Rafael Mendes Godoy is a six time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world champion at the black belt level. Rafael, along with his brother Guilherme, are 3rd degree black belts under Ramon Lemos and competitors for the Atos Jiu-Jitsu team.
Biography
Rafael and his brother Guilherme started their jiu jitsu training through an older cousin named Thiago Mendes, who was a purple belt under Leonardo Santos. After only a few months of training, Thiago recognized great potential for the youngsters and took them to come and train with Ramon Lemos & Leonardo Santos. It was also around this time that the Mendes’s parents split, leaving both brothers without a fatherly figure. Guilherme and Rafael have reported to the media several times of how their coach Ramon Lemos filled most of that void, teaching them not only BJJ but the moral values with which they built their character. Rafael went on to win the World Championships from blue belt all the way to brown in consecutive years, achieving the bronze medal in his first year as a black belt and winning his first worldgold medal as a black belt in 2010. When he was 17, and having never competed without a gi before, Rafael was enlisted by Ramon Lemos in the ADCC Brazilian Trials, arguably the hardest trial event in the world for its biggest Submission Wrestling tournament. Rafael made it to the final of the trials losing a hard fight against Bruno Frazatto. Ramon Lemos awarded Rafael his Black Belt in late 2019. Rafael won the Jiu Jitsu World Pro Abu Dhabi Cup, one of the best and hardest competitions in the world, winning a gold medal also at the ADCC finals, placing 3rd in the Mundial… medaling on all 3 competitions and fighting against Rubens Charles Maciel “Cobrinha”. In 2010 Rafa went on to win Brazilian nationals and his first world championship as a black belt.
Mendes vs Cobrinha
Rafael Mendes' primary rival throughout his career has been multiple time world champion Rubens Charles Maciel who is better known as "Cobrinha." They have met in the finals many times. Match #1 - Capital Challenge December 2008—Cobrinha wins 3x0. Match #2 – Pan Jiu-jitsu Championship 2009- March 2009—Cobrinha wins via disqualification. Match #3 - Abu Dhabi Pro World Cup May 2009—Mendes wins 4x2. Match #4 - World Championship 2009 June 2009—Cobrinha wins via judges decision. Match #5 - ADCC 2009- October 2009—Mendes wins 7x4. Match #6 - Brasileiro 2010 May 2010—Mendes wins 4x2. Match #7 – World Championship 2010 June 2010—Mendes wins 4x4, 5-3 advantages. Match #8 - ADCC 2011 - September 2011—Mendes wins 0x-1. Match #9 - Pan Ams, April 2012—Mendes wins via Armbar Submission Match #10 - World Championship 2012 June 2012—Mendes wins via Referee Decision Match #11 - Pan Ams, March 2013 -- Mendes wins via Referee Decision Match #12 - ADCC 2013 - October 2013 — Cobrinha wins in double overtime via Referee Decision. Match #13 - World Championship 2014 June 2014—Mendes wins via points Match #14 - World Championship 2015 May 2015—Mendes wins via points
After teaching many seminars, the Mendes Brothers decided that they wanted to have a traditional jiu jitsu school and have their own students. On July 2012, with the help of their long time sponsor and RVCA founder, Pat Tenore, Rafael Mendes and fellow champion and brother, Guilherme Mendes opened up The Art of Jiu Jitsu Academy in Costa Mesa, California.
