About Rafael

Rafael was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in June of 1983 and he has lived in Oklahoma City since he was 8 years old. Following the influence of his father, Rafael was studying martial arts by the time he was walking.

Rafael’s path began by studying Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do Concepts, Escrima, Boxing, and Thai Boxing under his father and Richard Bustillo. Rafael was very competitive, and he soon held titles in Escrima and was well on his way to a promising boxing career. At the early of age of thirteen, Rafael found his passion when his father introduced him to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu after learning about it through a JKD instructor's conference. Rafael made a serious commitment to BJJ at the age of fifteen, after early competition success. At 16 years of age, he won the 2000 Pan-American Championships in the Juvenile, Blue Belt division. Later that year, after turning 17, Rafael won 2 medals at the World Championships, in the Juvenile, Blue Belt division, including the Bronze medal in his weight class and the Silver medal in the Juvenile absolute division. Rafael was among the first generation of Americans to win in the Juvenile division in Brazil, and his 2000 campaign included wins over some of Brazil's future stars including: Augusto "Tanquinho" Mendes, Ricardo "Demente" Abreu, and Vinny "Pezao" Magalhaes.

In August of 2004, shortly after turning 21, Rafael became the youngest American to receive a black belt in BJJ at that time. In receiving his black belt Rafael also helped accomplish another feat, as he and his father became the first American father and son BJJ Black Belts. Rafael has continued to make history in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, becoming the most decorated American BJJ competitor today. In 2007, Rafael became the first person ever to win the European Open Championships, Pan-American Championships, Brazilian National Championships (Brasileiro), and World Championships (Mundials) at the Black Belt level all in the same year! These accomplishments earned Rafael the prestigious BJJ competitor of the year award for 2007. Currently, Rafael is the first American to have won the European Open Championships, and only American to have won the Pan-American Championships and Brazilian National Championships (Brasileiro) at the adult Black Belt level and he is the 2nd American, after BJ Penn, to win the World Championships as a Black Belt. In 2009, Rafael was honored for his accomplishments when he was inducted into the prestigious Grapplers Quest Hall of Fame. In 2010, Rafael became part of an elite group of competitors to ever win Black Belt World titles with and without the gi, when Rafael won the No-Gi World Championships in the Black Belt Heavyweight division. On that same day, Rafael achieved another amazing feat, but this time as a teacher, when his student and first Black Belt won his Black Belt division at the No-Gi World Championships as well. The duo made history that day as teacher and student Black Belt No-Gi World Champions and Rafael became the first American to produce a Black Belt No-Gi World Champion.

Rafael has gone on to win two more No-Gi World titles (2011 & 2013), winning his third on the same day as his 2nd Black Belt, James Puopolo, who won his first Black Belt No-Gi World title. In 2012, Rafael was a part of Professional Jiu-Jitsu history when he was victorious in the first ever Metamoris event. Rafael defeated Kayron Gracie with his famous Kimura technique earning him the submission of the night award. In 2013, Rafael made history in Brazil once again, this time winning the prestigious Black Belt Absolute division at the Brazilian Nationals, crowning him the best in Brazil. Rafael won 3 of his 5 matches in the absolute by submission, with a Kimura in the semi-finals and finals. At that moment, not only did Rafael become a 2-time Brazilian National Champion, but he achieved a much greater accomplishment as the first non-Brazilian to ever win a major Black Belt Absolute title. Later in 2013, Rafael led the largest team of Americans to ever compete at the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships. Rafael, along with his team, made history at the event as an American team with a member in 4 of the 5 weight classes. Three of them were able to reach the final four in their categories with Lovato earning the Silver medal. It was a performance that will never be forgotten.

Being a True Martial Artist is something Rafael has always felt strongly about, which took his journey to the MMA cage. In his first three years, Rafael amassed a perfect 10-0 record and became the Bellator Middleweight World Champion in 2019 after defeating Gegard Mousasi for the belt.

Rafael has managed to achieve all of these great accomplishments while living in Oklahoma City, without a Black Belt instructor in his hometown and being far away from all of the major BJJ competitions and high-level competitors, during his whole Jiu-Jitsu training career. These hardships have helped Rafael understand even more what it takes to become a champion.

