Explore
BJJPlayerMedium Heavy

Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza

ADCC Champion · 2002–2012

195 lbs·Black Belt·Alliance·Gi/No-Gi
Skill ScoreHow you win — in-game attributes
86/99
Generational

Souza's elite Athleticism (90) and elite Takedowns (90) define this era.

Legacy ScoreCareer dominance — record, titles, defenses
78/99
Hall of Fame
Win Rate +14Win Volume +6Sub Rate +4ADCC (1) +7Pan Am (1) +3

Competition Record

Career grappling record

Gi

Wins30
Losses3
Subs15

No-Gi

Wins25
Losses3
Subs13
Submission Rate51%

ADCC Champion, UFC middleweight veteran

Records via BJJ Heroes & IBJJF

Mat Resume

Time on the mats in professional competition

82

Pro Matches

42

Mat Hours

32

Events

7.0 min

Avg Duration

48 sec

Fastest Sub

10

Sub-Only Matches

Style Analysis

ADCC champion who combined powerful wrestling with submissions. Successfully transitioned to UFC as a middleweight contender.

Signature Submissions

ArmbarGuillotineRNCKimura

Notable Matches

Key competition results

L
vs Roger Gracie
ADCC 2005·2005
Points
W
vs Demian Maia
ADCC 2005·2005
Points
W
vs Leo Santos
ADCC 2003·2003
Armbar

Did You Know?

1

ADCC Champion

2

Competed in UFC as middleweight contender

3

One of the most successful BJJ-to-MMA transitions

Style Matchup Analysis

Where this game is vulnerable

Exploitable Patterns

1

Elite wrestlers who can match his grappling with superior striking threat

2

Dynamic guard players who can prevent his top control game

3

Leg lock specialists who attack from distance

Nightmare Matchup

Roger Gracie

Roger's methodical mount game and cross choke represent the ultimate positional nightmare for Jacare. While Jacare is an elite grappler, Roger's mount-to-submission pipeline is the one position chain Jacare cannot reliably escape.

Closest Calls

L
ADCC 2005 Absolute Final·2005

Roger mounted Jacare and finished with his signature cross choke — a defining moment that showed Roger's positional supremacy over even the best grapplers.

Engine Insight

Relative weakness: Guard Game (78) is 8 points below their 86 average — opponents strong in this area have the best chance.

Trophy Case

ADCC Champion

Later UFC middleweight contender

Pan American Champion

Super heavy

Signature Moments

ADCC Champion to UFC Contender

2003-2020·vs vs Multiple

Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza won ADCC gold and then transitioned to a successful UFC career, becoming one of the most dangerous grapplers in middleweight MMA history. His wrestling and top control translated directly from competition grappling to the cage.

ADCC champion who became a legitimate UFC title threat. Jacare bridged the gap between competition BJJ and elite MMA.

Career Numbers

ADCC Golds

ADCC gold medals

1

Pan Am Golds

Pan American Championship golds

1

Verified Feb 2026 · bjjheroes.com

18

Deep Cross Sport Wins

18 UFC wins + ADCC gold — one of the most successful cross-sport athletes in combat sports history

Season Stats · ADCC Champion

ADCC GoldsADCC World Championship golds
1 ADCC gold medals
RecordCareer competition record
55-6
Submission RateCareer submission rate
51%
Submission WinsCareer submission victories
28

Engine Attributes

Athleticism90
Competition IQ85
Escapes82
Guard Game78
Guard Passing85
Submissions85
Takedowns90
Top Control90
Skill Score
86/99
Generational
Legacy
78/99
Hall of Fame

Data Coverage

100%
Bio & Identity
Competition Record
Major Titles
Notable Opponents
Style & Attributes
Signature Submissions
Career Timeline
Gi/No-Gi Breakdown

FloGrappling / BJJ Heroes / IBJJF

8 of 8 profile sections complete

Fan Debate

What's your take on Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza?

Loading debates...

View all community debates →