Diogo Reis - The BJJ Baby Shark from Manaus

Diogo Reis was born in Manaus, a city in the Amazonas in Brazil on 20 March 2002. Diogo Reis earned a name in the grappling world at a very little age. Twenty-one-year-old grappler is already a two-time World Champion, CBJJ Champion, and ADCC Champion.  

Diogo Reis was an athletic child from an early age. He started his sports career with soccer and football. Before he was 10 years old, Diogo loved to take part in sports competitions. He discovered combat sports when he was 10 years old.  

Diogo became familiar with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu when his elder brother started training under coach Alexandre Oliveira. Diogo used to watch his brother with keen interest. Alexandre Oliveira noticed his interest in Jiu-Jitsu and invited him to train with them. That’s how the Jiu-Jitsu gem was introduced to the grappling world. Alexandre Oliveira was his first Jiu-Jitsu coach.   

After a few years of training, Diogo decided to join Jiu-Jitsu as a profession. He decided to be more dedicated to Jiu-Jitsu. He met with Melqui Galvao in a tournament. Melqui Galvao was a well-known coach of Manaus and a very talented Black Belt. Their first meeting proved very fruitful as Diogo joined Melqui Galvao as his second coach and started training under him.    

One of Diogo’s friends started calling him a baby shark during a tournament in Abu Dhabi. Other people also started calling him Baby Shark. The name stuck with him and Diogo became famous as a baby shark. Now Diogo often wears shirts with his nickname on them. 

Diogo Reis received his first Juvenile belt, Yellow Belt, during training with Alexandre Oliveira. This was the only Belt Diogo received from his first coach, Alexandre Oliveira.

Diogo Reis received his all-color belts including Orange, Blue, Purple, and Brown belt from his second and everlasting coach, Melqui Galvao. 

In the IBJJF World Championship of 2018 and 2019, Diogo Reis gave a fabulous performance and won both weight and absolute categories. He won four gold medals in two consecutive years as a Blue Belt in the most major BJJ championship.

On 13 December 2020, Diogo Reis was promoted to the Black Belt by his mentor and coach, Melqui Galvao. He received his Black Belt just seven months after his Brown Belt promotion at the age of 18. He was already two times world champion during the promotion of his Black Belt. 

Diogo Reis won three CBJJ championships in 2015, 2016, and 2019 as a Juvenile Blue Belt. After receiving Black Belt, Diogo Reis appeared in CBJJ Brazilian Nationals in 2022. He submitted three of his four opponents and once again become CBJJ Brazilian National Champion.   

Diogo Reis appeared in ADCC Brazilian Trials in 2022 along with his teammates. Diogo won all five matches and was selected for the ADCC World Championship. In the ADCC World Championship, Diogo Reis gave his best performance.

He defeated various rising stars and big names including Ashley Williams, Fabricio Andrey, Gabriel Sousa, and Josh Cisneros in the ADCC Championship to win the tournament. In the quarterfinal of the ADCC tournament, Diogo faced one of his teammates, Fabricio Andrey, and defeated him. He became ADCC Champion at the age of 20.

In his emotional speech with his coach, Melqui Galvao after winning the ADCC championship he expressed his gratitude to his family, friends, teammates, and most importantly his coach.     

Diogo Reis is a well-rounded BJJ competitor. He has command of the complete game style. But in the ADCC World Championship, he executed a fantastic open guard. He showcased his best hand-fighting skills, takedown, standup, and great control of his opponent.

Diogo Reis faced Lucas Pinheiro in the Quarterfinals of the World Championship 2022. Baby Shark started the match with a fabulous pulling guard. Lucas tried to escape from the grip of the Diogo and succeeded to do so.

But Diogo did not let him free completely and strangled his leg. Lucas countered by taking side control with his leg strangled in between both legs of the Diogo. Lucas tried and succeeded to escape his leg.

Once again Diogo applied for pulling guard and succeeded. Diogo tried to use his Gi but Lucas once again succeeded to escape. Diogo successfully applied full guard. Lucas tried to escape from the full guard. Diogo countered by strangling his leg and applying a foot lock. This proved to be the last move by Diogo and he submitted Lucas with a Toe Hold.

Diogo Reis faced Paulo Cesar in the semifinal of the Curtibia Open 2022. Both fighters had a fantastic winning history in the previous fights. They started the fight with their top energy level.

At the start of the match, Paulo Cesar executed a fantastic takedown and put Diogo to the ground in just one move. He tried to grab Diogo’s foot but Diogo Reis did not let him do so. He maintained his balance in a few next seconds and applied for full guard.

Failing to apply full guard, he changed his strategy. He moved Cesar with the help of his legs, reverted his position, and strangled one of his feet. He submitted Paulo Cesar within just a minute with Toe Hold.

Diogo Reis faced Matheus Rossi in the semifinals of the Brasileiro in 2022. Diogo Reis started the fight with a takedown followed by a guillotine attempt and secured the top position. Both fighters tried to control each other by capturing each other’s Gi Diogo grabbed the solve of Rossi while Rossi captured the lapels of Diogo.

Rossi succeeded to escape his sleeves but Diogo could not escape his Gi. For a few minutes, he tried to get his lapels free. After a few minutes, Diogo escaped his Gi with a jerk and rapidly applied a Triangle choke. He strangled the neck and left arm of Rossi in his grip. Diogo submitted Rossi with a Triangle choke in just three and a half minutes.    

Diogo Reis X Diego Pato - Final Pan Championship 2023

Diogo Reis X Carlos Alberto(Bebeto) - ADGS MIAMI 2021

Diogo Reis v Matheus Fonseca / Pan Championship 2022

Diogo Reis vs Gabriel Sousa Full Match - Finals Adcc 2022

Photo Credit: @diogoreisbjj