> Checkmat

Checkmat is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu academy and competition team founded in 2008 by Léo Vieira, headquartered in Signal Hill, California (adjacent to Long Beach). Vieira, nicknamed “Leozinho,” is a two-time IBJJF World Champion and two-time ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship winner, and co-founded Checkmat alongside his brothers Ricardo Vieira and Leandro Vieira after previously co-founding the Brasa team. Checkmat quickly built a reputation as one of the most competitive BJJ teams in the world, with athletes consistently performing at the highest levels of the IBJJF World, Pan, and European Championships. The team’s most notable product is Marcus Almeida “Buchecha,” widely considered one of the greatest BJJ competitors of all time, who trained under Léo Vieira and claimed multiple IBJJF World titles. Other notable Checkmat athletes include Lucas Leite and João Assis. The team has grown to more than 100 affiliated academies worldwide, with branches across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia.