Rafael DallInha

Rafael Dallinha was born in 1982 in Florianópolis, Brazil, into an environment that nurtured athletic development from an early age. His grappling journey began at 9 years old on the judo mat — a discipline he practiced for several years and one that forged the technical and physical foundation his BJJ career would later be built upon. The balance, leverage, and body awareness cultivated through judo proved invaluable as his martial arts path evolved.

At 16, Dallinha transitioned to Brazilian jiu-jitsu, drawn in by close friends already immersed in the art. He began his BJJ education under Rafael Mello and Murilo Rupp in Brazil. Even as a white belt, Dallinha displayed competitive maturity well beyond his experience level — entering regional and state contests early in his training, accumulating mat time that accelerated his development far beyond his peers.

Building the Foundation Abroad

Recognizing Dallinha's technical growth and early competitive results, Murilo Rupp awarded him his blue belt and, in 2004, sent him to the United States to continue his development. Rather than traveling directly to San Diego, Dallinha spent close to a year in Los Angeles training under Gerson Sanginitto — a period that proved formative. Sanginitto recognized Dallinha's progression and awarded him his purple belt before he departed for his original destination.

Upon arriving in San Diego, Dallinha began training under Rodrigo Medeiros at the Carlson Gracie BJJ Revolution Team, one of the most storied lineages in the sport. Years of dedicated work under Medeiros culminated in 2010 with the awarding of his black belt — a recognition of both his technical refinement and the competitive record he had built across multiple belt levels.

Colored Belt Competition Record

Dallinha's performance on the colored belt circuit reflected the consistency and competitive drive that defined his development. He captured gold at the IBJJF American Nationals across four consecutive years from 2004 through 2007, and claimed the IBJJF South American Championship title in 2001. As a brown belt, he earned gold at the US Open and the IBJJF NY Open in 2009, and took first at the Carlson Gracie Memorial in 2007. His IBJJF Pan American Championship appearances were equally impressive, with runner-up finishes in 2007 and 2010 at brown belt and a third-place finish in 2004 at blue belt — a body of work that established him as one of the more decorated competitors of his generation at those levels.

Establishing an Independent Identity

In 2017, drawing on more than two decades of grappling experience, Rafael Dallinha founded RADA Jiu-Jitsu, establishing his own identity within the broader BJJ landscape. The organization took root in Southern California with academies in La Jolla and Oceanside — two locations that allow Dallinha to serve distinct communities across the region.

Competing at the Master Level

The founding of RADA Jiu-Jitsu did not signal a step back from competition. Dallinha continued to perform at an elite level on the master circuit, capturing gold at the SJJIF World Championship in 2018 in the Master 1 division and winning the UAEJJF Grand Slam in Los Angeles that same year, also at Master 1. Earlier black belt highlights include a third-place finish at the IBJJF World Master Championship in 2014, a first-place finish at the IBJJF Houston Open that same year at Master 1, and a third-place result at the IBJJF Asian Open at the Master 2 level. These performances demonstrate that his competitive edge remained sharp even as he embraced the dual role of athlete and academy leader.

Through RADA Jiu-Jitsu, Dallinha channels the technical tradition of the Carlson Gracie BJJ Revolution Team lineage into a new generation of practitioners across Southern California, building a competitive and instructional program that reflects the standards instilled throughout his own journey on the mat.