Samuel Guimarães

At the Sul Americano championship, white belt competitor Samuel Guimarães found himself at the center of one of BJJ's most controversial moments. With approximately 30 seconds remaining in his match against Davi Garros and trailing 7-0, Guimarães bit his own arm and accused Garros of committing a foul. Without access to video review, the referee accepted the accusation and disqualified Garros, awarding the victory to Guimarães.

Official broadcast footage subsequently exposed the bite as self-inflicted, directly contradicting the foul accusation and drawing widespread condemnation from across the BJJ community. Garros publicly confirmed that he had been leading 7-0 at the time of the disqualification, calling for justice and respect for the sport.

In early December 2025, Guimarães posted a video apology on social media, accepting full personal responsibility for his actions. He apologized directly to the referee and to Davi Garros, explicitly stating that neither his coaches nor his family bore any blame for the incident. He acknowledged that his conduct had shamed his professor and team, and asked the BJJ community for forgiveness.

Guimarães described the days leading up to December 5, 2025 as particularly difficult, citing hostile messages directed at him and his family in the aftermath of the incident. On December 5, 2025, he confirmed that he had contacted the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Confederation (CBJJ) to accept appropriate disciplinary measures. His coach corroborated this step, reporting that the medal had been returned to the federation and that they were awaiting the CBJJ's formal decision.