Just lately, many Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu grappling stars have made the transfer to showcase their expertise on the ONE Championship international stage. Probably the most thrilling new acquisitions is Diogo Reis, becoming a member of the ranks of Marcelo Garcia, Fabricio Andrey, Dante Leon, Giancarlo Bodoni, and plenty of extra. Hailing from the grappling-rich land of Brazil, let’s discuss what we are able to anticipate from Child Shark’s quest to seize the ONE Submission Grappling Championship belt.
Who Is Diogo Reis?
Also called “Child Shark,” Diogo Reis is a BJJ black belt from Manaus, Brazil, below Melqui Galvao, who has additionally produced a few of in the present day’s prime grappling skills like Mica Galvao, Fabricio Andrey, and Thalison Soares. Diogo represents Struggle Sports activities and is a part of Melqui’s aggressive squad. He started making a reputation for himself early on, competing within the juvenile and coloured belt divisions.
As a juvenile, Diogo achieved the BJJ Grand Slam in 2019 by profitable 4 of essentially the most prestigious IBJJF tournaments: the World, Pan, Brazilian, and European Championships. Since then, Diogo has been on a tear in his skilled profession. He earned his black belt in 2020, simply seven months after being promoted to brown belt. Since then, he has received quite a few main submission grappling tournaments in opposition to a few of the greatest opponents of his technology.
At simply 20 years previous, Diogo received essentially the most prestigious submission grappling event on the earth, the 2022 ADCC World Championships. He repeated the feat in 2024, once more profitable the ADCC 66kg division by defeating Fabricio Andrey, Josh Cisneros, and Diego “Pato” Oliveira.
The Shark On The Hunt
Diogo is understood for his dynamic preventing fashion, continuously trying to find takedowns and submissions whereas conserving relentless strain on his opponent. On the highest stage, Diogo can play from any place, whether or not its recovering from a failed takedown try or scrambling his method to prime management. Just like the apex predator he’s nicknamed after, Child Shark hunts with precision.
2022 ADCC Trials
There are two methods to qualify for ADCC: a direct invite or profitable one of many regional trials (Europe, North America, South America, or Asia & Oceania). Diogo made a press release within the skilled submission grappling world by dominating the primary 2022 ADCC South American Trials.
Relentlessly attacking within the stand-up, Diogo typically seems for single-leg takedowns to work behind his opponent and set up management. As an alternative of utilizing takedowns that land him in numerous guard positions, he opts for body-lock takedowns that enable him to slip behind his opponent’s again and begin trying to find submissions.
On the bottom, Diogo is assured within the leg lock recreation and has a deep arsenal of defensive ways to flee harmful positions, not restricted to heel hooks. He’s additionally recognized for actively pursuing leg submissions and interesting in these exchanges. Considered one of his most well-liked methods is utilizing the reverse De La Riva guard with the “kiss of the dragon” to take the again. If that fails, he seamlessly wrestles as much as acquire prime place.
In his 2022 ADCC Trials run, Diogo proved he was a critical menace within the 66kg division, beating prime opponents like Diego “Pato” Oliveira and former teammate Fabricio Andrey.
2022 ADCC World Championship
Diogo’s 2022 ADCC World Championship marketing campaign was some of the difficult, that includes a stacked bracket. Nonetheless, he rose to the event and conquered the 66kg division, defeating elite opponents akin to Fabricio Andrey, Gabriel Sousa, Ashley Williams, and Joshua Cisneros.
His wrestling stand-up offers him explosive takedown capacity, together with the talent to shoot in and retreat safely. He additionally excels at wrestling up from the guard place to regain management. Whereas followers hoped for a finals showdown between Diogo and Fabricio Andrey, the 2 former teammates met earlier within the quarterfinals. In an in depth match, Diogo emerged victorious by referee determination.
2024 ADCC World Championship
The 66kg division within the 2024 ADCC World Championship featured stacked expertise from all around the world. Diogo opened his marketing campaign by submitting Asia & Oceania’s trial winner Huaiqing Xu with a D’Arce choke.
Within the quarterfinals, he as soon as once more confronted Fabricio Andrey in a fast-paced, back-and-forth battle crammed with scrambles, takedowns, and explosive transitions. Within the semifinals, Diogo outlasted prime American grappler Josh Cisneros, profitable by factors.
Within the finals, he took on fellow Brazilian and multiple-time IBJJF World Champion Diego Oliveira. After surviving a deep heel hook in a leg entanglement, Diogo stood up, handed the guard, and secured the mount with an arm-triangle setup. He then dismounted to aspect management and completed with a textbook katagatame (arm-triangle choke).
ONE Championship Debut
This was not Diogo’s first encounter with Shoya Ishiguro—that they had beforehand confronted one another within the finals of the 2025 IBJJF European Championship, the place Diogo got here out on prime.
In his ONE Championship debut, Diogo confronted Shoya as soon as extra. 5 minutes into the match, Diogo was working from headquarters, attempting to go guard. He stood up and launched right into a rolling Kimura, touchdown within the north-south crucifix and ending with a Kimura submission.
Conclusion
Followers can proceed to anticipate Diogo Reis to proceed showcasing his electrifying, aggressive, and high-paced grappling fashion. Whether or not it’s takedowns, again takes, or explosive scrambles, Child Shark brings hazard at each part. And along with his ongoing rivalry with Fabricio Andrey, there’s a robust risk we’ll see them conflict once more below the brilliant lights of the ONE Championship stage—probably at featherweight, if Diogo decides to maneuver up.
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