Rivalry · 9 recorded meetings

Mario Reis vs Rafael Mendes

Head-to-head record

Mario

Rafael

Mario

Rafael

2008 → 2015, oldest first

Did you know?

Mendes leads the series 9 to 0 with no draws across 9 recorded meetings.
Four of Mendes' 9 wins over Reis came by submission, with the other 5 decided on points.
Two of the submission finishes were by wristlock, both landing in 2012.
Mendes holds a 91% win rate over 107 recorded matches, compared to a 63% win rate over 63 recorded matches for Reis.
Against common opponent Rubens Charles, Reis is 0-4 while Mendes is 11-4.

The rivalry

This is a one-sided rivalry on paper. Across 9 recorded meetings, Rafael Mendes beat Mario Reis every time, 9 to 0. The two crossed paths repeatedly at the top of the featherweight bracket, almost always in the semi-finals, from the 2008 Capital Challenge through the 2015 IBJJF World Championship. Four of those wins came by submission, the rest on points.

The career numbers frame why. Mendes carries a 91% win rate over 107 recorded matches with a 61% submission rate on his wins, while Reis sits at 63% over 63 recorded matches with a 40% submission rate. Reis built a long, decorated career at featherweight, but during the years these two met, Mendes was the harder matchup.

Style-wise the meetings split between points and finishes. Twice Mendes closed the deal with a Wristlock, both in 2012, and he took two more by submission at the 2014 and 2015 IBJJF Worlds. The points wins tended to come at the IBJJF World and Pan events, suggesting Reis could stay in the match but not turn the tide.