Rivalry · 13 recorded meetings

Rafael Mendes vs Rubens Charles

Head-to-head record

Rafael

Rubens

Rafael

Rubens

2008 → 2015, oldest first

Did you know?

The two met 13 times on record, with Rafael Mendes winning 10 and Rubens Charles winning 3.
Charles won each of the first three recorded meetings against Mendes, including a 2008 final and two 2009 semi-finals.
Both fighters list the same favorite submission, the Gi Choke From Back, with Mendes recording 16 such wins and Charles recording 20.
Only one of their 13 meetings ended by submission, an Armbar from Mendes at the 2012 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship.
Nearly all of their matches came in finals, with the two exceptions being 2009 semi-final meetings that Charles won.

The rivalry

This is one of the defining featherweight rivalries of its era. Across 13 recorded meetings, Rafael Mendes holds a 10 to 3 edge over Rubens Charles. The two met almost exclusively in finals, and most of those finals came in a stretch from 2008 through 2015. Charles took the early exchanges, winning three of the first meetings on record, before Mendes turned the series firmly in his favor.

The stylistic contrast is clear from the bios. Mendes built his game around the 50-50 guard and the berimbolo, positions he used to work past a more established champion. Charles is described as an aggressive, pressure-oriented competitor with a capoeira background. On record, Mendes wins 91% of his matches with a 61% submission rate on his wins, while Charles wins 86% with a 53% submission rate. Both men share the same signature finish, the Gi Choke From Back.

What decided their meetings was rarely the finish. Of the 13 matches, most went to points, advantages, decisions, or penalties. Mendes did close out one of their nogi finals with an Armbar at the 2012 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship, but the pattern of this rivalry was Mendes edging tight matches on the scoreboard rather than putting Charles away.

Career stats

Stat	Rafael	Rubens
Recorded matches	92	125
Record (W-L-D)	84-7-1	107-18-0
Win rate	91%	86%
Submission rate (of wins)	61%	53%
Favorite finish	Gi Choke From Back (16)	Gi Choke From Back (20)