The IBJJF Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship has a special value for Lucas Pinheiro, Atos' Bantamweight title hunter. After reaching the top of the brown belt podium in 2015 in that year's Brasileiros, he would has not competed there since.

He's now registered to compete at the 2023 Brasileiro in his ramp up for Worlds.

After his win in 2015, in which he closed the final with Hiago George for the title, Lucas was invited to train and live in the USA, representing Cícero Costha at the time. The obstacles in his path forged the champion's current identity and the longing to compete in a championship as tough as the Brasileiro, which takes place this year between April 29th and May 7th, makes it the best test for his game, after so many years of competing in high-level tournaments and earning titles with and without the gi.

Eight years have gone by since his full migration and Lucas fondly remembers the leap of faith that took him to a different country in search of a better life.

"Financially speaking, I couldn't fight abroad, so I focused on that 2015 Brasileiros and used up the rest of my money to fight in the Worlds of that same year, in which I took the silver medal. It was a tough couple of months once I got into the USA. Texas was my home for the first five years and I won many championships during that time. Despite that, the training level at the gym where I taught was nothing compared to Brazil and that quickly took a toll on my performance. Besides, I was going through the entire documentation process and had to manage everything that comes with living in a new country in addition to my training schedule. It was a time filled with uncertainties, anxiety, and fighting with the scales to stay at Bantamweight, but the people around me helped. After a while, I went to San Diego to train at Atos, intensified my work as a competitor and returned to the winning path."

Every now and then, Lucas goes back to Brazil to see his family and even compete, but he hasn't participated in a Brasileiro with the gi since 2015. The champion's expectations are high, and the experience earned during his time away indicates that this is the right time for a comeback.

"Fighting in Brazil is always more difficult. From checking the gi before each fight to the end of the matches. Everything is more dangerous! But I do enjoy the challenge. When I moved to San Diego, I could put more effort into training and bigger competitions. Last year I won almost all the no-gi events except for the Pans, in which I'm already a three-time champion. With the wins at the Brasileiros, Europeans, and Worlds in 2022, I would've completed the No-Gi Grand Slam as a black belt, had it not been for that hiccup at the Pans. In the grand scheme of things, I won all those tournaments, only in different seasons. Plus, I also won the ADCC Open in Vegas, so I'm coming in high spirits for the Brasileiros."

Pinheiro said that one reason he registered for Brasileiros was to warm up for Worlds, which takes place in June. Lucas plans to test his skills against the new generation of competitors before going on to seek his first world title in the gi as a black belt.

"These new athletes are constantly evolving. It's not a longshot to say that the Brasileiros may be tougher than the Worlds. However, I want to take things one step at a time. I know where I came from, where I am, and where I want to go. I have many dreams that push me forward, but my focus remains on the here and now."

Above all, returning to his roots and fighting at the Brasileiros tastes like success to Lucas. After marrying a Brazilian woman and having a daughter in the US, all the memories of his homeland bring him back to the tough times he has since overcome. The financial hurdles that often kept him from seeing his family are in the past now and that makes his return to Brazil a victory in and of itself.

"I'm going to enjoy the Brasileiros, whether I win or not. I also want to enjoy being with my family. I love training and competing in Brazil. Back then, there weren't many tournaments in Brazil that paid well, unlike the US. Each place has its own thing. When I'm in Brazil, I miss the US, and vice-versa. Even my little daughter knows it is and will always be like this.