Mario Lopez has been promoted to brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu after winning gold at the IBJJF Master North American Championship, the biggest victory of his competitive grappling career to date.
Representing Gracie Barra, Lopez competed in the Master 5 lightweight purple belt division.
And he secured the title by winning two matches during the tournament.
In his opening bout, Lopez earned a points victory after successfully completing two guard passes.
He followed that performance with a submission win in the final, finishing his opponent with an arm triangle choke to claim the gold medal.
The IBJJF Master North American Championship is one of the most prestigious tournaments available to masters competitors in the United States, second only to the IBJJF Master World Championship.
Although many fans know Lopez from his television career, he has a long history in combat sports.
Before discovering Jiu-Jitsu, he spent years competing in both boxing and wrestling, with wrestling serving as his primary focus throughout high school.
He achieved notable success on the mats in California before eventually transitioning into BJJ later in life.
Lopez received his purple belt in 2022 and has remained an active competitor ever since, regularly representing Gracie Barra at tournaments around the country.
Along the way, he has also trained with respected coaches such as Justin Flores.
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