Paulo Gabriel Martins da Costa

Paulo Gabriel Martins da Costa was born on March 13, 1996, in São Paulo, Brazil, and spent his formative years at DICA (Desenvolvimento Integral da Criança e do Adolescente), a well-known children's shelter in the city. Exposed to capoeira, swimming, and judo throughout his upbringing, Paulo gravitated most strongly toward mixed martial arts. A natural analyst of the grappling exchanges inside the cage, he developed a keen fascination with the ground game long before stepping onto the mats himself.

That changed at age 13, when Ricardo Ferreira — one of the shelter's workers — began teaching jiu-jitsu at DICA. Paulo took to the art immediately, distinguishing himself not only through aptitude but through a level of dedication that set him apart from peers from the very beginning.

Finding a Mentor

When coach Ricardo Ferreira relocated to another town, Paulo sought continued instruction and joined a prominent local jiu-jitsu team, where he encountered Severino Soares — widely known as Mestre Dida — the academy's head instructor. Their relationship extended well beyond technique. Mestre Dida took Paulo under his wing personally, encouraging him to fully embrace an athlete's lifestyle and providing the structure and mentorship that shaped his competitive ambitions. Dida guided Paulo's progression from white belt through to purple belt.

A Decorated Colored Belt Career

At purple belt, Paulo's results on the IBJJF circuit announced him as one of the most dangerous competitors of his generation. He claimed gold at the IBJJF World Championship in 2016, won back-to-back IBJJF World Championship No-Gi titles in 2015 and 2016, and captured IBJJF Pan Championship gold in both 2015 and 2016 — a sustained run of success that placed him firmly among the elite at that level. He also demonstrated consistency across formats, adding a bronze at the IBJJF World Championship No-Gi in 2015 and a bronze at the IBJJF Pan Championship in 2016 alongside those victories.

Continuing that momentum into brown belt, Paulo added IBJJF Pan Championship titles in both gi and no-gi in 2017, underscoring the quality of his colored belt career as a whole. That body of results attracted attention from top academies in the United States and, ultimately, an invitation from Caio Terra to join his professional team in California.

Paulo accepted Caio Terra's offer and relocated to California, stepping into one of the sport's most respected competitive programs. The arrangement shifted shortly after his arrival, however, when his partner Gabrielle McComb also moved to the United States to take on a coaching role at the Gracie Humaita Academy in South Bay. The logistics of training between two locations proved unworkable, and Paulo made the decision to consolidate alongside McComb.

He joined the Gracie Humaita team under the direction of Letícia Ribeiro and Fabrício Camões, and the transition proved seamless. Paulo maintained his competitive momentum under the Gracie Humaita banner, adding IBJJF Pan American titles in both gi and no-gi before reaching the milestone he had been building toward for years. On June 9, 2018, Paulo Gabriel received his black belt promotion — a moment made all the more significant by the fact that Gabrielle McComb was promoted on the same day, a shared achievement that reflected how closely their athletic journeys had become intertwined.

Breakout No-Gi Season

Paulo established himself as a consistent and technically precise competitor at black belt, with his no-gi performances drawing particular attention throughout 2019. That year, he swept through multiple IBJJF events, claiming gold at the American Nationals No-Gi, the Dallas Spring Open No-Gi, the San Diego Open No-Gi, and the San Jose Open No-Gi — a dominant run that demonstrated his ability to perform across different competitive environments.

Gi Competition and Continued Growth

The gi division proved equally competitive, if sometimes harder to close out. At the 2019 IBJJF American Nationals, Paulo reached the gi final but fell to Alef Brito by a 4-2 margin, finishing as runner-up in a result that illustrated the fine margins at elite lightweight level. He also earned a runner-up finish at the 2019 IBJJF San Jose Open in gi competition.

Paulo carried his form into subsequent years, earning a bronze medal at the IBJJF World Championship No-Gi in 2021 — one of the sport's most prestigious events — and a bronze at the IBJJF Pan Championship No-Gi in 2020. Competing in the Peso Leve division (76 kg / 168 lbs) and representing the United States internationally, Paulo has built a black belt record defined by steady progression and a high floor of performance across both formats.

In 2021, Paulo Gabriel and Gabrielle McComb made a joint decision to relocate to San Diego, joining Atos Jiu-Jitsu under the guidance of André Galvão. The move placed both athletes within one of the most competitive and accomplished training environments in the world — a deliberate step that reflected their shared commitment to continued development at the highest levels of the sport.

Paulo's team affiliations trace the full arc of his American career: the foundation built under Letícia Ribeiro and Fabrício Camões at Gracie Humaita, and the next chapter pursued through the elite Atos program. Both chapters speak to a competitor who has consistently sought out the environments most capable of pushing him forward.