was standing. He hugged my leg and I tried to defend something and I put my knee on the ground. I didn't realize that he was under me. He was very thin, about 70 kg. To avoid an imbalance, I put my knee on the ground and he was under me. I didn't have time to do much."

Juliano's Public Statement

Juliano's attorney, Felipe de Melo, emphasized that the clip had been recorded before Juliano was aware of the full extent of Masuda's injuries. Juliano then released a second video addressed to the public, expressing shock at the severity of Masuda's condition and extending support to the Masuda family: "When I heard about the seriousness of the situation, I was shocked, I was very worried. William, if you can hear me, I wish you an excellent recovery, may God take you away from this, may this pass soon." In the same statement, Juliano declined to discuss the incident further through the press, affirmed his intention to cooperate fully with authorities, and asked the public to respect Masuda and his family during the ordeal.

Defense Position

The defense's written statement, published August 31, 2026, described Juliano as "deeply shaken" by Masuda's condition and conveyed that his thoughts and those of his family remained with Masuda's recovery. The statement argued that the appropriate venue for clarification was the official investigation rather than public debate, noting that a proper examination of the incident would require technical review of the video record, the rules of the sport, and the referee's account. As the defense put it: "This is not about avoidance. It is about ensuring the facts are examined with the calm and technical rigor that the seriousness of the situation demands, rather than through the reach of edited images on social media." The statement also highlighted Juliano's clean competitive record as relevant context for evaluating the incident.