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Gabrieli Pessanha de Souza Marinho

Gabrieli “Gabi” Pessanha is a Brazilian Infight black belt who won gi World weight and open gold at six consecutive championships from 2021 to 2026.

Biography

Gabrieli Pessanha de Souza Marinho, known as Gabi Pessanha, is a Brazilian Infight Jiu-Jitsu black belt from Rio de Janeiro who won super-heavyweight and open-class gold at six consecutive gi World Championships from 2021 through 2026. The competition sequence below draws chiefly on the IBJJF's official results. Pessanha grew up in Cidade de Deus. She has recalled that her friend Lucas came to her home to invite her to a local jiu-jitsu project; she watched at first, then accepted an invitation from Márcio de Deus to train. Márcio de Deus and Pastor Josué had founded the local project, Lutadores de Cristo, beside the field where children played. De Deus encouraged its students to compete, and hearing that one student had earned a World Championship trip gave Pessanha a goal beyond the neighborhood. She remained with de Deus and Infight as she rose through the belts. At the 2018 gi Worlds, she won both the purple-belt super-heavyweight and open divisions. A year later she took brown-belt super-heavyweight gold and open-class silver, and de Deus awarded her a black belt after that World Championship campaign. In a 2021 interview, Pessanha described training two or three times a day and keeping a notebook of techniques and positional details to revisit. She also won the inaugural AJP heavyweight Queen of Mats invitational in January 2020, a separate event from the IBJJF Worlds. Her first adult black-belt gi Worlds double came in 2021, with Yara Soares second in both the super-heavyweight and open divisions. Afterward, de Deus pointed to her path from Infight's community academy to black belt and said younger students there looked to her. Pessanha followed that season with super-heavyweight and open gold at the 2022 European, Pan and Brazilian championships. She then repeated both World Championship wins in 2022, and again in 2023, 2024 and 2025. The 2024 gi Worlds showed a direct route from her leg attacks to the podium: the IBJJF reported that she submitted five of six opponents with straight ankle locks, including both finals. Her game was broader than that one finish. At the 2026 Europeans, the federation described sweeps, pressure passing and chokes alongside the leg-lock threat. In the 2026 gi Worlds she won super-heavyweight and open gold again. The IBJJF counted this as her sixth consecutive double-gold World Championship edition and described the weight-class win as taking her past Beatriz Mesquita's women's gi World title mark. Pessanha also competed in No-Gi Worlds. In 2024 she won both the adult black-belt super-heavyweight and open divisions. In 2025 she retained the super-heavyweight title after a final in which the IBJJF described guard work and top pressure, then finished second to Elisabeth Clay in the open class. Those results belong to the No-Gi championship, separate from her six-edition gi double-gold run. Pessanha has described watching Monique Elias compete when she was an orange belt and later telling Elias she hoped to follow her example. An ebook credited to Pessanha, *Gabrieli Pessanha Da Cidade de Deus para o Mundo!*, appeared in Portuguese in 2023; its public listing establishes the title and publication, not the book's contents. By 2026 she had begun commentating on UFC BJJ broadcasts for Combate and had expressed interest in competing in that event in the future. Her coach's account of younger Infight students looking to her documents one way her career reached back toward the community program where she began.

Sources for this profile

  • BJJ Fanatics Brasil, Gabrieli Pessanha profile, accessed 4 October 2026(opens in a new tab)

    • Gabrieli Pessanha de Souza Marinho was born in 2000; she is widely known in competition coverage as Gabi Pessanha.

      Where in the source: Gabi Pessanha, O Fenômeno da Cidade De Deus — Gabrieli Pessanha de Souza Marinho, conhecida como ‘Gabi Pessanha’, nascida em ... 2000

      Accessed:

  • ge/Combate, interview with Gabrieli Pessanha, 13 May 2026(opens in a new tab)

    • Pessanha is from the Cidade de Deus neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, where she began jiu-jitsu through a local community program.

