Pedro Dias in action on the IBJJF mats. Foto: @re.lightstudio
Today Pedro Dias lives in Chicago, in the United States, within a Jiu-Jitsu reality that is very different from when he started. Born and raised in the Santa Marta community, in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, Pedro got into the sport like many other children in the same social reality, through a project.
The boy’s talent, even in his childhood, was recognized by Leão Teixeira, known as ‘Zé Beleza’, an exponent of Jiu-Jitsu and one of the pioneers of the Brazilian martial art as it is practiced today. In Gávea, Pedro learned much of what he knows today. For this reason, he remembers that time with gratitude.
“With the end of the Nova Geração project in partnership with the Gama Filho college, my father didn’t want me to stop Jiu-Jitsu. He had a friend who was a doorman at Leão Teixeira’s gym, in Gávea. I was invited to a training session and stayed there until I got my brown-belt from master Zé Beleza. I learned a lot, such as how to manage an academy, train and teach correctly.”.
Worlds runner-up in the purple-belt division and European champion in the brown-belt, Pedro Dias is currently a black-belt who is used to big competitive stages, an experience that required a lot of effort and dedication. Speaking to VF Comunica, the athlete said that, when looking back on his career, the obstacles he had to overcome to evolve were those that are commonplace for athletes who do not have the resources.
“The biggest challenges were the same as those faced by most athletes ten years ago. Having the minimum, the money for registration, getting sponsorship, not having the support to travel to fight, not having the money to pay for physical preparation and maintain a balanced diet. It was always a matter of fighting to win, already thinking about using the prize money to pay for the next trip.”.
Inspired by Fernando ‘Tererê’ and Marcelinho Garcia, Pedro Dias considers the silver medal he won at the Pyramid in California to be one of the most special moments of his career. That opportunity, his first time in the United States after complications with his visa, revealed that there are rewarding achievements that go beyond a title; you just need to know how to identify them.
“When I came in second place at the Worlds, as a purple belt, it was my first time in the United States and the trip was very complicated. I had some problems with my visa and was unable to participate in the Worlds last year. I worked during Carnival that year to have money to try again for the visa. I had seven fights and lost due to just one mistake. It was very memorable because of everything I had been through. The solidarity of my training partners was also very special to me. It wasn’t the medal itself, but the occasion. Because of everything that had happened before.”.
Before settling abroad, Pedro Dias needed to improve other areas of his life besides his development as an athlete. Accustomed to overcoming difficulties to achieve goals, Pedro went against the grain and found a way to develop while the rest of the world was paralyzed by the pandemic.
“As strange as it may seem, the biggest turning point was during Covid. I was in the United States, in Virginia, and I continued training because everything there wasn’t closed, it’s a country region, with its own laws. I ended up having more time to develop new skills. I improved my English, took business and administration courses, and enjoyed my time away from the mats.”.
For the 2025 season, Pedro is motivated to participate in major competitions as an athlete, with the mission of delivering good Jiu-Jitsu to win and capture the attention of the right people. Some time from now, he does not rule out the possibility of migrating to MMA and exploring new territories as a martial artist.
“Next year I want to compete in everything, I feel good and healthy. I have this commitment to myself, to show good Jiu-Jitsu. I want to reproduce what I do in the gym in competition. I intend to open my own academy too and, in the future, I think about getting into MMA.”.