When it comes to submission grappling, there are a few names synonymous with sustained success. Among those names is Guilherme Mendes. From 2009 onwards, the older Mendes brother has been garnering critical acclaim on the mats, winning four world championships in the process. In recent months the jiu jitsu phenom has taken a step back from competition to focus on teaching, After Mendes sent a cryptic Instagram post, Bloody Elbow was able to confirm Mendes' immediate retirement with sources close to the situation. He only plans to return if suitable one-off super fights are offered.
Born in 1988, Gui Mendes, alongside his brother Rafa, began training jiu jitsu under Nova Uniao coaches Leonardo Santos and Ramon Lemos in 2001 and immediately they showed potential.