# Felipe Pena

> Two-time ADCC champion (2017 Absolute, 2024 +99 kg), multi-time IBJJF World champion, and the only grappler to submit Gordon Ryan at black belt.

- **Canonical page:** https://ossmeta.com/athletes/felipe-pena
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- **Source site:** Ossmeta (https://ossmeta.com)
- **Last updated:** 2026-07-15

## Identity

- **Name:** Felipe Pena
- **Full name:** Felipe Carsalade Araujo Pena
- **Nickname:** Preguiça
- **Belt:** black belt
- **Team:** FP Team / Gracie Barra / Atos
- **Nationality:** Brazil
- **Born:** 1991-10-19
- **Birthplace:** Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- **Weight class:** Heavyweight / +99 kg (historically −88 to −99 kg)
- **Height:** 6'2" (1.88 m)

## Biography

Felipe Carsalade Araujo Pena—universally known as Felipe “Preguiça”—is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Marcelo Azevedo (“Uirapuru”) and one of the defining heavyweight competitors of the modern ADCC and IBJJF eras. Born on October 19, 1991 in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, he was introduced to the mats at 14 by his older brother, Augusto “Tio Chico” Carsalade, at Vinicius Magalhães (“Draculino”)’s Gracie Barra Belo Horizonte program. Early reluctance in training earned him the nickname Preguiça—Portuguese for “lazy” or “sloth”—an ironic label that stuck long after he became one of the sport’s most relentless professionals.

When Draculino relocated to the United States, Pena’s development continued under Marcelo Azevedo and Sergio Benini at Gracie Barra BH. As a purple and brown belt he stacked IBJJF World and Pan titles (2011–2012) and spent formative time with Romulo Barral. Promoted to black belt, he immediately contended at the highest level: a dramatic 2014 IBJJF Worlds final comeback over André Galvão was later nullified after a positive testosterone test (USADA), but the same period produced legitimate landmark wins such as the Copa Pódio Heavyweight Grand Prix. In 2015 he took IBJJF World No-Gi gold in both weight and absolute and earned ADCC silver at −99 kg, establishing himself as a dual-format threat.

ADCC 2017 in Espoo cemented his no-gi legacy. Competing at −99 kg, he reached the final (silver) while also running the absolute: he submitted Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida by rear-naked choke in the semis and defeated Gordon Ryan on points in the absolute final for gold. That absolute title—and an earlier 2016 Studio 540 superfight finish of Ryan by rear-naked choke—made Pena the only athlete to submit Ryan in black-belt competition and, across their series, the only one with two competitive wins over him. Parallel gi success followed: IBJJF World Championship gold in 2018 (−94 kg / Pesado) and 2019 (−88 kg / Meio-Pesado), plus major Brazilian Nationals, Abu Dhabi Pro, and superfight circuit results.

Around 2017 he founded the FP Golden Team scholarship project in Belo Horizonte, which grew into FP Team (Escola de Jiu-Jitsu)—an academy and talent pipeline tied to the Gracie Barra network that has produced elite athletes such as Pedro Marinho. The 2020s brought injury setbacks, a second anti-doping sanction that stripped his 2021 IBJJF Worlds absolute result, and a high-profile rivalry arc with Ryan: a no-time-limit WNO main event in August 2022 (fought the day after the murder of close friend Leandro Lo), ADCC 2022 +99 kg (semifinal loss to Nick Rodriguez), a 2023 decision win over Rodriguez when Ryan withdrew, and a 2024 ADCC superfight loss to Ryan on points that evened their series at 2–2.

Pena reinvented his camps by training at Atos HQ under André Galvão, emphasizing wrestling for the modern no-gi heavyweight game while remaining rooted in FP Team / Gracie Barra. He dominated the ADCC South American Trials path back into the Worlds and, at ADCC 2024 in Las Vegas, won +99 kg gold with a clean run that included a rear-naked choke of Luke Griffith in the final—his second ADCC world title, seven years after absolute gold. Subsequent headline work has included WNO and Craig Jones Invitational appearances. Style-wise he is known for dynamic open guard, back attacks, and mobility unusual for the heavyweight division—an athlete whose career spans stripped controversy and undisputed ADCC greatness in equal measure.

## Lineage

Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr > Vinicius Magalhães (Draculino) > Marcelo Azevedo (Uirapuru) > Felipe Pena

## Instructors

- Marcelo Azevedo (Uirapuru)
- Sergio Benini
- Vinicius Magalhães (Draculino)
- André Galvão (Atos camp coaching)
- Romulo Barral

## Signature techniques / game

- Open guard
- Back takes and rear naked choke
- Gi choke from the back
- De La Riva guard
- Toreando pass
- 50/50 and guard entanglements

## Major achievements

- ADCC World Championship gold — Absolute (2017)
- ADCC World Championship gold — +99 kg (2024)
- ADCC World Championship silver — −99 kg (2015, 2017)
- ADCC South American Trials / Championship gold — −88 kg (2014)
- IBJJF World Championship — black belt Pesado / −94 kg (2018)
- IBJJF World Championship — black belt Meio-Pesado / −88 kg (2019)
- IBJJF World No-Gi Championship — black belt weight and Absolute (2015)
- BJJ Stars 5 Heavyweight Grand Prix champion (2021)
- Copa Pódio Heavyweight Grand Prix champion
- UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro titles (black belt)
- CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (Brasileiro) titles (black belt)
- Only athlete with two competitive wins over Gordon Ryan, including the only black-belt submission (RNC, Studio 540, 2016)

## Colored belt highlights

- 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2011 purple; 2012 brown)
- 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2011 purple; 2012 brown)
- Multiple Brazilian national and major regional titles as a colored belt

## Official / social links

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/felipepena/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FelipePenaPreguica
- BJJ Fanatics: https://bjjfanatics.com/blogs/fighters/felipe-pena

## Sources

- [BJJ Heroes — Felipe Pena “Preguiça”](https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/felipe-pena-preguica)
- [Wikipedia — Felipe Pena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felipe_Pena)
- [FloGrappling — Felipe Pena](https://www.flograppling.com/people/5947288-felipe-pena)
- [Digitsu — Felipe Pena](https://digitsu.com/people/felipe-pena)
- [USADA — Second anti-doping sanction (2022)](https://www.usada.org/sanction/felipe-pena-second-doping-violation/)

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