Renato Canuto

Before he even learned how to read and write, Renato Canuto was exposed to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. His dad, Valdir “Tio Chico” Canuto, was leading the BJJ movement in Sao Paulo, Brazil, so it was only natural for the youngster to follow in the family patriarch’s footsteps.

By age 8, Canuto was already formally training under his father’s watchful eye. In addition to BJJ, he practiced karate and judo. But despite learning other martial arts disciplines, it was clear that “the gentle art” had his heart.

In 2016, the young Brazilian took a leap of faith. He flew to the United States to work with some of the best grapplers in the world, such as Leo Vieira, Robert Drysdale, and Rodrigo Cavaca.

After being promoted to black belt by his father later in the year, Canuto achieved success at the highest level of submission grappling. He won a pair of KASAI Grand Prix Titles, a gold medal at the 2017 IBJJF World Championship in the no-gi category, and another gold in the gi category at the 2021 IBJJF World Championship.

Now, Canuto brings his elite BJJ skills to the global stage of ONE Championship, where he looks to make an impact in both MMA and the organization’s new submission grappling branch.