Beatriz Mesquita
Ten world titles by 2021, a guard player who rebuilt her game around passing, and at 33 she started over in MMA.
Biography
Sources for this profile
Wikipedia, "Beatriz Mesquita", article revision last edited 13 August 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Beatriz de Oliveira Mesquita was born on 7 April 1991 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Where in the source: Infobox, first row: "Born 7 April 1991 (age 35)" with "Rio de Janeiro, Brazil" beneath it; full name given in the Early career section.
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Mesquita is Brazilian; her medal record is listed under the heading "Representing Brazil" and the UFC lists Brazil as her place of birth.
Where in the source: Medal record block, heading "Representing [flag] Brazil" directly above the ADCC and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu medal tables; visible in the rendered screenshot.
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She is known as Bia Mesquita.
Where in the source: Infobox row "Other names: Bia"; the lead sentence adds "also known as Bia Mesquita".
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Mesquita holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu awarded by Leticia Ribeiro.
Where in the source: Infobox row "Rank: 2nd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Leticia Ribeiro"; row "Trainer: Leticia Ribeiro".
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Her jiu-jitsu team is Gracie Humaita; since 2023 she has also trained at American Top Team for mixed martial arts.
Where in the source: Infobox row "Team: Gracie Humaita (BJJ) / American Top Team (2023-present)".
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Mesquita began training Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 1996 at the age of five, and also trained judo, wrestling and swimming.
Where in the source: Grappling career > Early career, opening sentence: "began training Brazilian jiu-jitsu at aged five in 1996, besides jiujitsu she also trained in judo, wrestling and swimming".
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By the age of ten she had won the Brazilian National Junior Championships, three state championships and other major tournaments, and was sent to train under Leticia Ribeiro in Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro; at fifteen she trained freestyle wrestling and won a junior state title before committing fully to jiu-jitsu.
Where in the source: Early career, second and third sentences: "By the time she was 10 she had won the Brazilian National Junior Championships, three State Championships ... she was sent to train under BJJ legend Leticia Ribeiro, in Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro. At 15 she trained in Freestyle wrestling winning a junior state title".
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Leticia Ribeiro promoted Mesquita to brown belt in June 2009 while she stood on the World Championship podium, and to black belt in March 2011.
Where in the source: Early career, closing sentences: "She received her brown belt in June 2009 from professor Leticia Ribeiro, while standing on the podium of the World Championship. She went on to receive her black belt in March 2011 again from professor Ribeiro."
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Wikipedia's lead states that Mesquita has won 24 titles at black belt level across the four major gi championships.
Where in the source: Lead sentence two: "She has won 24 titles at black belt level in the four major Gi Championships."
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- Conflicting accounts
Wikipedia states that with ten gold medals, as of the 2021 Worlds, Mesquita holds the record for the most IBJJF World Championship titles at black belt level, and that she is a member of the IBJJF Hall of Fame.
Where in the source: Lead sentence three: "With 10 gold medals, as of Worlds 2021, she holds the record for the most IBJJF World Championship titles at black belt level and is a member of the IBJJF Hall of Fame."
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Mesquita's IBJJF World Championship golds are listed for 2012 (-64 kg), 2013 (absolute and -64 kg), 2014 (absolute and -64 kg), 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021 (all -64 kg), all in California.
Where in the source: Medal record, "World Championship" table: ten rows from "2012 California, USA -64kg" to "2021 California, USA -64kg".
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Mesquita won her tenth world title on 12 December 2021 at the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, beating Margot Ciccarelli in the semi-final and Luiza Monteiro in the final; in June 2018 she won the Eddie Bravo Invitational women's bantamweight tournament, submitting Luana Alzuguir in the semi-final and Bianca Basilio in the final; and in 2017 she beat Mackenzie Dern in 64 seconds at the Rio Falls Jiu-Jitsu open.
Where in the source: Grappling career > Black belt career, first paragraph, three consecutive sentences covering the Dern win, the EBI title and the 12 December 2021 tenth world title.
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Mesquita's ADCC medal record lists gold at -60 kg in Espoo, Finland in 2017, a medal at -60 kg in Nevada in 2022, and two medals in Nevada in 2024, at -65 kg and in the absolute division.
Where in the source: Medal record, "ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship" table: rows 2017 Espoo -60kg, 2022 Nevada -60kg, 2024 Nevada -65kg and 2024 Nevada Absolute.
