Tainan Dalpra
Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tainan Dalpra Costa (born 6 November 2000) is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt competitor. A winner of every major tournament as a colored belt, Dalpra is a three-time World, Pan American, and European champion.[3][1] Dalpra is ranked No. 1 in the middleweight 2022-2023 IBJJF Gi Ranking.
Florianópolis, Brazil
| Tainan Dalpra | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 6 November 2000[1] Florianópolis, Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Division | Middleweight −82.3 kilograms (−181 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Style | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | Art of Jiu-Jitsu (AOJ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | BJJ black belt[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Early career
Tainan Dalpra was born in Florianópolis, Brazil. At the age of 5, his father started teaching him Brazilian jiu-jitsu. While competing at the IBJJF Pan Kids at the age of 13, while he was an orange belt, Dalpra met Rafael and Guilherme Mendes of the Art of Jiu-Jitsu Academy (AOJ) which runs one of the best jiu-jitsu kids programs in the world.[4] In 2015 Dalpra moved to Costa Mesa, California joining AOJ's competition team and scholarship program under the guidance of the Mendes brothers. As a juvenile Dalpra won every competition that he joined including Pan Jiu-Jitsu and World Jiu-Jitsu. In 2018 he won double gold at every single competition in the adult division and was promoted to purple belt on the podium of the world championship.[1]
Black belt career
2020-21
In October 2020 Dalpra was promoted to black belt on the podium of the Pan championship by his coach Guilherme Mendes.[5] In 2021 Dalpra won the World Championship,[6] the Pan Championship, and the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Miami. He also competed at BJJ Stars 6 on June 26, 2021, and submitted Athos Mirando with a lapel choke.[7] He returned to the promotion at BJJ Stars 7 on November 6, 2021, where he submitted Lucas Gualberto with a toehold.[8] He was then invited to compete in the IBJJF Middleweight Grand Prix on November 13, 2021. He defeated Renato Canuto 9-2 on points in the opening round and submitted Jonnatas Gracie with a choke in order to win the tournament.[9]
2022
He then won the 2022 European Championship[10] and the 2022 Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship for the second time, a tournament he has now won at blue, purple, brown and black belt.[11] In May, 2022 it was announced that Dalpra had a signed a contract to compete for ONE Championship in the future.[12] Dalpra then won the IBJJF World Championship in the middleweight division for a second time in 2022.[13] Dalpra was invited to compete in a superfight against Rodrigo Lopes at the IBJJF Middleweight Grand Prix on October 28, 2022. He submitted Lopes with an armbar at 4:22.[14]
2023
Dalpra returned to the IBJJF European Championship in 2023, winning gold in the middleweight division.[15] In March 2023 Dalpra faced Isaque Bahiense in a 30-minute superfight at the IBJJF FloGrappling Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.[16] Dalpra won the match on points, 19–2.[17]
On March 26, 2023, Dalpra won a gold medal in the middleweight division of the IBJJF Pan Championship 2023.[18] He then competed in the Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu on May 7, 2023, and won gold in the middleweight division.[19]
Dalpra competed at the 2023 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship on June 3 and 4, winning a silver medal in the middleweight division.[20] Dalpra's loss to Jansen Gomes, by way of tiebreaking advantages, 0x0, 2–0, in the final marked the first loss of his IBJJF black belt career.[21] Dalpra returned to competition at the IBJJF Asian Championship 2023 on July 7 and won gold in the medium-heavyweight division.[22] Dalpra then competed at the Tough Roll Winter Grand Prix on June 29, 2023, submitting Burak Sarman with a brabo choke.[23]
Dalpra competed against Yan Paiva at the IBJJF Absolute Grand Prix on September 1, 2023.[24] He won the match by submission.[25]
Dalpra was invited to compete in the middleweight division of The Crown on November 19, 2023, alongside Jackson Nagai, Andy Murasaki, and Pedro Maia.[26] He beat both opponents and won the division.[27]
Dalpra announced that he was going to make his no gi debut in 2023,[28] and was booked to compete against Troy Russell at Who's Number One 21: Ryan v Barbosa.[29] He won the match by submission, with an armbar.[30]
2024
Dalpra competed against Oliver Taza at Who's Number One 22 on February 9, 2024.[31] He defeated Taza by decision.[32]
Dalpra faced Mauricio Oliveira in a gi superfight at the IBJJF No Gi Absolute Grand Prix on February 29, 2024.[33] He won the match by submission with a rear-naked choke.[34]
Dalpra competed at middleweight in the IBJJF World Championship 2024, but he was disqualified in the quarter-final.[35]
Dalpra competed against Jacob Rodriguez at Who's Number One 24 on June 20, 2024.[36] He won the match by decision. [37] He then won a gold medal in the middleweight division of the IBJJF Asian Championship 2024 on June 30, 2024.[38]
Dalpra was scheduled to compete against Francisco Lo in the co-main event of BJJ Stars 13: Vikings Edition on August 3, 2024.[39] He withdrew from the match on short notice and was replaced by Gabriel Galvao.[40] Dalpra will now compete against Max Lindblad at Polaris 29 on September 7th, 2024.[41]
Dalpra competed in the middleweight division of The IBJJF: The Crown 2024 on November 17, 2024.[42] He beat Gabriel Galvao and Elijah Dorsey but could not compete in the final due to an injury, so he finished with a silver medal.[43]
2025
Dalpra won a gold medal in the middleweight division of the IBJJF European Championship 2025.[44] He will now face Rene Sousa at Who's Number One 26 on February 7th, 2025.[45] He then won a gold medal in the middleweight division of the IBJJF Pan Championship 2025.[46]
Personal life
Dalpra is married to another Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor, Sophia Dalpra.[47]
Philanthropy
Dalpra auctioned the unique gi he wore at the Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu in 2023 to raise money for social projects in Brazil.[48] The auction was completed on May 15, 2023, and the sale raised $4,000 for three different charities in Brazil.[49]
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitive summary
Main Achievements (Black Belt):[1]
- IBJJF World Champion (2021 / 2022[50])
- Brazilian National Champion (2023)
- 2 x IBJJF Pan Champion (2021 / 2022))
- IBJJF European Open Champion (2022)
- AJP Grand Slam Miami winner (2021)
Main Achievements (Colored Belts):[1][51]
- IBJJF World Champion (2018 blue)
- 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2019 purple)
- IBJJF Pan Champion (2018[a] blue, 2019 purple)
- IBJJF European Champion (2019 purple, 2020 brown)
- Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Miami winner (2020 brown)
- Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Abu Dhabi winner (2018 purple)
- Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Los Angeles winner (2018 purple)
- Abu Dhabi World Pro Champion (2019 purple
- IBJJF Juvenile World Champion (2016 / 2017[b])
- IBJJF Juvenile World Champion NoGi (2016[a])
- IBJJF Juvenile Pan Champion (2016 / 2017[a])
- 2nd Place IBJJF Juvenile World Championship (2017)