      Where in the source: Mundo da Luta #384 — a carioca; deu os primeiros passos no jiu-jitsu ... projeto social realizado na Cidade de Deus, comunidade ... no Rio de Janeiro

      Accessed:

    • In a 2026 interview Pessanha identified the childhood project as Lutadores de Cristo and credited Márcio de Deus and Pastor Josué with creating it by the field where children played football.

      Where in the source: Gabi Pessanha deu os primeiros passos — O Marcio e o Pastor Josué criaram um projeto social, que era o ‘Lutadores de Cristo’, bem do lado do campo

      Accessed:

    • By 2026 Pessanha had begun working as a UFC BJJ broadcast commentator for Combate and expressed interest in competing in that submission-grappling event; the interview states an aspiration, not a completed bout.

      Where in the source: Gabi Pessanha comenta desejo — começou a trabalhar como comentarista do UFC BJJ no canal Combate; ressaltou o desejo de lutar no evento

      Accessed:

  • BJJ Fanatics Brasil, first-person interview with Gabrieli Pessanha, circa 2019(opens in a new tab)

    • Pessanha recalled that her friend Lucas came to her home to invite her to a local jiu-jitsu social project organized by Márcio de Deus and a pastor; she initially watched, then accepted an invitation from de Deus to train.

      Where in the source: Quando Começou no Jiu Jitsu

      Accessed:

    • Pessanha said de Deus encouraged the project students to compete; hearing that a student had earned a trip to a World Championship helped make international competition a goal for her.

      Where in the source: Quando Começou no Jiu Jitsu

      Accessed:

    • Pessanha said that as an orange belt she watched Monique Elias compete and later told her that she hoped to follow her example; she now enjoys encouraging younger women who look to her.

      Where in the source: principais referências femininas

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, official 2018 World Championship results(opens in a new tab)

    • Representing Infight JJ, Pessanha won both the adult purple-belt super-heavyweight and open divisions at the 2018 IBJJF gi Worlds.

      Where in the source: World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2018 — FEMALE / ADULT / PURPLE / SUPER HEAVY: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha de Souza Marinho, Infight JJ; FEMALE / ADULT / PURPLE / OPEN CLASS: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha de Souza Marinho, Infight JJ; neighboring divisions read

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, official 2019 World Championship results(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2019 gi Worlds Pessanha took adult brown-belt super-heavyweight gold and open-class silver for Infight JJ.

      Where in the source: World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2019 — FEMALE / ADULT / BROWN / SUPER HEAVY: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha de Souza Marinho; FEMALE / ADULT / BROWN / OPEN CLASS: 1 Yara Soares, 2 Gabrieli Pessanha; adjacent divisions read

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, brown-belt World Championship report, June 2019(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag reported that coach Márcio de Deus of Infight awarded Pessanha her black belt after her 2019 brown-belt World Championship campaign.

      Where in the source: Mundial de Jiu-Jitsu 2019 — Gabi Pessanha ... um ouro, uma prata e a sonhada faixa-preta na cintura, entregue pelo professor Márcio de Deus, da Infight

      Accessed:

  • Abu Dhabi Jiu Jitsu Pro, heavyweight Queen of Mats report, January 2020(opens in a new tab)

    • In January 2020 Pessanha won AJP's inaugural heavyweight Queen of Mats title, beating Nathiely de Jesus in the final; this event is distinct from IBJJF World Championship titles.

      Where in the source: Gabrieli Pessanha writes her name as first ever heavyweight Abu Dhabi Queen of Mats — January 17; Gabrieli Pessanha vs. Nathiely de Jesus; One sweep by Gabi secured her the 2-1 lead

      Accessed:

    • The AJP event report identifies Pessanha as Brazilian when describing her semifinal against American Kendall Reusing.

