Rising Stars: Meet Esdras Junior of Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Esdras Junior.

Hi Esdras, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My Jiu-Jitsu Journey

I started training Jiu-Jitsu when I was around 16. Before that, I was into weight training, which helped me get in shape and build discipline, but over time it felt monotonous for a teenager. I wanted a sport that challenged me in different ways — not just strength or muscle growth — and that’s when I discovered Jiu-Jitsu.

I took my first class around late 2006 or early 2007 and was hooked right away. At first, it was just a hobby, but after a few months I began competing. The beginning was rough — I lost my first eight tournaments in a row — but I stayed the course, kept showing up, and kept working.

A few years later, persistence paid off: I became the South American Champion as a blue belt. From there I competed at the Abu Dhabi World Trials, Brazilian Nationals regional events like Brazil North and Northeast, Rio International Open, and several local state championships, gradually earning recognition on the local and regional scenes.

During this period I also changed teams to learn under some of the best instructors in my region. I first trained with Professor Telmo at a small team called Bushido up to my brown belt where I learned a lot, and later with Professor Vagner Guimarães (“Boca”). With him, I learned not only advanced technique, but also mindset, confidence, discipline, and what it really takes to achieve meaningful results — lessons that shaped me as an athlete and as a person.

Parallel to my life on the mats, I was an English teacher from 2008 until around 2020. Right after high school, around age 17, I began studying English Linguistics and Literature at my state’s Federal University. It was demanding: studying in the mornings, teaching in the afternoons and evenings, and fitting Jiu-Jitsu training wherever I could. For years my days started at 6 a.m. and ended around 9 p.m.

In 2017, Professor Boca took me on my first international trip to Europe — an experience that opened doors. I began teaching my own seminars across Europe, visiting the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, and Germany, and I’m truly grateful to him for that. At that time, I also visited friends in Abu Dhabi and was even offered an opportunity to work on one of their Jiu Jitsu projects there. Still, I felt drawn to the United States, where the biggest Jiu-Jitsu events take place and many of the world’s top black belts are based. I wanted to test myself against the best.

In 2019, through a friend’s introduction, I joined a major U.S. team and trained there for four years. During that time I became a 4-time American National Champion (No-Gi), a 3-time American National Champion (Gi), a Pan-American Champion (NOGi, 2021), and a silver medalist at the 2021 Masters World Championship. During this period I also became a referee for the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation – being able to live different sides of Jiu Jitsu.

Today, I run my own academy (Satori BJJ Academy) in Phoenix, Arizona. Some students dream of becoming champions; others pursue personal growth — discovering their limits, learning about themselves, and realizing how capable they truly are. I believe Jiu-Jitsu is a powerful tool for self-improvement and character development. I believe in the good within people, in the light we all carry, and in the idea that when we share, we grow together. These are the values I try to instill in my students so we can walk this path honorably — becoming not only better athletes, but better human beings as well.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has a little bit of everything.
Overall a good path, but definitely it had its own challenges.
I guess among other challenges, the hardest one was having to leave my family and friends back h0me. As much as I came here in pursuit of my dreams, It was not an easy choice to move to another country and restart life in a lot of different aspects. but I also believe everything has a price, and I wouldn’t have been able to achieve some of my goals if I had stayed in the comfort zone.

Besides that, life is life, and challenges are a part of it. I believe that every day brings a new opportunity to grow, expand your awareness and knowledge of the world, and face challenges that are there to sharpen you.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Currently, I’m transitioning from my athlete era to my professor and coach era.
I believe that experience is something irreplaceable. Each person carries their own unique journey.

I’ve been practicing Jiu Jitsu for 18 years and earned my black belt in 2016.
Throughout this time, I’ve taken on many roles — training, competing, learning, teaching, coaching, refereeing, and helping others achieve their goals.

My mission is to support people in becoming better versions of themselves — on and off the mats.
The different stages of my life have exposed me to many paths and challenges, and the greatest lesson I’ve learned is that we are capable of overcoming far more than we imagine. Sharing these experiences with my students is a meaningful part of my journey.

Building a team takes hard work, but it’s essential to helping people grow and realize their potential.
Ultimately, creating a culture of sharing within the team works like a domino effect. When we sharpen each other on the mats — with respect and care — the team spirit flourishes.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Back in 2011, I had plans to compete at the South American Jiu-Jitsu Championship. At the time, I was a blue belt — nearing the end of that chapter, since I’d be promoted to purple the following year.

I loved competing, but honestly… I wasn’t getting the results I wanted. I had lost my last eight tournaments, and doubt had started creeping in. I wasn’t sure if I that was really the path I wanted to pursue.
Then, my professor suggested I compete at the South American Championship. And I hesitated. The name alone felt intimidating. I remember thinking, “If I can’t win at local tournaments… how am I supposed to step onto a stage that big?”
To make matters harder, there was the financial challenge. Traveling in Brazil isn’t easy — flights, food, accommodation — everything adds up. So, I decided to raise the money myself by selling raffle tickets.
And here’s the funny part: the prize was an MP3 player. (Most kids today probably don’t even know what that is — but back then, it was the thing.)
I bought it from a local electronics shop, then went around selling tickets for R$1 each — to friends, classmates, teammates at the academy… anyone who’d listen. By the day before the raffle, I had sold a bit over 300 tickets.
Many people have helped me there – Thank God.

That night though, I still had a few tickets left and wanted to make as much as I could, so approached someone I considered a friend. I asked him to support me and buy one. He looked at me, and in a funny tone said something that hit me hard:
“Why should I buy your ticket? You’re just going to lose again.”

As much as I hated to admit it — he wasn’t wrong about my recent record. But iI still believe a friend isn’t someone who points at your failures — it’s someone who lifts you up when you’re down.
Still, I didn’t let it break me. I smiled, swallowed the bitterness, and said, “Fine. This one will be yours.” I tore off a ticket, left it blank — no name, no phone number — and tossed it into the raffle box with the others. I didn’t even know why I did that… maybe part of me just needed to let it go.

The next day, after training at the academy, it was time to do the draw. I shook up the box, and we had a kid pull the winning ticket.
And guess what came out?
The blank one.
His ticket.
Nobody else knew. They thought I had made a mistake — just a blank ticket that slipped through. But I knew the story behind it. And in that quiet moment, I couldn’t help but feel that maybe it wasn’t just coincidence.
I still believe in God, and to me, that moment felt like a sign — a small reminder that I wasn’t alone, and that I shouldn’t give up.
We did another draw, and someone else officially won the MP3 player. But the moment had already left its mark on me.
I raised the money. I made the trip to Bahia. I stepped onto the mats at the CBJJE South American Championship — and fought five tough matches. submitting 4 out of 5 opponents.
And I became the South American Champion.
That experience changed everything. It wasn’t just about winning gold — it was about what it meant: the journey, the struggle, the lesson that sometimes the biggest breakthroughs come when you’re about to walk away.
Looking back, that tournament wasn’t just a win. It was a turning point. Something clicked inside me. A switch flipped. And from that moment on, I believe my true journey as an athlete had officially begun.

I am always very grateful to all those who helped me at that moment. Not everyone will help you, and that’s okay. You should always focus on who’s on your side, versus who is not.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://satoribjjacademy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/satoribjjacademy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561503492187
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/satori-bjj-academy-phoenix-2