Gabriel Rollo - The Top BJJ Black Belt Competitor

Gabriel Rollo was born in a city of beautiful beaches, Santos in Sao Paulo State of Brazil on October 3rd, 1986. He won medals in many top tournaments like World and Pan Championships as well as European Championship. He is one of the few high-ranked lightweight grapplers of his generation.

Gabriel Rollo was an extraordinarily energetic boy in his childhood. He was encouraged and enrolled in sports activities by his parents to exhaust his extra energy in a positive way. He played Karate, Judo, Capoeira, and Taekwondo from the age of six. But with time, he left other activities and was very focused on surfing.

At the age of 18, a friend of Gabriel persuaded him to join Jiu-Jitsu. Both friends chose BJJ and decided to take a chance. After joining BJJ academy, Gabriel felt Jiu-Jitsu was the game he had the desire to pursue as a career.   

Gabriel started his professional BJJ career with Paulo Theodoro, who also became his first coach in BJJ. Both remained together until Paulo awarded the Purple Belt to Gabriel. Paulo saw his hidden talent and wanted him to compete in tournaments.     

In 2007, Paulo Theodoro was barbarically murdered just after one week he promoted Gabriel to Purple Belt. Gabriel could not bear that loss and was disheartened. Consequently, he left Jiu-Jitsu for a while.  

Gabriel’s friend and his girlfriend (who later became Gabriel’s wife) persuaded him to join BJJ again. Gabriel Joined an academy, Cavaca Fight Trainer. Now Rodrigo Cavaca was his coach.      

In 2008, Rodrigo Cavaca joined forces with Checkmat. Rodrigo trained Gabriel until his Black Belt. In 2013, Rodrigo Cavaca parted his way from Checkmat to make his own academy, known as Zenith Jiu-Jitsu. Gabriel decided to be with his coach but he kept in touch with Checkmat and still represents Checkmat internationally.

Gabriel Rollo is also known as “Palito”. Palito is a Portuguese term that means “toothpick”. His friends named him so because of his thin and tall body.

Gabriel Rollo was promoted to Black Belt by Rodrigo Cavaca on 4th July 2010 after becoming runner-up in the World Championship.

In this fight, Gabriel Rollo was facing Iranslav Neoral in the 2022 Curitiba Spring Open. Both fighters were executing great energies and were actively fighting.

Gabriel Rollo started with a pull to apply full guard but Iranslav escaped. Gabriel took down Iranslav and scored two points. Iranslav had a high spirit that he did not allow Gabriel to mount or strangle him from the back. Gabriel took two minutes and a lot of struggle to overcome Neoral again.

At the end of the match, Gabriel mounted Iranslav and submitted him with Mount X Choke. 

Gabriel Rollo faced Douglas Duarte in São Leopoldo Open 2022. Douglas Duarte missed chances to apply full guard, half guard, and butterfly guard successively at the beginning of the match. Gabriel Rollo tried for more than 5 minutes to overcome him and managed to apply a side mount. To defend against the pressure exerted by Gabriel Rollo, Douglas gave his back to Rollo. Rollo took this opportunity and managed to grab his lapels from the back. 

At the end of the match, Gabriel Rollo Submitted Douglas Duarte with Collar Choke.   

This match was between Gabriel Rollo and Theodoro Gabriel in Sul Americano de Jiu-Jitsu 2014. At the start of the match, he successfully applied full guard. But Theodoro Gabriel actively escaped from his grip. Gabriel Rollo managed to control him from the side mount with one of Rollo’s legs strangled between both legs of Theodoro. To escape that leg, Rollo has to lose his grip on the side mount. Theodoro tried to take this opportunity but Gabriel Rollo again got control of Theodor. 

At the end of the match, Gabriel Rollo turned this side mount into a back mount by taking the back of Theodoro and submitting Theodoro with Collar Chowk.    

Gabriel Rollo v Douglas Duarte / São Leopoldo Open 2022

Gabriel Rollo da Silva Pontes x Theodoro Gabriel Canal - Sul Americano de Jiu-Jitsu 2014 IBJJF

Gabriel Rollo v Iranslav Neoral / Curitiba Spring Open 2022

Gabriel Rollo v Facundo Ciancio / Vitória Open 2022

Photo Credit: @gabrielrollo