Early International Results
Bittan's competitive record traces the arc of a trailblazer operating at the frontier of European BJJ. At blue belt, he delivered results that announced his potential to an international audience: a 2nd place finish at the US Open in 1998, followed by a 3rd place finish at the IBJJF Pan American Championship in 1999. These performances on North American soil — where BJJ competition was far more developed — demonstrated that Bittan could hold his own against the world's best at his level. In 2000, he claimed the Belgium International Grappling Championship title, reinforcing his standing as the dominant competitive figure in European BJJ at the time.
Black Belt Debut on the World Stage
The most significant test of his competitive career came in 2001 at the IBJJF World Championship, where Bittan made his black belt debut on the world stage. There, he faced Rodrigo Medeiros — widely known as Comprido — the reigning world champion, in a match that placed the newly minted French black belt against one of the sport's elite at its highest level. The experience marked his arrival in the most competitive arena BJJ had to offer.
Bittan also competed at the São Paulo State Championship, performing with distinction and losing only to the eventual champion by the narrowest of margins — a result that underscored his ability to compete at a high level even within Brazil, the sport's heartland. Across his career, he achieved a historic first: becoming the first French competitor to medal at an IBJJF event, a milestone that remains a permanent part of the sport's European history.