Stefano Correa

Born on February 25, 1986, in Apucarana, Paraná, Brazil, Stéfano Corrêa grew up immersed in athletic competition. As a youth, he demonstrated natural versatility across multiple sports, competing in both football and table tennis at a competitive level. His martial arts foundation took root at the age of five when he began training Shotokan karate — a discipline he practiced until the age of 11 — instilling in him the core principles of respect, focus, and physical conditioning that would define his athletic identity.

The direction of Corrêa's life shifted profoundly during his late teens with the death of his father. Rather than retreating from adversity, he channeled that grief into a renewed pursuit of martial arts. At 20, he stepped onto the BJJ mats for the first time, finding in jiu-jitsu both a physical outlet and a sense of purpose that would go on to shape his adult life entirely.

Corrêa began his BJJ journey under the guidance of Mauricio Cavaquini, with additional mentorship from Rafael Pionti and Alexandre Silveira. This coaching trio shaped his technical development from white belt through black, building a well-rounded game rooted in competitive experience and disciplined repetition. The results came quickly — by the age of 22, just two years after his first class, Corrêa had committed to BJJ as a professional athlete.

His readiness for elite competition announced itself at the national level when he earned 3rd place at the CBJJ Brazilian Nationals No-Gi in 2011 as a brown belt. The following year, Octávio de Almeida Junior awarded Corrêa his black belt in 2012, recognizing the years of technical growth and competitive achievement accumulated within the Academia Octávio de Almeida (AOA) system. The AOA affiliation provided the institutional backbone from which Corrêa would launch one of the most consistent international competition careers of his generation.

Competing in the Meio Pesado division (88.30 kg / 195.0 lbs), Stéfano Corrêa built a distinguished résumé across gi and no-gi formats on multiple continents, representing Brazil at major IBJJF, CBJJ, UAEJJF, and FPJJ events throughout the 2010s.

Domestic Dominance and Masters Division Ascendancy

Corrêa's domestic campaign gathered momentum in the years immediately following his black belt promotion, with podium appearances at the IBJJF São Paulo Open in 2013, 2014, and 2015 establishing him as a reliable regional force. By 2016, his performances reached a higher gear — he claimed gold at both the CBJJ Brazilian Nationals No-Gi (Master 1) and the IBJJF South American Championship (Master 1), a double title run that confirmed his place among Brazil's elite Masters competitors. He extended that regional dominance with FPJJ São Paulo State Championship titles in 2017 and 2018.

International Titles and European Campaign

On the international stage, Corrêa proved particularly formidable in European competition. In 2017, he captured the IBJJF European No-Gi Open, demonstrating his effectiveness beyond the gi. His performances at the IBJJF European Open followed an upward trajectory: a silver medal finish in 2018 (Master 1) gave way to gold in 2019 (Master 1), the kind of year-over-year progression that defines elite competitive longevity. The 2019 campaign was further highlighted by a gold medal at the 2019 IBJJF London Winter Open, adding another international title to an already well-decorated record.

Outside the IBJJF circuit, Corrêa continued to perform at a high level, claiming gold at the UAEJJF Spain National Pro in 2018 and earning a bronze medal at the IBJJF Rio Open that same year. Across South America and Europe, his competition record reflects a career defined by consistency, adaptability across rulesets, and a sustained drive to compete at the highest levels of Masters division BJJ.