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Tayane Porfírio de Araújo

Brazilian heavyweight who set out to be "heavy but technical" and won weight and open class at the 2017 Europeans, Pans, Brazilian Nationals and Worlds.

Biography

Tayane Porfírio de Araújo is a Brazilian heavyweight who, within her first year as a black belt, won both her weight division and the open class, which has no weight limit, at the 2017 IBJJF European, Pan, Brazilian National and World championships. As a brown belt she had said she changed her game herself, because she was tired of hearing that she did not know jiu-jitsu. She was born in 1994 in Sobral, in the Brazilian state of Ceará, and came to Rio de Janeiro at the age of two. In 2015 she told FloGrappling that although she was from Sobral, she felt more carioca, the name for a Rio native. She started jiu-jitsu in Rio; Wikipedia dates the start to 2010, at the academy of Márcio Rodrigues. At first, she said, it was nothing but fun, and she never pictured earning a living from it, but it got her hooked. At the 2014 Brazilian Nationals, as a purple belt registered for Brigadeiro Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, she won the ultra-heavy division and the open class. Graciemag's report on the open-class final had her an advantage behind Ana Carolina Srour until she pulled guard late and went for an omoplata, a shoulder lock applied with the legs. That leveled the score, and the referees gave her the decision. The same year she joined Alliance, where she trained under Alexandre "Gigi" Paiva. In 2015 she won her weight division and the open class at purple belt at the European, Pan, Brazilian National and World championships, and on 30 May, on the podium at the Worlds, she was given her brown belt. Before flying to Abu Dhabi that April to defend her heavyweight and open-class titles there, the 20-year-old had described her preparation to Graciemag: mostly guard work between events, takedowns and passing as a competition drew near, and drills for escaping the back and side control. Her greatest goal, she said, was a world title at black belt. In December 2015, still a brown belt, she entered the combined brown and black belt division at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam event in Rio de Janeiro and won both the +70 kg title and the open class, beating experienced black belts. FloGrappling, interviewing her afterward, called it her biggest win to date and ran the piece under the headline "The Next Gabi Garcia". Both women were Alliance heavyweights. Porfírio said Garcia had been the only person she looked up to when she began training, and that she was proud of the comparison. In the April interview with Graciemag she had called Garcia her biggest idol, partly because they were alike in size and game. FloGrappling saw a difference, though. Unlike Garcia, the interviewer noted, she pulled guard and swept with a lasso hook, a leg wrapped around the opponent's arm at the biceps. She wanted to show, she said, that she could be "heavy but technical", and Paiva had influenced her a great deal. FloGrappling's 2016 round-up of new black belts called her even more aggressive than Garcia and more comfortable fighting off her back, and a 2017 recap described her as unusually agile and limber for her size, often quicker than lighter opponents. In 2016 she won her weight division and the open class at brown belt at the European Championship. At the World Pro in Abu Dhabi she took the +70 kg division and the brown and black belt open class, where an early guard pass gave her a 3-0 win over Beatriz Mesquita. At the World Championship she won the brown-belt super-heavy division and took bronze in the open class, and Paiva promoted her to black belt on the podium, almost exactly a year after her brown belt. She was 21. Less than a year later, at the 2017 European Championship in Lisbon, she won the black-belt super-heavy division and the open class. FloGrappling's recap, headlined "The Tayane Porfirio Era", described a decisive win over Mackenzie Dern and a close decision over Mesquita in the open-class final. She also won both divisions at the Pan Championship and at the Brazilian Nationals in Barueri, her first as a black belt. There, she told Graciemag, she had been very nervous but stayed focused, listened to her coach and fought every match as if it were a final. In the ultra-heavy final Luzia Fernandes went ahead on an advantage after Porfírio pulled guard; at the restart Porfírio pulled guard again, swept and submitted her. In the open-class final it was Mesquita who pulled guard, and Porfírio passed it. At the World Championship she pulled guard in the super-heavy final and finished Venla Luukkonen with a leg lock, about a minute in by her own account; Graciemag credited her guard with the win. Her hardest match, she