Vinícius Pedrosa began his Brazilian jiu-jitsu training in 1993 under Júlio César Pereira, the founder of GF Team. Despite arriving on the mats already regarded as an accomplished judo competitor, Pedrosa trained with the adult BJJ team from day one — a reflection of GF Team's standards and his own competitive maturity. Senior teammates Marcos Bello and Alexandre Baraúna, who became close personal friends, played a significant role in shaping his development during those early years.
Progressing through the BJJ ranks under such demanding conditions took nearly a decade. Along the way, Pedrosa compiled meaningful results at the colored belt level. In 1999, competing as a purple belt, he claimed the CBJJ Brazilian National Championship — a result that signaled his readiness to perform among the sport's elite. The following year, at brown belt, he returned to the national stage and earned a runner-up finish. His BJJ black belt promotion came in 2002, marking the culmination of a long and rigorous journey through one of the sport's most respected programs.
Even before receiving his black belt, Pedrosa had begun sharing his knowledge on the mats. During his brown belt years, he transitioned into a coaching role, drawing widespread praise from peers and teammates for the quality of his instruction — early recognition that laid the groundwork for what would become one of the most respected coaching careers in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.