Luiz Felipe Assis dos Santos

Luiz Felipe Assis dos Santos — widely known as Filipinho — was born on October 8, 2001, in the Cantagalo neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro. The community has earned a storied reputation in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, producing a disproportionate number of elite competitors whose roots trace back to the neighborhood's local community center. Long before Santos stepped onto the mats, Cantagalo had already established itself as one of the sport's most fertile breeding grounds.

For young Felipe, the decision to train was shaped as much by environment as by ambition. Watching friends and peers train at the community center sparked his curiosity, and the pull of belonging to something larger than himself drew him deeper into the sport. As Santos acknowledged in an October 2024 interview with BJJ Heroes, athletic aspiration alone did not drive his early commitment — the free meals provided to students at the end of each class offered a very practical incentive for his involvement with the center's non-profit jiu-jitsu project. What began as a blend of social influence and necessity quickly evolved into a genuine passion for the Gentle Art, setting Santos on a trajectory that would carry him to the highest levels of international competition.

Santos' foundational development was shaped by his first instructor, Douglas Rufino — known as Trator — whose work at the community center's non-profit project proved instrumental in building the technical and competitive identity of a clearly gifted athlete. Sandro Vieira also played a significant role during Santos' formative years on the mat.

Representing the Fightzone team — affiliated with Copa Cabana under the Checkmat banner — Santos compiled a strong competitive record across blue, purple, and brown belt divisions. Despite those performances, the financial realities of competing as a full-time athlete proved difficult to sustain, and the sport he loved was not yet providing the stability he needed.

The turning point came when Santos was offered a coaching position at the Alliance Academy in Rio de Janeiro while still a brown belt. The role delivered both professional stability and a new competitive home, with Santos simultaneously representing the BJJ Eagle on the tournament circuit. The transition marked a decisive shift — from a talented competitor searching for footing to a coach and athlete operating within one of the sport's most prestigious organizations.

In July 2024, Rodrigo Thiago, the team leader at Alliance Leblon, promoted Felipe Santos to black belt — a formal recognition of his competitive achievements and his contributions to the team as an instructor.

Santos' colored belt career unfolded over six years and demonstrated exceptional consistency across multiple belt levels and international stages, competing throughout in the Meio Pesado division (88.30 kg / 195 lbs).

Blue Belt: Early Signals of a Rising Competitor

His first notable result came in 2018, when he reached the final of the AJP Grand Slam in Rio de Janeiro — an early signal of serious competitive potential. By 2019, Santos had claimed his first international gold, winning the IBJJF South American Championship at blue belt, a title he would revisit with equal success years later.

Purple Belt: Domestic Dominance

The purple belt years brought continued growth on the domestic stage. Santos earned a runner-up finish at the Brazilian Nationals in 2021 and matched that result at the IBJJF South American Championship the same year. In 2022, he converted that momentum into a CBJJ Brazilian Nationals title — his most significant purple belt result and a clear indicator of his readiness to ascend.

Brown Belt: International Breakthrough

Santos' brown belt campaign produced his most distinguished pre-black belt achievements. In 2023, he captured gold at the IBJJF South American Championship, making him a two-time South American champion across two separate belt levels. In early 2024, he claimed gold at the IBJJF European Championship — one of the most competitive events on the calendar — cementing his status among the world's elite brown belts. That same year, he advanced to the final of the IBJJF World Championship before finishing as runner-up, a performance that underscored his readiness for the sport's highest level. A third-place finish at the IBJJF Pan Championship in 2024 completed a brown belt résumé that ranks among the strongest of his generation, making his black belt promotion later that year a fitting and well-earned conclusion to an exceptional pre-black belt journey.