Lucas Gualberto Gomes Nascimento

Lucas Gualberto Nascimento was born on April 28, 1998, in Parnaíba, a small coastal city in the Brazilian state of Piauí. Like many young Brazilians in his region, his early sporting life revolved around football and capoeira — until around the age of 10, when a local social project launched a jiu-jitsu class that drew in most of his friends. Following their lead, Gualberto stepped onto the mats for the first time.

His first instructor, coach Weverton Fonseca Eduardo — known to his students as 'Babu' — guided him from white belt through blue belt. Gualberto arrived without athletic pedigree or competitive ambition; jiu-jitsu was simply where his friends were. His first tournament appearances were equally unplanned: the club covered registration fees and his peers were competing, so he entered. What he found on the competition mat surprised him — he could win, and he did so with increasing regularity.

As medals accumulated and victories became the norm, his outlook transformed. The social activity became a serious pursuit, and the young athlete from Piauí set his sights on a professional career in the sport. Among his teammates, he earned the nickname 'Piauí' — a tribute to the state that had shaped him.

Blue Belt: A Crossroads Decision

By 2016, Gualberto's blue belt results had attracted international attention, earning him an offer to join Team Lloyd Irvin's youth development program in the United States. Before departing, he made a detour to São Paulo to compete at the South American Championships — a stop that proved decisive. Training at Alliance Matriz, the headquarters of the most decorated team in jiu-jitsu history, he received an immediate offer to stay.

Weighing both paths, Gualberto chose Alliance, drawn by the caliber of training and the organization's legacy. Under the guidance of head coaches Fábio Gurgel and Michael Langhi, he earned his purple belt. The following 18 months marked significant development across both training and competition.

Purple and Brown Belt: Porto Alegre and Dream Art

Following his time at Alliance Matriz, Gualberto relocated to Porto Alegre to train within another prominent Alliance program, this one led by Mário Reis. The move brought continued growth, and Reis promoted him to brown belt. In mid-2019, he joined Dream Art Project, a professional jiu-jitsu program founded by his friend Isaque Bahiense. The team provided a sharply focused competitive environment, and in October 2020, Bahiense and Dream Art co-head coach Gabriel Figueiró promoted Gualberto to black belt.

Juvenile and Blue Belt: Building a Foundation

Lucas Gualberto's colored belt career stands as one of the more decorated in his competitive generation. At the juvenile level, he captured CBJJ Brazilian Nationals titles in 2012 and 2015, and won the IBJJF South American Championship Juvenile division in 2014. The pinnacle came in 2015 with gold at the IBJJF World Championship — a result that announced him as a legitimate talent at the sport's highest amateur levels.

His move to the adult blue belt division in 2016 produced immediate results. He won the IBJJF South American Championship and reached the finals of both the IBJJF World Championship and the Pan Championship, earning silver at each. Competing at 82.30 kg in the Peso Médio (middleweight) division, Gualberto demonstrated the consistency that would define his career across belt levels.

Purple Belt: Domestic Dominance and Global Contention

At purple belt, Gualberto continued to build on that foundation. Back-to-back CBJJ Brazilian Nationals titles in 2017 and 2018 established his domestic dominance, while his 2018 IBJJF Pan Championship gold — one of the most competitive events on the calendar — affirmed his standing internationally. A podium finish at the IBJJF World Championship at purple belt further solidified his reputation as a top contender across belt levels.

Brown Belt: A Prolific Stretch Across Continents

The brown belt division brought Gualberto's most productive stretch of competition. In 2019, he won the IBJJF European Open, the IBJJF South American Championship, the CBJJ Brazilian Nationals, and AJP Grand Slam titles in both Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro — while also collecting podium finishes at the IBJJF World Championship and Pan Championship. Success across three continents in a single belt cycle reflected both the depth of his technical development and his competitive resilience under pressure.

Early Black Belt Success

Lucas Gualberto entered the black belt division in October 2020 representing Dream Art Project and Alliance, and wasted no time establishing himself among the elite. He won the IBJJF South American Championship at black belt that same year — extending a pattern of gold medals at that event spanning blue, brown, and black belt.

AJP Circuit and International Recognition

In 2021, Gualberto made a strong push through the AJP circuit, capturing the AJP South American Continental Pro and the AJP Brazil National Pro. He had also claimed the AJP Grand Slam Rio de Janeiro in 2020, an early indicator of his capacity to compete at high-level professional events. At the 2021 AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro, he placed third — a result that confirmed his standing among the sport's top middleweights on the world stage.

Competing for Brazil, Gualberto carries forward both the identity of his home state of Piauí and the competitive culture instilled through years at Alliance and Dream Art Project. His black belt career reflects the arc of an athlete who built deliberately — advancing through the sport's most respected programs and earning every step of his progression through consistent results.