      Where in the source: SEMIFINALS / Gabrieli Pessanha vs. Kendall Reusing — the Brazilian and the American

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, interview with Gabrieli Pessanha, 17 April 2021(opens in a new tab)

    • In a 2021 interview Pessanha described training two or three times a day and keeping a notebook of techniques and positional details to revisit what she needed to improve.

      Where in the source: Gabi Pessanha e sua rotina — Faço dois a três treinos por dia; Você tem um caderninho; anotava tudo para lembrar os detalhes, onde eu errava

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, official 2021 World Championship results(opens in a new tab)

    • Pessanha earned her first adult black-belt gi Worlds double gold in 2021, winning both super-heavyweight and open class for Infight JJ; Yara Soares was runner-up in each division.

      Where in the source: World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2021 — FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / SUPER HEAVY: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha, 2 Yara Soares; FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / OPEN CLASS: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha, 2 Yara Soares; adjacent divisions read

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, interview with Márcio de Deus, December 2021(opens in a new tab)

    • After her 2021 double gold, coach Márcio de Deus said she had developed within Infight from its community academy to black belt, and he considered her an inspiration to younger students there, including a purple-belt World champion named Maria Cláudia.

      Where in the source: Marcio de Deus: Gabi Pessanha já virou fonte de inspiração — aluna que é formada pela academia, continua lá até a faixa-preta; Maria Cláudia ... Gabrieli ... fonte de inspiração

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 2022 Worlds adult female preview(opens in a new tab)

    • The IBJJF reported that following her 2021 Worlds double gold, Pessanha won super-heavyweight and open-class gold at the 2022 European, Pan and Brazilian Nationals, becoming the first black belt to achieve a double Grand Slam in that IBJJF season.

      Where in the source: Super-Heavy — first black belt World title at the 2021 Worlds; double gold at the 2022 Europeans, Pans, and Brazilian Nationals; first ever black belt ... double grand slam

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, official 2022 World Championship results(opens in a new tab)

    • Pessanha repeated gi Worlds double gold for Infight JJ in 2022: super-heavyweight ahead of Yara Soares and open class ahead of Amy Campo.

      Where in the source: World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2022 — FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / SUPER HEAVY: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha, 2 Yara Soares; FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / OPEN CLASS: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha, 2 Amy Campo; adjacent divisions read

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, official 2023 World Championship results(opens in a new tab)

    • Pessanha won both 2023 adult black-belt gi World divisions for Infight JJ, taking super-heavyweight ahead of Mayara Custódio and the open class ahead of Ana Carolina Vieira.

      Where in the source: World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023 — FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / SUPER HEAVY: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha, 2 Mayara Custódio; FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / OPEN CLASS: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha, 2 Ana Carolina Vieira; adjacent divisions read

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, official 2024 World Championship results(opens in a new tab)

    • In 2024 Pessanha again won the adult black-belt gi Worlds super-heavyweight and open-class divisions for Infight JJ; Yara Soares took silver in both.

      Where in the source: World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024 — FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / SUPER HEAVY: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha, 2 Yara Soares; FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / OPEN CLASS: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha, 2 Yara Soares; adjacent divisions read

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 2024 World Championship submission breakdown(opens in a new tab)

    • The IBJJF reported that Pessanha submitted five of her six opponents at the 2024 gi Worlds with straight ankle locks, including both finals; this illustrates the leg-lock side of her game.

      Where in the source: Gabrieli Pessanha - Super Heavy & Absolute Champion; 5 submissions, 83% submission rate; submitting five of her six opponent with straight ankle locks; both ... finals via submission

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, official 2024 No-Gi World Championship results(opens in a new tab)

    • Pessanha won adult black-belt super-heavyweight and open-class gold for Infight JJ at the 2024 IBJJF No-Gi World Championship.

      Where in the source: World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship 2024 — FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / SUPER HEAVY: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha; FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / OPEN CLASS: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha; adjacent divisions read

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, official 2025 World Championship results(opens in a new tab)

    • Pessanha won 2025 adult black-belt gi Worlds super-heavyweight and open-class gold for Infight JJ, continuing the World Championship double-gold run.

