Júlio dos Anjos

Júlio dos Anjos was born on February 23, 1993, in Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During his early childhood, dos Anjos relocated several times before settling in Nova Iguaçu at the age of 12 — a city in the Greater Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area that would become the foundation of his martial arts development.

At 13, dos Anjos entered combat sports through kickboxing, training at a local gym whose owner often highlighted the complementary nature of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. That encouragement planted a seed, and one year later dos Anjos made the transition to BJJ, stepping onto the mats under the tutelage of Jorge Trovão.

Jorge Trovão's influence on dos Anjos extended far beyond technical instruction. Trovão guided him through every stage of his early development — from white belt to purple belt — serving as both a mentor and a stabilizing presence during his formative years.

In 2013, Trovão passed away after a battle with cancer, a loss that struck dos Anjos deeply and cast uncertainty over his continued pursuit of jiu-jitsu. Yet even in his final days, Trovão encouraged his pupil to press forward, specifically recommending GF Team as the ideal next step in dos Anjos' grappling journey. That parting instruction became a source of purpose, transforming grief into motivation and honoring his late coach's final wishes through sustained commitment to the sport.

Heeding his late master's advice, dos Anjos joined GF Team — one of Rio de Janeiro's most prominent grappling academies — where he came under the guidance of head instructor Júlio César Pereira. The move marked the beginning of a highly productive competitive chapter.

Colored Belt Highlights

Dos Anjos built an impressive résumé at the colored belt levels. As a blue belt in 2012, he claimed gold at the IBJJF Pan Championship and took first place at the IBJJF European Open in the same year. His brown belt campaign proved equally formidable, with gold at the 2015 CBJJ Brazilian Team Nationals, a title at the 2016 IBJJF Atlanta Pro, and gold at the 2016 IBJJF Pan Championship — cementing his standing as one of the top competitors in the under 76kg division.

Black Belt Promotion and Early Results

On June 21, 2016, Júlio César Pereira promoted dos Anjos to black belt, a formal recognition of a journey built on perseverance, loyalty, and consistent competitive excellence. The promotion signaled no slowdown. Dos Anjos earned gold at the 2016 IBJJF Rio Winter Open and went on to capture the 2017 UAEJJF Dubai National Pro title, adding to a body of work that reflects the depth of his preparation and the strength of his foundation at GF Team.