Short Bio from BJJ Heroes: “Named as the number 1 “BJJ Fighter to Watch in 2011″ by Gracie Magazine, Antonio Carlos Junior is a Jiu Jitsu black belt under Helder Medeiros from the Checkmat Team (Paraíba branch). With an extensive list of medals in important tournaments such as the Mundial and the Brazilian Nationals, Antonio Carlos is part of an exciting new generation of competitors that started making a name for themselves at international tournaments in the late 2010/ early 2011.”

1.Hi Antonio, can you please introduce yourself to the BJJ community of Eastern Europe

My name is Antonio Carlos Coelho de Figueiredo Barbosa Junior, I’m from Joao Pessoa PB, and I train with professor Helder Medeiros “Bob Esponja” (“Sponge Bob square pants” in English) at checkmat PB.

1x Pan American Champion (2012 absolute – black)
2x World Champion (2010 weight & absolute/Brown);

9x Brazilian Champion (2012 absolute – black, 2011, 2010 weight & absolute at brown, 2009 at purple, 2008 weight & absolute blue, 2007 weight & absolute at blue junior);
2x World Pro Cup Trials Champion ‚RJ (2011 weight & absolute);
3x South American Champion (2008 weight & absolute at purple, 2007 at blue junior);
2x Brazilian National Teams Champion (2008, 2007);
World Cup Champion (2006 at blue junior)

2.How did you get the nickname Cara de Sapato and what does it mean? Do you like it?

“Cara de Sapato” means Shoe Face. I was given that name by Ricardo Vieira when he was giving a seminar at the academy where I train. Ricardinho is famous for giving everybody nicknames and in Brazil you are stuck with nicknames for the rest of your life! Article on funny nicknames in Jiu-Jitsu
I don’t really like the nickname but i can’t do anything about it. hahhaha.

3.Have you trained with your Checkmat Teamate Alexander Trans? What do you think of him and his game?


Yes we have trained together in checkmat PB, and it was an amazing season training with him. He is very strong and have very tight positions besides being very dedicated and skillful very soon he will become a black belt world champion.

4.Checkmat has been really successful in the past years in the big tournaments, what do you guys do different than other teams?


We have very diverse type of games, and a lot of athletes willing to do whatever it takes to become a champion.

Closing out the PanAms absolute with Buchecha

5.How is it training with such beasts as Lucas Leite, Joao Assis, Marcus Buchecha, Yuri Simoes etc..

Without a doubt it helped me a lot, they were hard training wich helped me sharpen up my game to perform well on competitions during the year.

6.What are other BJJ players that you admire, and why?


My coach Helder Medeiros “Bob Esponja”, Marcus Almeida “Buchecha”, Lucas Leite and Leo Vieira. Because they have a very effective and creative game.

With Buchecha and Rodrigo Cavaca

7.Please talk to us about your training schedule (How many times you train per week, strength and conditionning etc) when you prepare for a competition


I train BJJ twice a day, one is a very hard and strong one, and the other one is more technical, 4x a week I do conditioning training.

8.Are you satisfied with 2012 in terms of titles that you acieved in competition? Would you have changed something in how you prepared?


I think that I could have performed better on competitions this year, but some injuries and travelling held me of a bit. I’m happy with the way i trained this year, however Icould have made a better schedule of training in between the competitions.

9.Do you do any other sports apart from Jiu-Jitsu and do they help your BJJ game?


I practice a lot of different sports as a hobby( surf, mountain bike, skating and some more ), they help me on getting better coordination on some movements.

10.If you want to thank somebody please feel free:


I want to thank my sponsor “SUB APPAREL”, all my friends that helped me and believed on me, my fans for the support, and specially my brother Mario for being my biggest supporter