Checkmat is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu academy and team started in 2008 by

Leo Vieira Leo is the Latin word for lion. It most often refers to: * Leo (constellation), a constellation of stars in the night sky * Leo (astrology), an astrological sign of the zodiac * Leo (given name), a given name in several languages, usually masc ...

, who leads Checkmat with his brothers

Ricardo Vieira Ricardo Alcantara Vieira commonly known as Rico Vieira or Ricardinho is a Brazilian grappler, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Instructor, and Competitor. He was born on 9 January 1979. He is one of the Viera brothers (Léo and Leandro) ...

and Leandro Vieira. It is headquartered in

Long Beach, California Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...

, USA.

History

The team was established in 2008 following a break up between the Vieira Brothers and their previous team, Brasa Clube de Jiu Jitsu. The name "Checkmat" is derived from the

chess Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...

term "

checkmate Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game. In chess, the king is ...

" and the word "mat", being the surface on which Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is usually practiced. The Vieira brothers saw similarities in the strategic and tactical nature of chess and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Checkmat has a strong presence in the Rio de Janeiro favelas through Ricardo Vieira and his ''Projeto Cantagalo'' with fighters such as Jansen Gomes. At the

2023 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship The 2023 IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship was an international Brazilian jiu-jitsu event organised by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJFF) and held at the California State University, Long Beach in California from 1 to 4 J ...

, Checkmat competitor Samuel Nagai won the Male -70 kg class. In 2023, Checkmat was ranked the #2 adult male team and #3 adult female team overall at the IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship. The team has been consistently ranked among the top-performing teams at major international tournaments including the IBJJF World, Pan, and European Championships. In 2022, Leo Vieira was appointed as the first Grappling Coach for the UFC Performance Institute, reflecting the international recognition of Checkmat’s technical excellence. Checkmat also has a notable affiliate program, with over 100 affiliated academies worldwide, including branches in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia.

Notable members

A list of current and former members: *

* Leandro Vieira * Leka Vieira *

Marcus Almeida Marcus Vinícius Oliveira de Almeida, also known as Buchecha (born January 8, 1990) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and 4th-degree black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) practitioner. A multiple-time World jiu-jitsu and ADCC submission figh ...

* João Assis * Lucas Leite *

Michelle Nicolini Michelle Zonato Nicolini or Michelle Nicolini (born January 5, 1982) is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist (MMA). Among the most accomplished female grapplers of all time, Nicolini holds third place for most IBJJF Worl ...

* Nathalie Ribeiro *

Cláudio Silva Cláudio Silva (born 6 September 1982) is a retired Brazilian-British mixed martial artist who competed in the Welterweight division in Ultimate Fighting Championship, BAMMA, and the Super Fight League. Background Silva was born in the Brazili ...

* Jackson Sousa * Jansen Gomes * Adam Wardziński

References

External links

* {{Brazilian jiu-jitsu academies Brazilian jiu-jitsu training facilities