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At the 2022 ADCC World Championship Mesquita beat Mayssa Bastos on points, lost to Ffion Davies in the semi-final and took bronze by submitting Bianca Basilio; at the 2024 ADCC she submitted Sula-Mae Lowenthal, lost a decision to Ana Carolina Vieira and beat Brianna Ste-Marie for bronze at -65 kg, then in the absolute division submitted Kendall Reusing and beat Amy Campo before losing the final to Adele Fornarino for silver.
Where in the source: Black belt career, final three paragraphs covering the 2022 ADCC and the 2024 ADCC weight and absolute runs.
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Mesquita signed with a management company in April 2023, announced in September 2023 that she would train at American Top Team, and is undefeated at 8-0 in mixed martial arts: four wins under the LFA banner including the vacant LFA women's bantamweight title against Sierra Dinwoodie in June 2025, then a UFC debut against Irina Alekseeva on 11 October 2025 won by rear-naked choke in the second round and rewarded with a Performance of the Night bonus, followed by submission wins over Montserrat Rendon in March 2026 and Melissa Mullins in June 2026.
Where in the source: Mixed martial arts career section and the professional record table, rows 1-0 through 8-0 with opponent, method, event, date, round, time and location.
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UFC.com, athlete page "Bia Mesquita", read 13 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
UFC's official athlete page lists Bia Mesquita as 35 years old with Brazil as her place of birth, training at American Top Team, fighting style Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, nickname "The Lady GOAT", status Active, record 8-0-0 and Octagon debut 11 October 2025.
Where in the source: INFO panel, "BIO" tab: rows STATUS / PLACE OF BIRTH / TRAINS AT / FIGHTING STYLE / AGE / OCTAGON DEBUT; nickname in quotation marks above her name at the top of the page.
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On her UFC athlete profile, Mesquita states that she holds a fourth-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Where in the source: Q&A tab, question 'Any belts/ranks in grappling disciplines?' and answer '4th degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.'
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Luís Antonio Cardoso, Super Lutas, interview with Bia Mesquita, 19 June 2026.(opens in a new tab)
In an interview published shortly before her 20 June 2026 fight, Mesquita, then 35, was described as a Rio native who had been on the mats for 30 years and who had turned professional in MMA barely two years earlier.
Where in the source: Body text: a carioca bateu um papo exclusivo com o SUPER LUTAS; disse Bia, que tem 35 anos de idade; No tatame há 30 anos.
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Mesquita said her rapid fight schedule was planned from the moment she moved to MMA, because she came to the sport older after a long jiu-jitsu career and knows she does not have twenty years ahead of her, and that clean fights without cuts or injuries let her keep the pace up.
Where in the source: Quoted answer beginning Essa aceleração está sendo planejada desde que eu migrei para o MMA and continuing through the remark about not having a twenty-year career ahead of her.
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Mesquita said that grappling, not striking, remains her main objective in a fight, that training at American Top Team is her biggest challenge, and that each fight is a step towards the title.
Where in the source: Quoted answer beginning Acho que vai ser uma luta muito boa porque a Melissa aceita esse jogo agarrado through Treinar na ATT já é meu maior desafio.
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Asked about the state of the UFC women's bantamweight division, Mesquita said the division is being renewed, that older athletes are giving way to newer ones and that she belongs to the new generation, and that being an athlete today also means having a real dialogue with the fans, not only fighting well.
Where in the source: Quoted answer beginning Vejo que a minha categoria está tendo uma renovação through the remark that it is not enough only to fight and put on a show.
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FloGrappling, "Beatriz Mesquita: 'Women's BJJ Is Just As Good As Men's So Let Us Get Paid'", 8 March 2017.(opens in a new tab)
In March 2017 FloGrappling described Leticia Ribeiro, an IBJJF Hall of Famer and nine-time world champion, as Mesquita's mentor and coach who had guided her career since she was a teenager, and quoted Mesquita saying that Ribeiro is an idol to many precisely because she was a competitor herself and knows what it takes to become a champion.
Where in the source: Body text: "Her mentor and coach Leticia Ribeiro has a lot to do with that" followed by Mesquita's quote beginning "Leticia is an idol for a lot of people".
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FloGrappling reported in March 2017 that Mesquita was due to train at Ribeiro's school in San Diego, taking part in the pre-competition training camp ahead of Five Grappling and the Pan Championship; she said the training there is always perfect because everybody has the same objective.
