Luan Azevedo

Luan Azevedo was born on November 10, 1998, in Pescador, a small municipality in the state of Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil, and grew up in the neighboring city of Governador Valadares. His introduction to martial arts came exceptionally early — by age four, he was already training on the mats. A brief stint in karate gave way to the disciplines that would define his athletic identity: jiu-jitsu and Thai Boxing, which he pursued simultaneously from the outset.

His competitive instincts surfaced just as quickly. As a young child, Azevedo requested to enter jiu-jitsu competitions — a precocious ambition that foreshadowed the decorated career ahead.

Azevedo's development as a jiu-jitsu athlete was shaped by a sequence of coaches who each left a distinct mark on his progression. His earliest mat time came under coach Jackson Moura of the De La Riva team, followed by coach Diego Balunta, and then Patrick Vandesteen at Centro De Treinamento Pitbull — where Azevedo arrived as a green belt.

Vandesteen proved to be a pivotal figure in Luan's trajectory, serving as the bridge between his regional development and elite-level competition. It was Vandesteen who introduced Azevedo to Cicero Costha, the leader of the São Paulo-based PSLPB team. Between the ages of 12 and 13, Luan made his first trip to São Paulo to train with the legendary instructor — a visit that led directly to a permanent relocation to the state capital.

From the moment he arrived at PSLPB, Azevedo committed fully to life as a competitor. He trained as a full-time athlete from blue belt onward, with Cicero Costha conducting all subsequent belt promotions from green belt forward. The sole exception was his black belt, ceremonially presented by PSLPB team captain Tiago Barros with Costha's full approval — a ceremony that took place in August 2019.

Throughout his colored belt years, Azevedo built a formidable competitive reputation across the São Paulo State tour while making consistent inroads at the national and international levels. His success across multiple belt ranks reflected both technical mastery and a reliable ability to perform under pressure.

National and International Titles

At the national level, Azevedo captured gold at the CBJJ Brazilian Nationals twice — in 2016 at blue belt and again in 2017 at purple belt — establishing himself as one of Brazil's premier prospects. On the continental stage, he claimed the IBJJF South American Championship title in 2017 at purple belt, complemented by a runner-up finish at the same event in 2016. He also earned silver at the CBJJ Brazilian Nationals in 2019 at brown belt and closed out his brown belt campaign with gold at the IBJJF South Brazilian Championship in 2019.

This sustained run of colored belt success set the stage for his ascent to the black belt division, formalized in August 2019 when Tiago Barros presented him with his black belt on behalf of the PSLPB organization.

Since earning his black belt, Luan Azevedo competes in the Peso Pesado (Heavyweight) division at 94.30 kg (208.0 lbs), representing Brazil under the PSLPB banner on the international circuit. His transition to the elite division was immediate and assertive.

Early Black Belt Results

In 2019, the same year he received his black belt, Azevedo claimed gold at the UAEJJF Grand Slam in Rio de Janeiro and won the 2019 IBJJF Curitiba Spring Open, demonstrating a seamless adjustment to the demands of black belt competition. His trajectory continued upward into 2021, when he reached the final of the IBJJF World Championship — one of the sport's most prestigious events — earning a silver medal that stands as one of the defining results of his early black belt career.