said, was the open-class win over Mesquita, decided only on advantages. Because she was very big, she explained, fighting smaller women could be complicated, and she felt better in her own weight class. She beat Nathiely de Jesus, the open-class runner-up, with an americana. Gabi Garcia cheered for her from the stands, and Porfírio said Garcia had done a great deal for women's jiu-jitsu, deserved respect, and was someone she dreamed of sharing a podium with. Jits Magazine later described her 2017 run as an IBJJF grand slam won at the first attempt. After the Nationals, Graciemag asked her about the abuse she had received on social media despite her wins. She said the beginning had been very hard, but she had not given up and was gradually making room for herself; her answer to the critics was "Criticize away!", along with a promise to give her best at every competition. After the Worlds she recalled the arena going quiet when her name was announced, and said she imagined people expecting a dull heavyweight match. She fought to beat her own fears, she said, rather than to prove she was the best, and the criticism had made her want to win even more. Asked what went through her mind as world champion, she spoke of a childhood she called a little turbulent, said she was not ashamed of her story, and said she was proud to come from the Ceará countryside and had always wanted to be world champion. In 2018 she won both divisions again at the European Championship and the Brazilian Nationals. In April 2019 Graciemag reported that she had joined Gracie Barra and was training at Gracie Barra Fulham in London. Nobody had recruited her, she said. She had first visited London in 2016 and fallen for the city, had been considering a move abroad since the previous August, and saw better infrastructure, a better quality of life and the chance to learn English there. She wanted to make a living from what she loved, and argued that jiu-jitsu was not valued in Brazil as it should be and that sponsors did not understand what athletes had to spend. Leaving, she said, did not make her any less Brazilian. In the same interview she described Paiva as a father who had taught her values and principles beyond jiu-jitsu and had made her the athlete she was. Asked whether fans could now expect a match with her former teammate Gabi Garcia, she would not single out one opponent: her division had many athletes, and nobody knew who would end up facing whom. At the 2019 ADCC World Championship in Anaheim she reached the semifinals of the women's over-60 kg division, where she met Carina Santi. Santi went through to the final, which Garcia won with a kimura. Graciemag traces her meetings with Gabrieli Pessanha, a black belt since 2019, to BJJ Bet in 2021. Porfírio won 2-0, a result Jits Magazine's results list also records, and Graciemag picked out a sweep from half guard just as Pessanha was close to passing and mounting. In November 2021 in Abu Dhabi the two were the only super-heavyweights in the bracket and met twice: Pessanha won the first on a referees' decision after a scoreless match and a golden-point extension, and the second 4-3, after Porfírio had passed her guard. In 2023 she won the super-heavy division and the open class at the IBJJF London International Open. That November, at the IBJJF event The Crown, she came into the super-heavy division on short notice, submitted Melissa Stricker with a choke from the back, and lost the final to Pessanha 2-0 on points. Pessanha also won their 2024 European final, 9-0. In 2024 Porfírio won the open class at the Jiu-Jitsu CON No-Gi International and the super-heavy division in the master 1 age group at the World Master Championship. In early December 2024 she announced she was rejoining Alliance, telling Tatame, as quoted by Jits Magazine, that "a good daughter returns home". Her first event with the team again, she said, would be BJJ Stars on 7 December. At BJJ Stars 14 she beat Giovanna Jara 7-0 on points, a win Jits Magazine put down to heavy top pressure. In April 2025, at BJJ Stars 15, she challenged Pessanha for the promotion's women's absolute title; Pessanha chained submission attempts, took her back and won with a collar choke. At the 2025 Brazilian Nationals Pessanha choked her in the open-class quarterfinals, but in the super-heavy final Porfírio relied on her lasso guard and won 4-2, in Graciemag's account her first win over Pessanha since BJJ Bet. At the 2025 World Championship she finished second to Pessanha in both the super-heavy division and the open class. By Graciemag's count, Pessanha went 30 matches without a loss after their Nationals final, until Elisabeth Clay submitted her at the 2025 No-Gi World Championship. That year, competing for Alliance, Porfírio won both the super-heavy division and the open class in master 1 at the World Master Championship.

