Paulo Sergio

Born on July 23, 1960, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Paulo Sergio discovered Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the age of 13. The art's core philosophy — that a smaller, weaker practitioner can overcome a larger, stronger opponent — resonated immediately with the young Paulo, who was smaller than many of his peers. That principle set the course for a lifelong dedication to the art.

His first instructor was Wilson Mattos, under whom he trained for approximately three years before stepping away from martial arts entirely. Paulo eventually returned to the mats at the age of 25, enrolling at Academia Corpore in Rio de Janeiro. There, he reignited his jiu-jitsu training and began exploring judo in parallel — a second grappling discipline that would complement and deepen his development as a martial artist.

Paulo Sergio's rise through the belt ranks became closely tied to one of Brazilian jiu-jitsu's most storied lineages. As a blue belt at Academia Corpore, his exceptional commitment caught the attention of coach Malibu, earning him an invitation to join the Jacaré Jiu-Jitsu Academy — the team led by Romero Cavalcanti, known widely as "Jacaré" — the institution that would evolve into Alliance BJJ.

From that point forward, Paulo earned every subsequent belt under Romero Cavalcanti's guidance. On April 14, 1993, he received his black belt, formalizing a teacher-student relationship that defined his technical foundation and competitive identity. He holds a 6th degree black belt under Romero Cavalcanti.

Alongside his jiu-jitsu development, Paulo pursued judo seriously at Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, one of Rio de Janeiro's most prominent sporting clubs, earning his judo black belt in 1991 — two years before his BJJ black belt. The combination of both disciplines gave him a well-rounded grappling base that informed both his teaching and his competition game.

Shortly after receiving his black belt, Paulo Sergio made a decisive move that would shape the geography of Brazilian jiu-jitsu's growth. By the end of 1993, he relocated to Balneário Camboriú in the state of Santa Catarina, establishing himself as one of the earliest instructors to bring jiu-jitsu to Brazil's southern region — an area with little prior exposure to the art.

What began as a single outpost grew steadily into a broad network. Paulo expanded his team across multiple cities in Brazil and pushed well beyond national borders, building affiliated academies in Bolivia, Italy, Tunisia, and France. To unify these academies under a single organizational identity, he established PS Phoenix Jiu Jitsu, the association that serves as the umbrella for his global network.

His work in southern Brazil stands as foundational to the sport's development in that region, earning him recognition as a BJJ pioneer for an area that has since produced a strong and growing competitive community.

Of all the international chapters of Paulo Sergio's career, his work in France represents its most sustained and consequential dimension. He established a meaningful BJJ presence in Paris, building teams at two institutions: Club Daumesnil and COCEP. These academies became active contributors to the French BJJ competitive scene, with students earning medals at major international tournaments including the European Open.

Paulo's commitment extended to representing France internationally — a reflection of how thoroughly he embedded himself in developing the sport there rather than simply exporting it. His Paris operation demonstrated that jiu-jitsu can take root and flourish in non-traditional markets when given consistent, dedicated instruction and institutional support. The model he built in France became a template for growing the sport in regions outside Brazil's established BJJ heartlands.

Paulo Sergio compiled one of the more extensive competitive records in the Masters and Seniors divisions, competing across Brazilian national, European, international, and world-level events throughout the late 1990s and into the 2000s. His weight class throughout this career was Peso Pluma (64 kg / 141 lbs).

Brazilian National Championships

At the Brazilian national level, Paulo claimed titles in 1996 in the Master division, in 1999 and 2000 in Senior 1, and again in 2002 in Senior 2 — a span that demonstrated sustained competitive relevance across multiple age categories. He also reached the runner-up position in the Senior 2 absolute at the Brazilian National Championship in 2002, and earned a third-place finish in the Senior 1 absolute in 1999.

International Masters and Seniors Championship

At the International Masters and Seniors Championship, Paulo proved a consistent title contender, winning gold in 2000 (Senior 1), 2002, 2003, and 2004 (Senior 2), and 2006 (Senior 3). He was runner-up at the same event in 2005 (Senior 2) and in the 2006 absolute (Senior 3).

European and World Championships

At the European Championship, Paulo claimed titles in 2006 and 2007. Primary competitive records attribute these titles to the Senior 2 division, though records from his French academy affiliates reference Senior 3 competition during the same period. The Senior 2 designation reflects the most widely cited source and is used here accordingly.

A World Championship bronze medal attributed to 1999 appears in some records but has not been consistently verified across primary competitive sources, and should be treated with appropriate caution pending further confirmation.

Paulo Sergio's contributions to Brazilian jiu-jitsu extend well beyond the competition mat. He built a substantial career as a referee, earning certification with two of the sport's most prominent governing bodies: the IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation) and the UAEJJF (UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation).

Officating for the IBJJF places him at the center of the sport's highest-profile gi competitions, while his work with the UAEJJF connects him to one of the most prestigious international circuits in the contemporary jiu-jitsu landscape. His refereeing career runs parallel to his ongoing roles as instructor and team builder, adding a third professional dimension to a career already defined by its breadth.

Across both organizations, Paulo developed a reputation for consistency and reliability as an official — qualities that carry significant professional weight in a sport where refereeing standards directly shape competitive outcomes.