# Giancarlo Bodoni

> Two-time ADCC World Champion at −88 kg—the first back-to-back winner of that division—and New Wave / John Danaher standout.

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- **Last updated:** 2026-07-15

## Identity

- **Name:** Giancarlo Bodoni
- **Full name:** Giancarlo Bodoni
- **Belt:** black belt
- **Team:** New Wave Jiu-Jitsu / Practice Jiu Jitsu
- **Nationality:** United States
- **Born:** 1995-10-15
- **Birthplace:** Miami, Florida, United States
- **Weight class:** Middleweight (−88 kg / ~194 lb)
- **Height:** 5'11" (1.80 m)

## Biography

Giancarlo Bodoni was born on October 15, 1995, in Miami, Florida. Martial arts entered his life early: karate from age five, then taekwondo, with brief competition in both. At twelve he found Brazilian jiu-jitsu and walked to the academy after school every day. Under Master Rillion Gracie he progressed from white to purple belt, building a foundation rooted in classic Gracie jiu-jitsu before the modern no-gi explosion that would later define his career.

In 2017, as a purple belt, he fulfilled a lifelong goal of training in Rio de Janeiro. There he partnered extensively with Gutemberg Pereira of GF Team; when Pereira moved to Toledo, Ohio, Bodoni followed. After his father relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, Bodoni joined Alliance under multi-time IBJJF world champion Lucas Lepri. Lepri promoted him to brown belt in June 2018 and to black belt in October 2020 in Charlotte. Mid-2019 he also accepted a teaching role at Bernardo Faria’s Alliance academy in Massachusetts—training and instructing alongside the four-time world champion while stacking colored-belt titles.

As a brown belt Bodoni became an IBJJF World No-Gi champion (2019) and IBJJF Pan champion (2020 gi), with silver at Worlds gi (2019) and multiple bronze medals across Worlds, Pans, and Europeans. His early black-belt résumé was equally sharp: silver at IBJJF Pan No-Gi 2020, then gold at Pan No-Gi 2021 (−91.5 kg) with bronze in absolute—avenging a final loss to Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa along the way. In November 2021 he won the ADCC North American East Coast Trials at −88 kg, earning a berth at the 2022 ADCC World Championships.

In October 2021 he left Boston and Bernardo Faria Academy for Austin, Texas, to train under John Danaher at the newly formed New Wave Jiu-Jitsu with Gordon Ryan, Nicholas Meregali, and other elite partners. That move accelerated a no-gi game already built on closed guard, back takes, and methodical pressure. At ADCC 2022 in Las Vegas—not widely tipped as a pre-tournament favorite—he defeated Isaque Bahiense, then submitted Matheus Diniz, Eoghan O’Flanagan, and Barbosa in the final to take −88 kg gold. He also reached the absolute bracket (submission of Haisam Rida) before losing on points to teammate Meregali. The run made him JitsMagazine’s Male Breakout Grappler of the Year for 2022.

Injuries and a deep pro-circuit schedule followed: an EBI 20 injury cut short a WNO title shot versus Pedro Marinho (later a decision loss in the 2023 rematch); gold at Blue Collar FC’s American Dream Conference eight-man; a Match of the Year battle with Fabricio Andrey at Polaris 25; a short-notice WNO win over Barbosa; and team success at AIGA. In February 2024 he took silver at the IBJJF Absolute No-Gi Grand Prix, beating Patrick Gaudio and Pedro Rocha before falling to Kaynan Duarte in the final. At ADCC 2024 he defended his −88 kg crown—submitting André Porfirio, decisioning Gabriel Almeida, outpointing Felipe Costa, and edging Jacob Rodriguez in a final named ADCC’s best match of the event—becoming the first consecutive −88 kg champion and only the second two-time winner of that class after Saulo Ribeiro. He finished fourth in absolute after wins over Davi Ramos and Vagner Rocha. He later debuted for ONE Championship against Rafael Lovato Jr. (ONE 173, 2025) and competed at Craig Jones Invitational 2, while founding Practice Jiu Jitsu in Georgetown, Texas, teaching and mentoring as a New Wave representative and prolific BJJ Fanatics instructor.

## Lineage

Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Rolls Gracie > Romero Cavalcanti (Jacaré) > Fabio Gurgel > Lucas Lepri > Giancarlo Bodoni; early belts also via Rillion Gracie; no-gi system under John Danaher (New Wave)

## Instructors

- John Danaher
- Lucas Lepri
- Bernardo Faria
- Rillion Gracie
- Gutemberg Pereira

## Signature techniques / game

- Closed guard
- Rear naked choke / back control
- Body-lock and pressure passing
- Inside heel hook and leg entanglements
- Wrestling and takedowns
- Armbar
- De La Riva guard (instructional focus)

## Major achievements

- ADCC World Championship gold — −88 kg (2022)
- ADCC World Championship gold — −88 kg (2024); first consecutive −88 kg champion
- ADCC World Championship Absolute — 4th place (2024)
- ADCC North American East Coast Trials champion — −88 kg (2021)
- IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship — black belt −91.5 kg (2021); Absolute bronze (2021)
- IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship — black belt silver −91.5 kg (2020); Absolute bronze (2020)
- IBJJF Absolute No-Gi Grand Prix — silver (2024)
- Blue Collar FC American Dream Conference 8-man tournament champion (2023)
- WNO win over Lucas Barbosa (WNO 21, 2023; short-notice replacement for Gordon Ryan)
- AIGA Champions League Finals team gold with Team Modolfo (2023)
- UFC Fight Pass Invitational 7 — submission win over Gabriel Arges (2024)
- JitsMagazine Male Breakout Grappler of the Year (2022)
- ADCC 2024 Best Match award — final vs. Jacob Rodriguez
- Craig Jones Invitational 2 competitor (2025)
- ONE Championship submission grappling bout vs. Rafael Lovato Jr. (ONE 173, 2025)

## Colored belt highlights

- IBJJF World No-Gi Championship — brown belt (2019)
- IBJJF Pan Championship — brown belt (2020)
- 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship — brown belt (2019)
- 3rd Place IBJJF World No-Gi Championship Absolute — brown belt (2019)
- 3rd Place IBJJF Pan Championship Absolute — brown belt (2020)
- 3rd Place IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship — brown belt (2018)
- 3rd Place IBJJF European Open — brown belt (2019)

## Official / social links

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giancarlobodoni/
- Website: https://www.practicejiujitsu.com/
- BJJ Fanatics: https://bjjfanatics.com/collections/all/fighter_Giancarlo-Bodoni

## Sources

- [BJJ Heroes — Giancarlo Bodoni](https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/giancarlo-bodoni)
- [Wikipedia — Giancarlo Bodoni](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giancarlo_Bodoni)
- [FloGrappling — Bodoni wins second −88 kg ADCC title (2024)](https://www.flograppling.com/articles/12786374-euphoric-giancarlo-bodoni-makes-history-wins-second-88kg-adcc-title)
- [FloGrappling — Athlete page](https://www.flograppling.com/people/6800513-giancarlo-bodoni)
- [Digitsu — Giancarlo Bodoni](https://digitsu.com/people/giancarlo-bodoni)
- [Practice Jiu Jitsu](https://www.practicejiujitsu.com/)

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