Raphael Chaves

Raphael Chaves was born on December 31, 1980, in Brazil, and discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 16. His first instructor was Professor Sarruco at Alliance, where Chaves built the foundational skills that would define his grappling career. Training under Sarruco, he advanced steadily through the early belt ranks, developing the technical base that would later serve him at the highest levels of the international No-Gi circuit.

Upon reaching purple belt, Chaves transitioned to Academia Integracao to train under Elcio Figueiredo, who guided him through the brown belt stage and sharpened both his technique and competitive instincts. The move represented more than a change of gym — it marked a deepening commitment to the sport and a meaningful expansion of his technical repertoire. At age 23, Chaves made a defining personal decision: to leave Brazil and begin a new chapter in the United States.

The transition to life in America demanded sacrifice. Chaves spent his first year in the country focused entirely on work, without time to train. It was not until the age of 25 that he returned to the mats, finding his competitive home at The Armory, a well-regarded academy in Jupiter, Florida.

The Armory proved to be a transformative environment. Chaves trained alongside notable figures including Kurt Pellegrino and Hermes Franca, whose influence shaped his development as a No-Gi specialist. He demonstrated consistent excellence on the regional circuit, earning victories at NAGA, Copa America, and the Arnold Classic — results that ultimately led Hermes Franca to award him his black belt, recognizing both his technical mastery and competitive record. Chaves subsequently affiliated with Checkmat, the team under whose banner he would go on to compete at the highest levels of the sport.

Around the same period that Chaves received his black belt, he launched a professional Mixed Martial Arts career. The early results were striking: he went undefeated in his first two professional bouts, recording TKO victories in both 2007 and 2008. The back-to-back finishes demonstrated a natural aptitude for the broader combat sports arena and confirmed that his grappling skills translated effectively to the cage.

A series of recurring injuries, however, brought his promising MMA trajectory to an abrupt halt. Unable to sustain the physical demands of professional fighting, Chaves placed his MMA career on indefinite hold. Despite the brevity of his time as an active competitor, the experience underscored his versatility as a combat sports athlete and his willingness to test himself across different competitive formats.

Following his MMA setbacks, Chaves redirected his competitive focus entirely toward No-Gi grappling — the discipline in which he would ultimately cement his legacy. In 2008, he reached the podium at the Pan American No-Gi Championship, claiming a bronze medal. The following year, despite continued physical challenges, he returned to the world stage and again earned a podium finish at the World No-Gi Championship in 2009.

Injuries resurfaced in 2010, forcing yet another extended absence from competition. The pattern of setbacks followed by determined returns became a defining characteristic of Chaves' career arc. In 2011, that resilience produced its greatest reward: Chaves claimed the World No-Gi Championship title, fulfilling the potential that had been evident since his early years at The Armory. He returned to the World No-Gi Championship in 2012 and captured the title again in the Master division, cementing his standing as one of the premier No-Gi competitors of his generation. The two world titles, earned across multiple comebacks from serious injury, stand as a testament to his technical excellence and competitive durability under the Checkmat banner.