Rafael "Rafa" Mendes is a Brazilian black belt from Rio Claro, São Paulo, and, in BJJ Heroes' words, the most dominant athlete the featherweight division has seen. He won six IBJJF World titles at black belt and ADCC gold at −66 kg in 2009 and 2011. With his brother Guilherme he co-founded Art of Jiu-Jitsu in California, and the two are credited with popularising the berimbolo.
Background and lineage
Rafael and Guilherme Mendes started jiu-jitsu in 2001, when their cousin Thiago Mendes brought them to train with Ramon Lemos and Leonardo Santos in Rio Claro. Rafael won the IBJJF Worlds at every coloured belt in consecutive years and was runner-up at the ADCC Brazilian trials at 17. Lemos promoted him to black belt in late 2008, and the brothers became the first black belts of Atos, the team Lemos co-founded that year. His lineage runs through André Pederneiras and Carlson Gracie. In July 2012 the brothers opened Art of Jiu-Jitsu (AOJ) in Costa Mesa, California.
Competition highlights
- IBJJF World Championship: bronze in his first black belt year (2009), then six featherweight titles, the first in 2010, when he beat Rubens "Cobrinha" Charles on advantages. Wikipedia lists 2012, 2014 and 2015 among them.
- ADCC: −66 kg gold in 2009, at 20. He won again in 2011 and took silver in 2013.
- Other: Pan titles in 2012 and 2013, the 2010 Brazilian Nationals, the 2009 Abu Dhabi World Pro, and a 4–2 win over Guilherme in the 65 kg final of the 2010 World Pro.
- Hall of Fame: inducted into the ADCC Hall of Fame in early 2022.
Style and signature techniques
Mendes earned the nickname "The Wizard" for his technical guard play. He and Guilherme helped make the berimbolo, an inverted roll from De La Riva guard to take the back, a standard modern guard. His matches with Cobrinha also featured fifty-fifty exchanges, sweeps, footlock attempts and back takes, and he was equally known for passing. His brother Guilherme lists the leg drag among his own favourite techniques.
Notable matches: the Cobrinha rivalry
Mendes and Rubens "Cobrinha" Charles met 14 times between 2008 and 2015. Wikipedia counts 10 wins for Mendes. The key ADCC meetings were:
- ADCC 2009 final: a 7–4 win in double overtime.
- ADCC 2011 final: a points win after Cobrinha was penalised for jumping guard.
- ADCC 2013 final: a double-overtime referee decision for Cobrinha, Mendes's last ADCC appearance.
Teaching
Mendes coaches at AOJ, which became independent of Atos in 2020. Its competition team includes world champions such as Tainan Dalpra and Mayssa Bastos.