Sergio Moraes - The Multiple Times BJJ World Champion

Sergio Moraes is a Third Degree Black Belt and various times World Champion. He was born in a poor area of São Paulo named “Cohab”. Sergio Moraes won the gold medal in different big tournaments like the Worlds, Pan, European Open, and CBJJO. He represents Alliance in the International competitive circuit.   

Sergio spent his early childhood in the streets of a Cohab. Sergio was the son of a butcher. He worked as a bus conductor, at a grocery shop, and in a flea market. Sergio was from a very humble family.    

Sergio built interest in BJJ when he watched the first-ever UFC fight in which Royce Gracie gave a fabulous performance. Later he became a fan of Rickson Gracie when he watched his documentary named “Choke”. He was also a big fan of Fernando Terere who had similarities with Sergio Moraes, especially in their upbringing. These three BJJ legends became the reason for his interest in the combat sport of BJJ. 

He was interested in BJJ because he saw Royce Gracie submit big guys without being hit. He was also a skinny guy so he wanted to learn that art.  

Sergio Moraes was introduced to BJJ at the age of 15 or 16 through a social project named “Nasci Para Vencer” which enrolled local kids from the streets. Sergio Moraes found a chance to change his life. 

Sergio Moraes initiated his BJJ practice through a social project under Everdan Olegário, who was the coach at that academy. Everdan Olegário coached this legend throughout his BJJ career and also promoted him to Black Belt.

Sergio trained with an elite grappler, Fernando Terere during his Brown Belt career. Fernando Terere closed his gym after some time and Sergio Moraes joined Alliance and started working with Master Fabio Gurgel. Sergio continues to represent Alliance in the international circuit. 

Sergio was named “O Orgulho da Cohab” which means “The Pride of Cohab”. Cohab was a small poor area of Sao Paulo and Sergio spent his early childhood there. 

Another nickname that was often used for Sergio is “Serginho”. It is a nice way of saying, “Sergio”.  

Along with BJJ career, Sergio Moraes also made great success in his MMA career. He debuted his MMA career in October 2006. His early MMA fights were in his native country Brazil. The next five years were years of success. In the first five years of his MMA career, he made a record of 6-1-0. He won five out of six fights with submission.

Sergio Moraes made his UFC debut in 2012. He lost his first UFC fight against Cesar Ferreira in June. His second UFC fight was in October 2012 in which he submitted his opponent with RNC. In 2013, in his third UFC fight, he was awarded with the “Submission of the Night” award. Here is the MMA record of Sergio Moraes.    

Sergio earned his first World Champion title as a Brown Belt in 2006. After winning the World Championship, Sergio Moraes was promoted to Black Belt by his coach Everdan Olegário in 2006.

Sergio Moraes is six times world champion. He was a runner-up in the World Championship in the Blue Belt division and a Gold medalist in the World Championship as a Brown Belt.

He was not active for some time due to an injury followed by physiotherapy sessions. He appeared in the World Championship as a Black Belt in 2008 when he fought the most important fight of his career against BJJ legend, Kron Gracie. He became famous when he won the World Championship title in 2008 as a Black Belt.

He came into the spotlight when he won three Gold medals in the 2009 World Championship (in the weight division, absolute weight divisions). In 2011, he once again earned that title and became the sixth-time world champion.

His name came in the headlines when he gave an outclassing performance and submitted Kron Gracie, who was the BJJ and MMA legend at that time with 51 submissions in the World Championships at his Purple and Brown Belt divisions. Sergio also had a 12x0 score in that fight against Kron Gracie. Moraes also became World Champion in that same year.

In 2012, Sergio Moraes was invited to a TV reality show, “The Ultimate Fighter”. In that show fighters from different fighting backgrounds were invited and performed for a contract with UFC, the World's largest Mixed Martial Arts organization.

In the elimination fight, Sergio was against Thiago Rela, a Muay Thai World Champion. He submitted Thaigo with Heel Hook in the first round and made his way to TUF house.

After submitting Delson Heleno in the first round, he was promoted to the semifinals. He faced Daniel Sarafian in the final and was submitted to him in the first round via flying knee.    

Along with his fighting career in BJJ and MMA, Sergio also started his coaching   career. Sergio is the Jiu-Jitsu head instructor at Evolução Thai Brazil. He is also coaching at Reza Martial Arts Center situated in Bahrain.

Sergio Moraes faced Kron Gracie in the 2008 IBJJF World Championship. Sergio Moraes started the match with a fantastic takedown and scored two points. He was so energetic that he took the top position and did not let Gracie escape. Sergio applied for pulling guard but Gracie did not let him control and secure the top position. Sergio countered by strangling his leg and trying to control his movements.

Both fighters applied pulling guard multiple times but they could not control each other. Finally, Sergio found an opportunity to take down Kron Gracie. He took top control, applied his weight pressure on Kron Gracie, and went for Arm in Ezekiel. At the end of the match, Sergio submitted Kron Gracie with Arm in Ezekiel.   

Sergio Moraes faced Victor Estima in the semifinals of the 2008 World Championship. Estima started the match with a pulling guard and tried to control Sergio. But it proved a very difficult move for Victor. Because Sergio took the top position and he became a challenge for Victor. He tried to control Victor with his full weight pressure.

Victor tried his best to escape and finally succeeded. Sergio applied a pulling guard and this move was not beneficial for him. This time Victor secures the top position. But failed to maintain his position. Sergio strangled Victor’s legs and went for the leg lock.

Victor applied a pulling guard but failed. He strangled Sergio’s leg and tried Leglock. Sergio gave his best to escape. During his struggle to escape his leg, he took the back of Victor and strangled his arm. Sergio submitted Victor with Arm in Ezekiel. 

Sergio Moraes faced Romulo Barral in the final of the 2011 IBJJF World Championship. Romulo Barral is a multiple times World Champion and IBJJF Hall of Famer. At the start of the fight, Romulo applied an unsuccessful pulling guard after which he could not maintain his legs’ grip around Sergio’s groin. Sergio secures the top position. Romulo captured his Gi sleeve and tried to make a grip around Sergio’s head with his legs.

Sergio went for a pulling guard and strangled the leg of Romulo Barral. He took the top position and tried to take control of the Barral. He did not give any chance to Barral to stand or escape. At the end of the match Sergio defeated Romulo Barral with points.

Sergio Moraes VS Alan "Finfou" Do Nascimento / Word Championship 2009

Kron Gracie vs Sergio Moraes 2008 Worlds Jiu-Jitsu

Sergio Moraes v Romulo Barral / World Championship 2011

Sergio Moraes VS Bill Cooper / World Championship 2008

Photo Credit: @serginhoalliance