Santiago Guerra

Santiago Guerra was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and grew up in the city's Saavedra neighborhood. Described by his parents as a hyperactive child, he channeled that energy into organized sport from an early age. By age four, he was already competing in football and swimming, and at six, judo entered his routine — a discipline that would leave a permanent imprint on his grappling instincts. He competed in local judo tournaments and represented his province at two Argentine Judo Nationals, developing an early appetite for high-pressure competition.

In October 2013, Guerra expanded his training to include both boxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. BJJ appealed to him for its structural similarities to judo, but what set it apart was the freedom it offered on the ground and the opportunity to test his skills against a wider range of athletes and fighting styles. Boxing became an equally serious pursuit: Guerra completed nine fights under an amateur license, accumulated additional exhibition bouts, and earned a 2nd place finish at the Argentine Boxing Nationals alongside a 3rd place result at the nationally recognized Evitas Games. Across disciplines, he built the competitive instincts and physical foundation that would define his approach to jiu-jitsu.

Santiago Guerra's first jiu-jitsu instructor was Javier Cardozo, a black belt under Julio Cesar Pereira, the founder of GF Team. Cardozo's background extended across BJJ, judo, and wrestling — a combination that meshed naturally with Guerra's existing grappling foundation and helped shape the dynamic, wrestling-influenced style he would refine over the years. The blend of disciplines gave Guerra an instinctive feel for level changes, scrambles, and transitional control that would distinguish his game at every belt level.

As he progressed through the ranks, Guerra also came under the guidance of Bruno Alves Correa, a member of the GF Team network based in San Antonio, Texas. Correa played a central role in Guerra's technical development and formalized a defining milestone in his journey by promoting Santiago Guerra to black belt on June 12, 2024.

Before reaching black belt, Guerra had already announced himself as an elite prospect on the international circuit. In 2018, competing as a juvenile, he claimed gold at the IBJJF World Championship — a result that confirmed his potential and set the tone for the decorated colored belt career that followed. That world title demonstrated that his multi-sport background had translated into a technically advanced and competition-ready game from the very beginning.

Purple Belt Highlights

Guerra's run through the colored belt ranks was defined by consistent performances at the sport's most competitive events. At purple belt, one of his most significant results came at the 2021 IBJJF World Championship No-Gi, where he advanced to the final and earned 2nd place — a standout achievement that signaled his readiness for the upper levels of the sport.

Brown Belt Campaign

His brown belt years elevated that consistency into a sustained campaign across both gi and no-gi formats on the IBJJF and AJP circuits. In the gi, Guerra reached the top of the podium at the 2023 IBJJF American Nationals and pushed to the final of the 2023 IBJJF Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship, earning 2nd place. The year prior, he claimed 2nd place at the 2022 IBJJF American Nationals, reinforcing his reliability in the gi division. A 3rd place at the 2021 IBJJF Pan Championship and another 3rd place at the 2024 IBJJF Pan Championship further illustrated his durability across multiple editions of that tournament.

In no-gi competition, Guerra earned a 3rd place at the 2022 IBJJF Pan Championship No-Gi and a 3rd place at the 2023 IBJJF World Championship No-Gi, confirming that his technical profile translated effectively across rulesets. Additional results — 2nd place at the 2024 CBJJ Brazilian Nationals and 2nd place at the 2023 AJP Grand Slam Miami — underscored the breadth and longevity of his brown belt campaign as he approached the black belt transition.

Santiago Guerra competes in the rooster weight division at 57.60 kg (127 lbs), widely regarded as one of the most technically demanding categories in professional BJJ. Following his black belt promotion in June 2024, he wasted no time establishing himself at the sport's highest level.

His first major black belt title arrived at the 2024 IBJJF JJ Con No-Gi, a significant opening statement in his professional career. He followed that result with a 2nd place finish at the 2024 IBJJF American Nationals No-Gi, confirming that the consistency he built at purple and brown belt had carried over into the black belt ranks. A 3rd place result at the 2024 AJP Grand Slam Dallas added further evidence of his adaptability across different competitive formats and rule sets at the elite level.

Representing Argentina and GF Team on the international circuit, Guerra has positioned himself as a competitive presence in the rooster weight division. His foundation in judo and wrestling, cultivated over years under Javier Cardozo and Bruno Alves Correa within the GF Team system, continues to inform his approach on the mat as he builds his black belt career.