Inside Mateo Cardona’s Rise | The Crown 2025

Middleweight newcomer Mateo Cardona steps onto the biggest stage of his young black belt career - The Crown 2025 Raised in his father’s academy in Florida and shaped inside the technical crucible of AOJ, Mateo’s path has been anything but ordinary. After dominating the colored belts, including a submission-heavy run at Brown Belt Worlds. He now enters a division filled with champions, veterans, and rising threats. Guided by IBJJF Hall of Famer Gui Mendes, Mateo sharpens his skills alongside Tainan Dalpra, Cole Abate, Jonatha Alves, and some of the most elite training partners in the world. But stepping into his first black belt season, Mateo isn’t just chasing experience, he’s chasing greatness. In this episode, Mateo opens up about: -His upbringing in jiu-jitsu and moving across the country to join AOJ -The evolution of his game under Gui Mendes -His expectations heading into The Crown -What excites him about facing names like Andy Murasaki and Jackson Nagai -Why he sees this moment as the beginning of his true career The Crown 2025 — November 23 at the Long Beach Pyramid. Watch the full episode now on the IBJJF YouTube channel.