Now, Rafael is the full-time owner, operator, and head instructor of Lovato's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts, which is one of the top schools in the country, producing BJJ Pan & World Champions, ADCC competitors, and UFC fighters. Rafael is also very passionate about sharing his Jiu-Jitsu knowledge through his online training site, helping those who do not have access to a high-level instructor just as he did. Rafael has trained, taught, and competed all over the world and he is an inspiration to many BJJ competitors today. Despite his success in life Rafael has managed to remain humble and respectful of all people. He praises his excellent coach, the legendary Saulo Ribeiro and his incredible training partner, Saulo’s brother, Xande Ribeiro. Rafael also gives thanks to his family, friends, students, and sponsors for all their support. Rafael is still an active competitor, but now some of his greatest joys come from the success of his students.

5th Degree BJJ Black Belt - Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu

Jiu-Jitsu

2007 Black Belt World Champion (2nd American to win in the Adult Black Belt division)

2007 OTM BJJ Fighter of the Year

8x Black Belt World Medalist In The Gi (2007-2014)

3x Pan Black Belt Champion (2005, 07, 08)

10x Pan Black Belt Medalist First American to win the Pan in the Adult Black Belt division

2007 European Open Champion

6x Black Belt Euro Medalist

First American to win the Euro in the Adult Black Belt division

2007 Brasileiro Black Belt Super Heavy Champion (First non-Brazilian to win the Brasileiro in the Adult Black Belt division)

2013 Brasileiro Black Belt Absolute Champion (First non-Brazilian to win a major IBJJ Black Belt Absolute title)

4x Brasileiro Black Belt Medalist

3x No-Gi Black Belt World Champion (2010, 11, 13)

5x No-Gi Black Belt World Medalist First & only American Gi & No-Gi Black Belt World Champion First American

3x Black Belt No-Gi World Champion

2013 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Silver Medalist

2011 Abu Dhabi World Pro No-Gi Champion

2012 Metamoris Champion

2005 Rickson Gracie Budo Challenge Champion

2006 American National Champion

2006 Professional Sub League Champion

2016 & 2017 Master Worlds Weight & Absolute Champion

Fight To Win Pro Black Belt Gi & No-Gi Champion

First person to ever win the Grand Slam (win all 4 major IBJJF tournaments in the same year - Euros, Pan, Brasileiro, & Worlds)

2016 FloGrappling Master Competitor of the Year

6x IBJJF Master World Champion

America's most decorated BJJ Champion

MMA

11-0 (9 wins by finish, 5 in the first round)

Former Legacy FC Middleweight World Champion

Former Bellator Middleweight World Champion

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

First American to medal in the Juvenile division at the Mundials (2000)

Only American to win two medals in the Juvenile division at the Mundials while they were held in Brazil (2000)

Only American to win the 2005 Rickson Gracie Budo Challenge

First American to win the Europeans as a Black Belt adult (2007)

Only American to win two medals (weight & absolute) in the same year at the Europeans as a Black Belt adult (2007)

Only American to win the Pan-Ams as a Black Belt adult

Won Pan-Ams 3 times (2005, 2007, & 2008)

10 Pan-Am medals as a Black Belt overall (3 golds, 1 silver, & 6 bronzes)

Only American to win two medals in the same year at the Pan-Ams as a Black Belt

• Only American to win the Brasileiro as a Black Belt adult (2007 & 2013)

• 3-time Brasileiro finalist & 4 medals overall (2 gold, 1 silver, & 1 bronze)

Only American to win two medals in the same year at the Brasileiro as a Black Belt adult (2010)

2nd American to win the Mundials (2007) - BJ Penn was the first (2000)

First person, only American, and one of three ever to win all 4 major international tournaments (Europeans, Pan-Ams, Brasileiro, & Mundials) in the same year as a Black Belt

First American to win a major Black Belt Absolute Title (Brasileiro 2013)

2007 OTM BJJ Fighter of the Year - only American to ever achieve this

Only American Black Belt Gi (2007) & No-Gi World Champion (2010, 2011, 2013)

First person to win the No-Gi World Championship in three different weight classes

Only American to win the No-Gi World Championship three times

Black Belt No-Gi World finalist in 4 weight divisions

6x IBJJF Master World Champion

Grapplers Quest Hall of Fame inductee

United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame inductee