Isaque Bahiense

Isaque Bahiense was born on December 10, 1995, and grew up in Bangu, a neighborhood in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro. He rose through Alliance's competitive ranks as a colored belt, collecting a string of World, Pan American, and Brazilian National titles before earning his black belt in December 2016 from Fábio Gurgel and Michael Langhi. He wasted little time making an impact at the top level, winning the Copa Podio Lightweight Grand Prix in São Paulo just weeks after his promotion, at only 21 years old.

Bahiense's signature result came at the 2018 World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship, where he won black belt gold, establishing himself as one of the sport's premier guard passers in the lighter-to-middle weight ranges. Rather than simply continuing as a competitor within Alliance, Bahiense founded the Dream Art Project in São Paulo in 2018, a program built to identify and develop talented colored-belt athletes by providing housing, education, and coaching support. In late 2021 Dream Art split from Alliance to become an independent team, and under Bahiense's direction, with Paulo Miyao later brought in as head coach, the project rose to the #1 academy ranking for the 2022-2023 competitive season.

As a competitor, Bahiense moved up in weight over the course of his black belt career, ultimately settling in the medium-heavyweight division, where he won IBJJF Grand Prix gold in 2022 and earned bronze medals at the World Championship in both 2023 and 2024. He also picked up gold at the 2021 Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship in the 85kg division, further rounding out a resume that spans IBJJF gi competition and international no-gi events.

In November 2023, Bahiense announced his intention to transition into mixed martial arts, stating a long-term goal of competing for a UFC title, with the 2024 IBJJF World Championship positioned as his final major gi title run. He subsequently pursued an ADCC berth via the South American trials and has continued to balance his grappling career with his combat sports ambitions and his responsibilities running the Dream Art Project.

Bahiense's career reflects a rare dual identity in modern jiu-jitsu: a decorated world-level competitor who has also become a builder of talent, shepherding a new generation of black belts through Dream Art while continuing to compete himself at an elite level.

A dynamic guard passer known for fast-paced scrambles and aggressive leg-drag and knee-cut passing, paired with a tenacious top game that has translated well ac