João Miyao
João Ricardo Bordignon Miyao is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and submission grappling competitor. Known for his dynamic guard game and frequent use of the berimbolo, he is regarded as one of the most prominent athletes of his generation.
Biography
Miyao was born in Andirá, Paraná, in 1991, alongside his twin brother Paulo Miyao. They are of Japanese descent and grew up in a humble family, children of a farmer and a housewife.He began martial arts through judo, but at age 16 transitioned to Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Adriano Carvalho. Seeking higher-level training, the brothers moved to São Paulo and joined the PSLPB Cicero Costha project - Projeto Social Lutando Pelo Bem, where they lived and trained full time.
Competitive career
João and Paulo stood out at the colored belt ranks with national and international titles, showing strong competitive drive. Both were promoted to black belt on June 25, 2013, in a ceremony covered by GracieMag, where they stated they "expected to win many World titles at black belt."As a black belt, João actively competed in IBJJF tournaments, both gi and no-gi, and in submission-only grappling events such as the Eddie Bravo Invitational. His fight record on FloGrappling shows consistent appearances at major tournaments, including Worlds and Opens from 2018 to 2020.
He also earned notable titles outside the IBJJF. In 2017, he won the ACBJJ Grand Prix in the 60kg division, defeating Isaac Doederlein in the final, according to GracieMag.
At the 2017 IBJJF European Championship, he suffered the first guard pass in three years of high-level competition, against Gabriel Moraes, as reported by FloGrappling.
His main achievements include:
- IBJJF World No-Gi Champion
- IBJJF Pan-American Champion
- Multiple-time medalist at IBJJF World Championships