Samuel Braga
Drags opponents into deep water and watches them sink.
Fight Plan: Samuel Braga
A coach-ready game plan — historical weaknesses opponents have exploited and what to drill in camp.
- Historical vulnerability to lower body attacks (Kneebars)
- Emotional volatility in high-stakes judging decisions
- Recent output susceptible to point-based losses against modern lapel guards
- Stack southpaw sparring partners in camp
- Underhook battles and posture work off the back
Fighter fingerprint
Six-axis profile — the shape tells you the style at a glance.
Fight IQ and Cardio are the standout edges; opponents should expect their game plan to lean on these. Aggression is the lowest axis — exploit it.
- Aggression24
- Cardio85
- Wrestling75
- Fight IQ95
- Distance Control73
- Finishing28
Prep for camp: Samuel Braga
Recommendations a coach can act on tomorrow — opponent tendencies, drills, and the sparring styles to stack against this fight.
- Utilizes the De La Riva guard as a primary hub for offensive transitions
- Pioneered the Berimbolo to bypass traditional passing and take the back
- Expert at managing distance and weight in the light-featherweight division
- Drill reactive sprawls — bait the shot off your right hand
- Match their pace through round 2, then turn the screws in 3
- Win exchanges with volume, not single shots — they walk through power
- Posture and frame drills off bottom — never give up the back
- Mix unscripted looks in sparring — they thrive on patterns
- Southpaw pressure striker
- Chain-wrestling D1 partner
- Black-belt grappler comfortable on bottom
- Marathon partner — 5x5 hard rounds, no rest
See it on film
Every read above should be verifiable. Jump straight to the footage on the platforms that host it legally — official channels first, archive sites second.
Clinch work, level changes, control time
Last 3 performances, full rounds and post-fight breakdowns
Coaches: official clip embeds per fighter are coming next — for now, deep links open searches pre-filtered to Samuel Braga.
How Samuel has changed
Trend lines across the last three years of tape.
Synthesized from recent fight tape · refresh to recompute
Stylistic neighbors
Closest matches across attributes, finish profile, and discipline — useful for sparring partner selection.
Status / Injuries
Maintains active status in Master divisions and coaching.
Checked 6/21/2026
Recent Form
- L2018-01-01vs Adam FerraraKneebar · RSF · Houston Open
- L2017-01-01vs Silvio DuranPts: 2x0 · RF · Charlotte Open
- W2017-01-01vs Christopher KriebelPoints · RSF · Charlotte Open
- L2017-01-01vs Fabio CaloiPts: 6x6, Adv · R8F · World Champ.
- L2015-01-01vs Samir ChantreN/A · RF · Atlanta WO
Availability
Currently runs Samuel Braga BJJ in Knoxville, TN; still competes in select IBJJF events and Master divisions.
Attribute Profile
Scouting Summary
Samuel Braga is a legendary BJJ black belt and a primary innovator of the Berimbolo technique. A three-time IBJJF World Champion at black belt, he reached the highest rank in just five years and remains one of the most influential light-featherweights in grappling history.
Primary source ↗Tendencies
- Utilizes the De La Riva guard as a primary hub for offensive transitions
- Pioneered the Berimbolo to bypass traditional passing and take the back
- Expert at managing distance and weight in the light-featherweight division
- Relies on technical precision over raw athleticism, allowing for competitive longevity
Signature Moves
- Berimbolo
- De La Riva Guard
- Arm in Ezekiel
- Inverted Triangle
- Choke from back
Weaknesses
- Historical vulnerability to lower body attacks (Kneebars)
- Emotional volatility in high-stakes judging decisions
- Recent output susceptible to point-based losses against modern lapel guards