José Carlos Hissa Granja (born December 25, 1976) is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and head instructor who brought the Kimura/Nova União lineage to Scandinavia. Operating from his academy in Gjøvik, Norway, he developed multiple world-class competitors and built one of the most successful BJJ networks in Northern Europe.
Born in Recife, the capital of Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil, José Carlos grew up in Natal in the neighboring state of Rio Grande do Norte. He began training judo at age 8. At 17, he met brothers Daniel and Jair Lourenço at his judo club. Jair, one of jiu-jitsu's pioneers in Rio Grande do Norte, became close friends with José Carlos and eventually invited him to train at the Kimura/Nova União academy. The efficiency of the ground game convinced José Carlos to devote himself fully to BJJ.
In 2005, José Carlos met a Norwegian woman at a beach in Natal. After frequent visits between the two countries, they married, and he relocated to Gjøvik, a small city in the Norwegian inland about two hours north of Oslo. Although BJJ already existed in Oslo at the time, the commute was impractical, so José Carlos decided to open his own academy as a Kimura/Nova União affiliate.
Within two years, he was able to leave his farming job and support himself entirely through his gym and its growing network of affiliates spanning Hamar, Lillehammer, Egersund, Nærbø, and Sauda.
The most remarkable achievement of José Carlos's coaching career is the athletes who emerged from his academy. Tommy Langaker from Haugesund and Espen Mathiesen from Egersund both traveled to Gjøvik to train under him. Both received their black belts from José Carlos and went on to become among the most decorated European BJJ competitors in history. Langaker became a No-Gi World Champion and signed with ONE Championship. Mathiesen won the IBJJF European Championship at black belt and became known as a berimbolo specialist. In 2020, the two founded Wulfing Academy in Haugesund.
José Carlos himself remains an active competitor in the Masters divisions. His achievements include IBJJF European Open Champion (2017, Master 3), IBJJF European Open No-Gi Champion (2014, Master 2), and IBJJF London International Open Champion (2013, Senior 1).
Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda → Carlos Gracie → Hélio Gracie → Carlson Gracie → André Pederneiras → Jair Lourenço → José Carlos Hissa Granja