From Campo Formoso, Brazil, Sergio “Pichilinga” Rios is one of the most accomplished Masters-division Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitors in the world. His tireless pursuit of the top of the podium has amassed him championship wins across the globe. 

Like many Brazilian youth, Sergio spent his childhood playing soccer; just casual games with his friends in the community. Then, encouraged by his older brother, Junior Rios, who was already a purple belt at the time, he decided to take up Brazilian jiu-jitsu at age of 15. It was on the mat that he was transformed from a athletic, energetic kid into a talented athlete and a fierce competitor. 

Sergio remained in his hometown, receiving every belt from his coach, the late Marcos Matos. Several years after he received his black belt in 2009, he was encouraged to go to the U.S., where with his talent and drive he would be able to better pursue a professional career in jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts. It was now or never. So in 2013, he made the move, and began training at the Ninety-Nine (99) Academy in San Diego, under the legendary Eduardo Telles, considered to be one of the most creative grapplers in the sport. 

The decision paid off, and under the tutelage of Telles, Sergio has constantly evolved as a jiu-jitsu practitioner. Where earlier his game was dominated by triangles and crucifix chokes, he now dominates his matches with arm bars and lapel chokes. Yet, even then, he’s never single-minded in his attacks. He’s always on the look out for the submission, taking advantage of the errors of his opponents and whatever they leave open. The diversity and flexibility in his game reflects what he considers his champion mindset: “Resilience. I’m always learning and trying to be better. I’m always trying to improve.”

But more than his list of championship titles, arguably his most impressive accomplishment has been the impressive length of his competitive career. He credits this to, simply, consistency. As he notes, “Over all these years, I’m still competing and I’m still able to win major tournaments. It feels good to say that it’s still happening.” 

For the past three years, he has been competing under Alliance Jiu-Jitsu San Diego, led by Professor Johnny Faria. During that time, he has also served as head coach at his own academy, Rasai Jiu-Jitsu.