Rafael Lovato Jr.
From OTMWiki
Son of Rafael Lovato Sr. and part of the Saulo Ribeiro association.
Rafael was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in June of 1983. Following the influence of his father, Rafael began studying martial arts when he first started walking. Rafael’s path began by studying Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do concepts, Escrima, American 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. Rafael first found his love for grappling when he started wrestling in middle school. At the early age of 13, Rafael found his passion when his father introduced him to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Rafael made a serious commitment to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 15, after early his early competition successes.
In August of 2004, shortly after turning 21, Rafael became the youngest American to ever receive a black belt in BJJ. In receiving his black belt Rafael also helped accomplish another as he and his father became the first American father and son black belts.
As Rafael has climbed the ranks he has become part of the “Who’s Who” in the country, as a professional BJJ and Submission Wrestling competitor. Many consider Rafael to be the top American BJJ competitor, and one of the best in the world.
Rafael holds numerous National titles and 7 World titles in BJJ. In 2005 Rafael really came into his own by adding a 5th Pan American Title while taking the Gold at the highest level of competition, adult Black Belt. Rafael continued the 2005 competition season by bringing home a bronze from the 2005 World Cup. Rafael went on to round off 2005 by becoming the first American to submit a Gracie in a BJJ competition at the black belt level. Rafael has traveled the world to train with other world level grapplers and compete against them. He has trained with countless other world level BJJ competitors and is now under the stewardship of the great Saulo Ribeiro. Rafael has had numerous opportunities to train with MMA fighters such as Randy Couture, Mark Coleman, Forrest Griffin, Joe Stevenson, and Jason Miller.
Rafael continues to teach, and train with, all levels of Jiu-Jitsu at his school in Oklahoma City. On top of his own competition training, Rafael makes the time to train the Lovato’s Jiu-Jitsu Competition Team which is, arguably, the best Jiu-Jitsu Team in the region.
