Rafael de Freitas, also known by his nickname “Barata”, is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt from the Gracie Barra academy best-known for his creation of a shoulder lock submission named by Rafael as the: Baratoplata. Rafael Barata is also an accomplished BJJ competitor having won important titles such as the Pan American and the World Nogi Championship and a successful MMA fighter with several fights in the professional circuit.

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Rafael Freitas was raised in Brasilia, capital of Brazil and started training martial arts very young. From the age of 5 he began having Capoeira lessons. Rafael did not stop here and throughout his childhood he added several other martial arts to his expertise, namely Karate, Tae Kwon Do and Muay Thai. He eventually found Jiu Jitsu at the age of 14 and settled there.

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In seeking Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to train, Rafael met Alison Brites, the famous Jucão, who had opened an academy in Brasilia, he (Alison) became a great influence in Barata’ progression in BJJ. When Rafael Freitas was a purple belt, the position now called Baratoplata occurred to him during training, in the early days it was created in the form of a bicep slicer submission, which is illegal for purple belts in IBJJF rules, with this being considered a foul Rafael had to rethink the position and adapt it to the rulebook, which he did, making it even better as a shoulder lock technique.

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In 2007 Rafael was invited to come to the United States and help at the Gracie Barra Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he also became one of the main grappling coaches at Jackson Wink MMA Academy.

Main Achievements:

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• Pan American Champion (2011)

• World No Gi Champion (2016 black Master 1, 2007 brown)

• World No Gi Silver Medallist (2008, 2012)

• American National No Gi Silver Medallist (2010)

• Las VegasOpen Silver Medallist (2010)

• Pan American Silver Medallist (2007 brown)

• World Bronze Medallist (2010)

• World Nogi Bronze Medallist (2015, 2010, 2009)