Where in the source: Body text: "Beatriz will train in San Diego at Ribeiro's school ahead of Five and Pans, taking part in the pre-competition training camp", followed by her quote about training with all the girls.
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In March 2017 Mesquita argued publicly that female competitors should be paid the same as men, saying they train as much, fight the same tournaments and spend the same money, and she credited the UAEJJF's decision to pay prize money with opening people's minds to the idea that women's jiu-jitsu can be as good as the men's.
Where in the source: Pull quote "We train as much as the guys, we fight the same tournaments, we spend the same money, so why not get paid the same?" and the following quote about prize money.
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IBJJF, "Hall of Fame", female tab, read 13 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
The IBJJF Hall of Fame's female list contains eight names, among them both Beatriz de Oliveira Mesquita and her teacher Leticia Ribeiro Neves dos Santos.
Where in the source: Hall of Fame page, FEMALE tab: list reads Beatriz de Oliveira Mesquita, Bianca Andrade Barreto, Gabrielle Lemos Garcia, Hannette Quadros Staack, Kyra Gracie, Leticia Ribeiro Neves dos Santos, Luanna Alzuguir Marton Moraes, Michelle Zonato Nicolini.
Accessed:
Graciemag, "Os dez ouros de Bia Mesquita no Mundial de Jiu-Jitsu", 14 December 2021.(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag accounted for Mesquita's ten IBJJF World Championship gold medals as eight in the lightweight division plus two in the absolute division, in 2013 and 2014, and noted that from 2012 onwards the only years she did not take world gold were 2017 and 2020, the year the tournament was cancelled because of the pandemic.
Where in the source: Body text: "De 2012 ate aqui, a fenomenal Beatriz Mesquita so nao conquistou o ouro no Mundial da IBJJF em 2017 e 2020" followed by the breakdown of eight lightweight golds plus two absolute golds.
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Mesquita's tenth world title, on 12 December 2021, came against Luiza Monteiro, the same opponent she had beaten for her first world gold in 2012; the final was decided 2-0 with Monteiro chasing a takedown to the last second, and Mesquita wept on the mat afterwards and held up ten fingers.
Where in the source: Body text: the passage describing the 2012 first gold against Luiza Monteiro, the 2-0 scoreline in the 2021 final and "A lutadora chorou de solucar nos tatames".
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Guinness World Records, "Most individual gold medals won at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation World Championships (female)", read 13 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
As of 13 September 2026 Guinness World Records lists the record for most individual gold medals won at the IBJJF World Championships by a female as 12, set by Gabrieli Pessanha in Long Beach, California, on 31 May 2026, describing her as the most decorated female competitor in the tournament's history.
Where in the source: Record summary block: WHO "Gabrieli Pessanha", WHAT "12 total number", WHEN "31 May 2026"; the page also carries the standing note that comments below may relate to previous holders of this record.
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MMA Mania, "ADCC 2017 results: Marcus Almeida, Gabi Garcia take gold, Andre Galvao wins super fight", 25 September 2017.(opens in a new tab)
- Conflicting accounts
The 2017 ADCC women's under-60 kg results list Mesquita as defeating Ffion Davies in the quarter-final and Michelle Nicolini in the semi-final; the medal standings name Mesquita as gold medallist, Bianca Basilio as silver medallist and Nicolini as bronze medallist.
Where in the source: Women -60KG: Quarterfinals and Semifinals; medal lines Gold: Beatrix Mesquita, Silver: Bianca Basilio, Bronze: Michelle Nicolini.
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- Conflicting accounts
FloGrappling, athlete page "Beatriz Mesquita", results database, read 13 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
FloGrappling's athlete record for Mesquita lists, under the 2017 ADCC World Championships at -60 kg, a win over B. Basilio by rear-naked choke and a win over F. Davies by armbar, both dated 23 September.
Where in the source: Results table, rows dated 09/23 with result W, methods RNC and Armbar, opponents B. Basilio and F. Davies, division -60kgs, event "2017 ADCC World Championships".
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FloGrappling's athlete profile describes Mesquita as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Leticia Ribeiro and one of the greatest competitors of all time who has won nearly every major championship in the sport, and records her grappling career at 73 wins and 32 losses.
Where in the source: Profile header: name, record "73-32-0 (W-L-D)" and the descriptive paragraph beginning "Beatriz 'Bia' Mesquita is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Leticia Ribeiro".
