Sergio Villasanti, a 44-year-old Paraguayan Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete, competes internationally alongside his 7-year-old son, Fabricio. In 2026, both athletes reached international podiums while representing Paraguay at major tournaments in Brazil. Beyond medals, their shared training creates a family bond built on discipline, perseverance and the courage to face challenges together.
Sergio Villasanti:From martial arts to Jiu-Jitsu
Sergio began practising martial arts at a young age, including Judo and other disciplines. Around 2016, he started Muay Thai and spend seven years training before discovering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu through MMA.
“We started doing MMA in the academy, and there I realised that without having the ground part, without having any kind of grappling, I did not go anywhere,” he says. “So I decided to try Jiu-Jitsu.”
He started training in March 2023 and quickly developed a passion for the discipline. Since then, international competitions turned his training into a successful competitive career.
A year of international achievements
This year, Sergio Villasanti won three major tournaments, including the Pan-American Championship, the Brasileiro in São Paulo and the Grand Slam Prime in Rio de Janeiro. However, he considers his international rankings more significant than any single title. His results placed him at number one across several rankings, including the WUJJF Jiu-Jitsu Pro and International Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
“The very special thing that I achieved this year are not individual titles,” Sergio explains. “It was to reach the number one ranking in the world of different federations.”
For Fabricio, watching his father win created a memory that stayed with him. “For me, that was very happy, because it was the first time I saw a world champion on the Paraguayan podium,” they young talent says.
A father and son on the same podium
Fabricio began practising Jiu-Jitsu after his father encouraged him to try the sport. At only seven years old, he already competed internationally and shared tournaments with Sergio. “My dad encouraged me to start,” Fabricio says.
For Sergio Villasanti, the sport becomes much more meaningful when the whole family participates. His wife also practises Jiu-Jitsu, allowing them to train together and create memories through the discipline. “We competed together. Fabricio competed with me. We shared the podiums many times,” Sergio says.
That connection became especially memorable at the Grand Slam Prime in Rio de Janeiro. Sergio won his division, while Fabricio finished second, allowing father and son to share an international podium. “It was an incredible experience to be able to share such an important podium with my son,” Sergio says. “That createed memories forever.”
Lessons beyond the mat
For Sergio, Jiu-Jitsu also becomes a way to teach Fabricio values that extend beyond competition. Discipline, patience and the ability to handle failure become essential parts of their training. “If he wants to be on the podium, if he wants to be a champion in a big tournament, he has to be disciplined with everything,” Sergio explains.
The father also teaches his son that losing forms part of every athlete’s journey. “You have to have the ability to get up every time you fall.”
Sergio sees Paraguayan Jiu-Jitsu growing rapidly. He recalls travelling almost alone when he first competed internationally, while Paraguayan delegations now regularly travel to Brazil.
Sergio’s journey also includes a historic achievement from two years ago, when he won the WUJJF World Championship. Sergio becomes the first Paraguayan to win the world title after entering the tournament with only around a year and a half of Jiu-Jitsu experience.
“I was the rookie inside the bracket,” he recalls. Despite facing more experienced opponents, he advanced through every round before winning the championship.
Looking ahead together
Their next goals continue to take them abroad. Sergio plans to compete at the World Cup in Las Vegas before travelling to São Paulo in November. Fabricio also plans to compete at the São Paulo Kids World Cup.
Next year, Sergio aims to compete at the World Cup in Abu Dhabi. Still, their biggest goal remains supporting one another through every challenge. “As a family we will always continue to accompany each other and support each other when there are problems, we will always be present,” Sergio says.
When asked to summarise their story in one word, Sergio Villasanti chooses “company”. For father and son, Jiu-Jitsu becomes a journey they share, where every victory, setback and podium creates another memory together.
