Paulo Santana

Paulo Santana was born and raised in Goiânia, the capital of Goiás, Brazil. His entry into martial arts was not the product of a lifelong ambition but of circumstance — a street altercation during his teenage years pushed him to seek out self-defense training. That search led him through several disciplines before he discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a practice that quickly evolved from a practical tool into a defining passion.

Under the guidance of local coaches in Goiás, Santana steadily built his game and established himself as one of his state's top competitors. His path to black belt was shaped in large part by the mentorship of Rodrigo Castro, whose influence proved instrumental as Santana developed into a polished, technically refined athlete on the regional stage.

Santana's first encounter with American competition came as a black belt when he traveled to the 2013 IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship. The scale and professionalism of the tournament infrastructure left a lasting impression — one that planted the seed of a major life decision.

Relocating to the United States demanded real sacrifice: saving enough money to make the move viable, leaving behind a stable job in Brazil, and committing to learning an entirely new language. Santana initially settled in Lynchburg, Virginia, living with his sponsor while adapting to an unfamiliar country. With limited English in those early days, he relied on numbers and non-verbal communication to navigate daily life — a humbling experience that underscores the depth of his commitment to building a new chapter through jiu-jitsu.

Santana's trajectory in the United States took a defining turn when he relocated to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to lead a new Lucas Lepri affiliate gym. The academy he inherited operated primarily around a self-defense curriculum, and Santana made the strategic decision to shift its focus toward modern sport jiu-jitsu. The results were immediate — student retention improved, and a number of former members who had previously left returned to train under the new direction.

By June 2018, the school had grown to more than 100 students, a testament to Santana's ability to build community as much as to teach technique. Throughout this period of growth, he maintained an active competitive presence on the IBJJF circuit, earning a gold medal at the Charlotte International Open in 2017 and a podium finish at the Pan American Championship in the Master division that same year. His dual role as a competing athlete and full-time instructor reflects the broader vision that drew him to the United States — a commitment to jiu-jitsu as both a competitive pursuit and a vehicle for building something lasting.