      Where in the source: World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025 — FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / SUPER HEAVY: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha; FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / OPEN CLASS: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha; adjacent divisions read

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, Grand Slam Glory, May 2026(opens in a new tab)

    • The IBJJF described Pessanha's 2025–26 season as a fifth consecutive super-heavyweight Grand Slam campaign, while noting that her 2026 Pan open-class silver ended an otherwise dominant double-gold sequence at the season's major gi events.

      Where in the source: Gabi Pessanha — five consecutive Grand Slam campaigns; Pans ... continued her weight class dominance but ... open class ... silver medal

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, official 2025 No-Gi World Championship results(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2025 adult black-belt No-Gi Worlds, Pessanha won super-heavyweight gold for Infight JJ and took silver in the open class behind Elisabeth Clay.

      Where in the source: World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship 2025 — FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / SUPER HEAVY: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha; FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / OPEN CLASS: 1 Elisabeth Clay, 2 Gabrieli Pessanha; adjacent divisions read

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 2025 No-Gi Worlds black-belt day-two recap(opens in a new tab)

    • The IBJJF described Pessanha using guard work and top pressure to win her 2025 No-Gi super-heavyweight final against Lauren Rojas by nineteen points, while Clay won the open-class final.

      Where in the source: Gabrieli Pessanha continued her expedition — super-heavyweight final against Lauren Rojas; guard alongside heavy top pressure ... nineteen-point shutout; Open Class: Elisabeth Clay

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, current official 2026 World Championship results, accessed 4 October 2026(opens in a new tab)

    • The current IBJJF 2026 gi Worlds results list Pessanha first in both adult black-belt super-heavyweight and open class for Infight Jiu-Jitsu.

      Where in the source: World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2026 — FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / SUPER HEAVY: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha de Souza Marinho, Infight Jiu-Jitsu; FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / OPEN CLASS: 1 Gabrieli Pessanha de Souza Marinho; adjacent divisions read

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 2026 World Championship black-belt recap; record statements only, final placements from current results(opens in a new tab)

    • The IBJJF characterized Pessanha's 2026 weight-category victory as making her the most decorated woman in gi World Championship history, beyond Beatriz Mesquita's mark; it also reported six consecutive World Championship double-gold editions.

      Where in the source: Super-Heavyweight — became the winningest female World Champion of all time, surpassing ... Bea Mesquita; Open Class — For six consecutive years Gabi has claimed both super-heavyweight and absolute titles

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, 2026 European champions report(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2026 Europeans Pessanha combined sweeps, pressure passing and chokes with her established leg-lock threat; IBJJF highlighted her movement between guard and top position rather than a single-technique approach.

      Where in the source: Gabi Pessanha — opted not to utilize her ... straight ankle lock; balanced attack, underscored by sweeping techniques and heavy passing pressure; lapel choke from the back

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, Gabrieli Marinho athlete results, accessed 4 October 2026(opens in a new tab)

    • The current IBJJF athlete page identifies Gabrieli Marinho as an Infight Jiu-Jitsu black belt.

      Where in the source: Athlete Results — Gabrieli Marinho; Infight Jiu-Jitsu; Black

      Accessed:

  • Storytel, bibliographic listing for Gabrieli Pessanha ebook, accessed 4 October 2026(opens in a new tab)

    • An ebook credited to Gabrieli Pessanha, Gabrieli Pessanha Da Cidade de Deus para o Mundo!, was published by Soul Editora in Portuguese in April 2023; its distributor categorizes it as biographical.

      Where in the source: Gabrieli Pessanha Da Cidade de Deus para o Mundo! — Por Gabrieli Pessanha; Editorial Soul Editora; Categoría Biografía; Fecha de lanzamiento 7 de abril de 2023

      Accessed:

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