Suyan Queiroz

Suyan Lopes Queiroz (born September 27, 1974, in Teresópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is a world-class 4th-degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and one of the premier lightweight competitors of the late 1990s and early 2000s era. He is universally respected not only for his elite international competitive success but also for his historic work establishing Jiu-Jitsu in the United Arab Emirates.

Early Life & Journey to Copacabana
Queiroz was introduced to martial arts at age 10 through his father’s encouragement, who believed the discipline would benefit his physical and mental development. He spent his early training years under Elias Martins and later Ailson “Jucão” Brites, who promoted him to blue belt.

In 1993, Queiroz relocated to the city of Rio de Janeiro. Looking to train alongside close friends, he stepped into the legendary Carlson Gracie Academy in Copacabana. Under the daily supervision of instructor Marcelo Alonso, Queiroz developed into one of the country’s most dangerous prospects, earning both his purple and brown belts within the academy. Just after closing out the brown belt lightweight division at the 1998 World Championship, he officially crossed into the professional ranks, receiving his black belt directly on the podium.

Pioneering the United Arab Emirates Program
Following the historic split of the Carlson Gracie team in 2000, Queiroz aligned with the newly formed Brazilian Top Team (BTT). Due to BTT’s strong relationship with the leadership of Abu Dhabi, the academy established a rotating system where top black belts would travel to the UAE for month-long coaching stints.

Queiroz visited the country twice through this program, and his work caught the eye of the royal family. He was subsequently brought over alongside teammates to design and implement a massive, long-term blueprint for the country. Over a 7-year residency, Queiroz helped introduce Jiu-Jitsu into:

The United Arab Emirates Armed Forces

The Special Operations Command (S.O.C.)

The Royal Guard

The C.N.I.A. (Critical National Infrastructure Authority)

The official UAE national public school curriculum

This monumental project permanently reshaped the landscape of global grappling, providing sustainable careers for thousands of coaches and turning the UAE into the international capital of the sport.

Main Achievements
1st Place: IBJJF World Championship (1998 brown)

1st Place: IBJJF World Master Championship (2015 / 2025)

1st Place: IBJJF World No-Gi Championship (2024 / 2025)

1st Place: IBJJF Pan American Championship (1996 purple / 2013 / 2025)

1st Place: IBJJF European Championship (2025 / 2026)

1st Place: IBJJF American National Championship (2015 / 2024 / 2025*)

3rd Place: IBJJF World Championship (1999)
*Double Gold Winner (Weight & Absolute)

Favorite Position/Technique: Reverse Closed Guard (Donkey Guard) to Toe Hold / Guard Passing
Weight Division: Peso Leve (76.00 kg / 167.5 lbs)
Primary Team Affiliation: Wolves Den Jiu-Jitsu / First BJJ

Present Legacy in Utah
After fulfilling his historic duties in the Middle East and briefly returning to Brazil, Queiroz transitioned his coaching focus to the United States. He relocated to the Mountain West region to pioneer the art in Salt Lake City, Utah, establishing First BJJ.

Continuing his family legacy, he partnered with his son, Matheus Queiroz, to launch Wolves Den Jiu-Jitsu, expanding his technical guard-passing and self-defense systems across the Utah valley. Despite his extensive coaching demands, Queiroz remains a highly active and completely dominant figure on the IBJJF Masters circuit, consistently securing gold medals well into the Master 5 divisions.