Brazilian grappler Claudio Calasans has officially achieved something no athlete in combat sports history has ever done: he has won world titles in the three most prestigious events across grappling and judo — the ADCC World Championships, the IBJJF World Championships, and now the Judo World Masters.
With his recent gold medal performance at the Judo World Masters, Calasans becomes the first person to hold world titles in:
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ADCC (No-Gi Submission Grappling)
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IBJJF World Championship (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Gi)
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Judo World Championship (Masters Division)
No other competitor past or present — in either jiu-jitsu or judo — has ever accomplished this triple crown.
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Six Fights, Six Countries, Six Wins
Competing in the Masters division in judo after a 16-year absence from the sport, Calasans defeated opponents from Georgia, Switzerland, Azerbaijan, France, and Brazil on his way to the gold medal. He began training judo at age three, inspired by Brazilian Olympic champions Aurélio Miguel and Rogério Sampaio, and always dreamed of being a judo world champion. Life took him fully into jiu-jitsu, where he built a legendary career, but the desire to return to judo never disappeared.
He explained his motivation after the win:
“I always had the curiosity to compete internationally in judo again. Now I had the chance and I’m grateful. I am a lover of combat sports — sports with rules, respect, and where only one person leaves as the winner, no matter what name you give the art or the athlete.”
A Return After 16 Years — and a Victory That Redefines a Career
Calasans has been one of the most complete and respected athletes in Brazilian jiu-jitsu for more than a decade, earning world titles in both Gi and No-Gi, including the ADCC 2015 absolute division. His return to judo was not a nostalgic decision but a personal challenge — to see if it was still possible to compete at the highest level in the sport that shaped his childhood.
He credits a friend’s advice for pushing him to take the opportunity:
“Take advantage today to do what you feel like doing and are healthy enough to do, because in a year the same chance may not exist — and you may regret missing it.”
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A Benchmark That May Never Be Matched
Many athletes have crossed between judo and jiu-jitsu. Some judoka have achieved success in IBJJF competition, and many jiu-jitsu champions have attempted to compete in judo. But never before has one athlete reached the top of all three major institutions at world-title level.
Not Rickson Gracie, not Roger Gracie, not Buchecha, not Kosei Inoue, not Teddy Riner, not Kayla Harrison. Calasans is the only one to have done it.
His achievement places him in a category of his own — technically, historically, and statistically.
The Legacy
Claudio Calasans was already regarded as one of the most technical and strategic competitors of his era. With this victory, he has also become a symbol of longevity, versatility, and martial arts curiosity — proving that mastery does not have to be confined to a single rule set or organization.
As he joked after the tournament:
“Moral of the story: Monday there’s training.”
A historic moment for grappling, judo, and martial arts as a whole — and likely one that will stand unchallenged for a very long time.
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