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Graciemag, "Set to fight at BJJ Stars IV, Bia Mesquita reveals her secret to passing guard", 20 October 2020 (English transcript of a video interview).(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag reported in October 2020 that Mesquita, who had won many of her titles with an unpredictable guard, had recently started using her top game much more and was becoming a genuine guard passer; in the interview she said the secret to passing is not only technique but explosiveness, that speed robs the guard player of the time needed to switch grips and recover the hips, and that she attacks from side to side, stacking and jumping in sequence so the opponent never gets a good grip, because otherwise the pass turns into a chess game of who makes fewest mistakes.
Where in the source: Standfirst: "After winning many titles with her unpredictable guard ... becoming a true passer", then her quoted answer beginning "I think the secret to the guard pass is not just technique, but also explosiveness."
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E. Spencer Kyte, "Bia Mesquita | A Different Kind Of Newcomer", UFC.com, 7 October 2025.(opens in a new tab)
Speaking before her UFC debut, Mesquita said the hardest part of adapting her ground game to MMA was releasing the pressure, because she only wanted to pass and mount, and that her head coach Marcos da Matta, known as Parrumpa, told her to stop thinking like jiu-jitsu, that there are no points, and to seek positions from which she could punch and submit; she added that the transition was not hard because she stayed open-minded, but that she changed her jiu-jitsu game a great deal, and that the armbar is her favourite and best submission.
Where in the source: Quoted answers beginning "I think the most important thing is to understand that sometimes you have to give a little space" and "I wanna do an armbar ... it's my favorite one, my best one".
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UFC.com described Mesquita before her debut as a ten-time world jiu-jitsu champion considered among the best ever, used to performing on big stages; she said the challenge of the new was what attracted her to changing careers, that the unknown makes her more excited, and that the experience of high-level competition keeps her from being overwhelmed. Photo captions on the page place her against Miesha Tate at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 3 at the UFC APEX on 15 December 2022 and describe her reacting after her victory over Tate.
Where in the source: Body text from "But Bia Mesquita isn't any newcomer" through her quote "The unknown makes me more excited"; photo captions crediting Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC.
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E. Spencer Kyte, "Bia Mesquita: 'It's Always a Finals Match'", UFC.com, 17 June 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Mesquita said she pays attention to her own improvement rather than to who she is facing, and that she carried a saying from jiu-jitsu into MMA: no matter which round of the bracket it is, it is always a finals match.
Where in the source: Quoted answer beginning "I don't really pay attention to who I'm fighting against, but to my improvement", containing the bracket line that gives the article its title.
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Between her March and June 2026 fights Mesquita helped her training partner Michelle Montague through Montague's fight camp before starting her own.
Where in the source: Quoted answer: "I came back from the fight, back to training, helped with Michelle (Montague) with her camp and then straight to my camp".
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Mesquita entered the UFC women's bantamweight top 15 on her birthday, 7 April 2026, which she first saw on Instagram and did not believe until her head coach Marcos da Matta sent her to check the UFC website; she was ranked No. 13 before her June 2026 fight, said the quick turnaround was what she wants because more fights mean more experience and a faster route to a title shot, and set finishing the year in the top 10 as her goal.
Where in the source: Opening quotes "I got into the top 15 on my birthday, but I wasn't sure that it was true" and the coach's reply "Just look at the website"; later "Currently sitting at No. 13" and her goal of finishing the year in the top ten.
Accessed:
Hywel Teague, "Weekend Recap: Black Belt Women Show Solidarity To Share Cash Prize", FloGrappling, 30 October 2017.(opens in a new tab)
At the IBJJF Rio BJJ Pro in October 2017 Mesquita won both the black belt middleweight and open class divisions, submitting all four of her opponents, but received no prize money because the event failed to reach the minimum number of entrants; she wrote on Instagram that she was very sad, that everyone posts asking for appreciation but nobody has the courage to show up, that she had done her part by being there and fighting, and that what women's jiu-jitsu needs is more unity and less media.
Where in the source: Section "On the other hand: Beatriz destroys in Rio, but misses out on cash prize", including her translated Instagram statement and the printed podium lists for BLACK / Adult / Female / Middle and Open Class.
