BJJ Academies in Ceará.

Ceará is the home state of one of Brazil's most distinct BJJ lineages. The lineage runs through Master Takeo Iano → Master Francisco Sá (born Fortaleza, 1964) — a 6th-degree black belt, two-time national champion in Brazil, Pan American Champion, and current president of the BJJ Olympic Federation in the State of Ceará.

In 2009, Master Sá's Fortaleza academy broke its bond with Rio de Janeiro's Nova União to found Equipe SAS together with Coach Guilherme Santos. SAS TEAM BJJ has since produced a long roster of high-level competitors, including UFC veterans Hermes França, Marcus Aurélio, Wilson Gouveia, and Jorge Gurgel, plus modern competitors Daniel Beleza, Guybson Sá, Robson Sá, and Daniel Tavares.

The IBJJF Fortaleza International Open returned in 2024, anchoring the international competition layer in the state.