Lucas Pinheiro - The Top Light Featherweight BJJ Black Belt

Lucas Pinheiro was born in Amazonas, Brazil on 11 February 1994. He was brought up in a poor family and was introduced to BJJ at the age of 9. Now Lucas Pinheiro is a World Champion. He won various major championships including Pan, American Nationals, CBJJ, and Grand Slam.

Lucas Pinheiro belongs to a lower-middle-class family. His parents worked away from home so he used to spend most of his time in the streets of Manaus. Lucas was a fearless and hot-headed child who used to start fights for fun.    

At the age of nine, one of his friends introduced him to BJJ. Pinheiro followed his friend to a BJJ class local Academy. Pinheiro’s friend was expecting that Pinheiro would like the environment. Pinheiro met the expectations of his friend. He was in search of this environment. From then, BJJ became his favorite sport.       

At Mestre Pina’s Academy, Lucas received BJJ training from White Belt to Purple Belt. Spending his childhood in the streets made Pinheiro very tough and daring. At the age of 17, he received an invitation from Cicero Costha to join Cicero Costha’s affiliate Academy in  Sorocaba.

Cicero Costha Academy provides training and living facilities to the tough competitors who are unable to afford BJJ training and are passionate about it. Pinheiro availed of this opportunity and started training at Cicero Costha Academy. His practice and guidance from the right instructors turned him into a strong and passionate BJJ competitor. He trained in Cicero Costha Jiu-Jitsu until his Brown Belt promotion.       

Now Lucas Pinheiro is representing Atos Jiu-Jitsu in the international circuit. He joined Atos after his Black Belt promotion and trained with Andre Galvao. Now Lucas Pinheiro is working as an instructor at the headquarter of Atos Jiu-Jitsu. 

Lucas was often called “Bad Boy” as this title was with him from his childhood when he used to wander in the streets of Manaus. So he got this name from an early age and retained this name with him even till now.  

During his fighting career, Lucas Pinheiro had a few severe injuries. The most attention-taking injury was a pinched back nerve. The doctor’s advice took him away from the mat and he used to train after taking pills. He has also experienced foot bone displacement and limping due to this injury.   

Lucas Pinheiro is happily married to Feliz Natal. Both of them married five years ago and now have a daughter named Leticia Galvao Pinheiro.   

Lucas Pinheiro was promoted to Purple Belt at the age of 17 by Faustino Neto, also known as “Mestre Pina”. His academy was one of the best academies in Manaus, Brazil. 

After accepting an invitation from Cicero Costha, Lucas Pinheiro left Mestre Pina Academy and joined Cicero Costha Academy. He received his Brown Belt in Cicero Costha. But when he attained an opportunity of coaching in the US, he left Cicero Costha.   

Lucas Pinheiro was promoted to Black Belt by one of his fellows from Manaus, Carlos Holanda after a long journey of 12 years in 2015. He updated his fans with his Black Belt promotion with an Instagram post. 

Now Lucas Pinheiro is working in the Head Quarter of Atos Jiu-Jitsu as an instructor. Along with coaching, he is also an active competitor who represents Atos Jiu-Jitsu.  

Lucas Pinheiro is a tough competitor who won various medals in his Brown Belt career. In 2014, he was a Gold medalist in IBJJF Rio International Open and a Silver medalist in IBJJF Florida Open.

In 2015, he was Silver Medalist in IBJJF World Championship, and Gold Medalist in CBJJ Brazilian Nationals and AJP Brazilian National Pro.

Back in 2017, Lucas Pinheiro was a silver medalist in the IBJJF World Championship. In 2022, he reappeared in the No-Gi World Championship. Now in 2022, he became Black Belt No-Gi Light Featherweight Champion. In an interview after winning the championship, Lucas mentioned that this was not an easy journey to become World Champion. He further added,

After talking about the challenges he faced in the journey to become a World Champion, Lucas also delivered an important message to his fans and BJJ competitors who are still struggling for the title of Black Belt World Champion. Pinheiro’s words were:

In 2020, Lucas Pinheiro became IBJJF Pan Black Belt Champion in both Gi and No-Gi Championships in the light featherweight division. He is also honored to win the American Nationals in both Gi and No-Gi Championship in 2018 and No-Gi American National Championship in Gi in 2019.   

Lucas Pinheiro is a top-ranked No-Gi Grand Slam competitor and ranked as number 11 in the No-Gi category of IBJJF. 

Lucas Pinheiro representing Atos fought Carlos Bebeto Oliveira from GF team in an eliminator round of the 2020 Pan No-Gi Championship under the light featherweight Black Belt division. Both fighters tried their best and showcased expert grappling skills. Lucas welcomed his opponent with a double leg takedown and earned early 2 points. The fight went for 10 minutes and both tried their level best to score points, pass each other's guards and shoot for the takedowns.

Scorecard showed equal 4 points on both sides but Lucas had one decisive advantage. It was a close and competitive match. At the end, Lucas won the match by 1 advantage point.

The second-degree BJJ Black Belt, Lucas Pinheiro faced Malachi Edmond in the 10 minutes quarterfinal of the 2022 Pan Championship under the Black Belt light featherweight division. Edmond has more reach because of his long limbs. The bout started as both pumped participants gets right into the action. Lucas went for De La Riva guard and clinched the Gi grips of Edmond.

Andre Galvao, the coach of Lucas was there to encourage and guide his prodigy Black Belt. Lucans maintained his grip on the belt of Edmond while ensuring Edmond can't do anything by keeping his hips high and head low.  After 4 minutes both fighters came back on their feet.

Lucas went for a single leg takedown while still clinching on the bottom lapel of Edmond but Edmond defended well and Lucan secured 1 advantage point.

Lucas went again for the single-leg takedown and got 2 points. Minuted after he got 3 points for a magnificent guard pass and strangled him into a side control clinch and then maintained a cross-face. Then Lucas crawled and secured 4 points for the back take and won the match by choke from the back.

Lucas Pinheiro faced Gustavo Carpio in the final of San Antonio Open 2018. At the beginning of the match, Lucas took down Carpio and scored two points. He tried to overcome Carpio and in his struggle, he took the back of Carpio and grasped his lapels. Carpio tried his best to escape and finally succeeded.

But Lucas did not let him leave the floor and again succeeded to take his back. He grasped his Gi’s lapels again with a stronger grip. This time, Carpio was unable to escape. At the end of the match, Lucas submitted Carpio with a Collar Choke and became San Antonio Open 2018 Champion.

Lucas Pinheiro v Suraj Budhram / Pan Championship 2022

Lucas Pinheiro vs Brandon Walker / Austin Winter Open 2019

Lucas Pinheiro v Roiter Lima / World Championship 2022

Lucas Pinheiro v Daniël de Groot / European Championship No-Gi 2022

Photo Credit: @lucaspinheirobjj