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Evelyn Sutton, "Bia Mesquita Pre-IBJJF PANs Seminar at Jiujiteira Magazine HQ in Florida on March 20th", Jiujiteira Magazine, 10 February 2023.(opens in a new tab)
In February 2023 Jiujiteira Magazine, a women's jiu-jitsu publication in Melbourne, Florida, announced Mesquita for a three-hour seminar at its headquarters on 20 March 2023, the eve of the IBJJF Pan Championship; the magazine billed her as Professora Bia Mesquita, said the event was part of its effort to help elevate women in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and described her as a black belt under Leticia Ribeiro nicknamed the Lady Goat.
Where in the source: Body text: "a detailed class with Professora Bia Mesquita, Q&A session" and "In an effort to bring only the best to our community and continue to help elevate women in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu".
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At UFC Fight Pass Invitational 3 in December 2022 Mesquita beat the former UFC champion Miesha Tate by armbar in overtime.
Where in the source: Body text: "Bia was featured at the UFC Fight Pass Invitational 3, where she defeated former UFC Champion Miesha Tate with an armbar in overtime".
Accessed:
Marcelo Dunlop, "A maxima eficiencia de Bia Mesquita em sua estreia no MMA", Graciemag, 17 June 2024.(opens in a new tab)
On the eve of her MMA debut Mesquita said her plan was to begin and end her MMA career undefeated; she made the debut on 15 June 2024 at Spaten Fight Night in Sao Paulo, the only women's bout of a card headlined by an exhibition between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen, and submitted Jojo Ramos at 2:30 of the first round. Graciemag described her as formed by Gracie Humaita and an ATT athlete.
Where in the source: Standfirst quote "Meu plano e comecar e encerrar minha carreira no MMA invicta"; results block "Bia Mesquita finalizou Jojo Ramos aos 2min30s do R1"; body text "a peso-galo formada pela Gracie Humaita e atleta da ATT".
Accessed:
E. Spencer Kyte, "Bia Mesquita | Back For More", UFC.com, 10 March 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Looking back on her UFC debut in Rio, Mesquita said that not even in her best dreams would she have thought it would be that great, and that the performance, the bonus, her family and friends in the crowd and the whole fight week were perfect; she said she progresses a lot in every camp, that her development is going faster than she expected, and that training alongside champions at American Top Team, including drilling with Alexandre Pantoja, tells her she is in the right place.
Where in the source: Quoted answers beginning "I mean, I knew it would be great to fight in Rio" and "I feel like every camp I progress a lot", plus the passage about drilling with Pantoja.
Accessed:
Chase Smith, "A Look Back at Beatriz Mesquita's 100% Submission Rate ADCC Conquest", FloGrappling, 14 August 2019.(opens in a new tab)
FloGrappling called Mesquita the greatest of all time in women's jiu-jitsu and described her 2017 ADCC run as nothing short of perfection.
Where in the source: Headline and standfirst: "A Look Back at Beatriz Mesquita's 100% Submission Rate ADCC Conquest" / "Beatriz Mesquita is the GOAT of women's jiu-jitsu, and her ADCC 2017 run is nothing short of perfection."
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Competition results
| Year | Event | Result | Division |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ADCC 2024Source: adcombat.com-65 kgNo-giVerified | 3rd place | -65 kgNo-giVerified |
| 2024 | ADCC 2024Source: adcombat.comAbsoluteNo-giVerified | 2nd place | AbsoluteNo-giVerified |
| 2022 | ADCC 2022Source: adcombat.com-60 kgNo-giVerified | 3rd place | -60 kgNo-giVerified |
| 2019 | ADCC 2019Source: adcombat.com-60 kgNo-giVerified | 4th place | -60 kgNo-giVerified |
| 2017 | ADCC 2017Source: adcombat.com-60 kgNo-giVerified | 1st place | -60 kgNo-giVerified |
| 2016 | IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.org-64 kgGiVerified | 1st place | -64 kgGiVerified |
| 2015 | ADCC 2015Source: adcombat.com-60 kgNo-giVerified | 4th place | -60 kgNo-giVerified |
| 2015 | IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.org-58 kgGiVerified | 1st place | -58 kgGiVerified |
| 2014 | IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.org-64 kgGiVerified | 1st place | -64 kgGiVerified |
| 2014 | IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.orgAbsoluteGiVerified | 1st place | AbsoluteGiVerified |
| 2013 | IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.org-58 kgGiVerified | 1st place | -58 kgGiVerified |
| 2013 | IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.orgAbsoluteGiVerified | 1st place | AbsoluteGiVerified |
| 2012 | IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: en.wikipedia.org-58 kgGiVerified | 1st place | -58 kgGiVerified |