Sources for this profile

  • IBJJF, Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 2014, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2014 Brazilian National Championship (Campeonato Brasileiro) list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo first in both the female adult purple-belt ultra-heavy division and the female adult purple-belt open class, registered for Brigadeiro Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

      Where in the source: Results page, headings 'Female / Adult / Purple / Ultra Heavy' and 'Female / Adult / Purple / Open Class', place 1 in each

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 2015, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2015 Brazilian National Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo first in both the female adult purple-belt ultra-heavy division and the purple-belt open class, now registered for Alliance.

      Where in the source: Results page, headings 'Female / Adult / Purple / Ultra Heavy' and 'Female / Adult / Purple / Open Class', place 1 in each

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2015, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2015 European Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo (Alliance) first in both the female adult purple-belt super-heavy division and the purple-belt open class.

      Where in the source: Results page, headings 'Female / Adult / Purple / Super Heavy' and 'Female / Adult / Purple / Open Class', place 1 in each

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2015, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2015 Pan Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo (Alliance) first in both the female adult purple-belt super-heavy division and the purple-belt open class.

      Where in the source: Results page, headings 'Female / Adult / Purple / Super Heavy' and 'Female / Adult / Purple / Open Class', place 1 in each

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2015, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2015 World Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo (Alliance) first in both the female adult purple-belt super-heavy division and the purple-belt open class.

      Where in the source: Results page, headings 'Female / Adult / Purple / Super Heavy' and 'Female / Adult / Purple / Open Class', place 1 in each

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2016, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2016 European Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo (Alliance) first in both the female adult brown-belt super-heavy division and the brown-belt open class.

      Where in the source: Results page, headings 'Female / Adult / Brown / Super Heavy' and 'Female / Adult / Brown / Open Class', place 1 in each

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2016, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2016 World Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo (Alliance) first in the female adult brown-belt super-heavy division and third in the brown-belt open class, which Nathiely de Jesus won.

      Where in the source: Results page, heading 'Female / Adult / Brown / Super Heavy' place 1; heading 'Female / Adult / Brown / Open Class' place 3

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2017, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2017 European Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo (Alliance) first in both the female adult black-belt super-heavy division and the black-belt open class.

      Where in the source: Results page, headings 'Female / Adult / Black / Super Heavy' and 'Female / Adult / Black / Open Class', place 1 in each

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2017, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2017 Pan Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo (Alliance) first in both the female adult black-belt super-heavy division and the black-belt open class.

      Where in the source: Results page, headings 'Female / Adult / Black / Super Heavy' and 'Female / Adult / Black / Open Class', place 1 in each

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 2017, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2017 Brazilian National Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo (Alliance) first in both the female adult black-belt ultra-heavy division and the black-belt open class.

      Where in the source: Results page, headings 'Female / Adult / Black / Ultra Heavy' and 'Female / Adult / Black / Open Class', place 1 in each

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2017, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2017 World Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo (Alliance) first in both the female adult black-belt super-heavy division and the black-belt open class; Nathiely de Jesus is listed second in the open class.

      Where in the source: Results page, headings 'Female / Adult / Black / Super Heavy' and 'Female / Adult / Black / Open Class', place 1 in each

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2018, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2018 European Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo (Alliance) first in both the female adult black-belt super-heavy division and the black-belt open class.

      Where in the source: Results page, headings 'Female / Adult / Black / Super Heavy' and 'Female / Adult / Black / Open Class', place 1 in each

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 2018, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2018 Brazilian National Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo (Alliance) first in both the female adult black-belt ultra-heavy division and the black-belt open class.

      Where in the source: Results page, headings 'Female / Adult / Black / Ultra Heavy' and 'Female / Adult / Black / Open Class', place 1 in each

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, London International Open IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2023 London International Open list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo first in both the female adult black-belt super-heavy division and the black-belt open class, registered for Double Five Tijuca.

      Where in the source: Results page, headings 'Female / Adult / Black / Super Heavy' and 'Female / Adult / Black / Open Class', place 1 in each

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2024 European Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo second in the female adult black-belt super-heavy division, behind Gabrieli Pessanha, registered for Qatar BJJ / Vision Brasil.

      Where in the source: Results page, heading 'Female / Adult / Black / Super Heavy', place 2

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, Jiu-Jitsu CON No-Gi International 2024, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2024 Jiu-Jitsu CON No-Gi International list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo first in the female adult black-belt open class and second in the black-belt super-heavy division, registered for Qatar BJJ / Vision.

      Where in the source: Results page, heading 'Female / Adult / Black / Open Class' place 1; heading 'Female / Adult / Black / Super Heavy' place 2

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2024 World Master Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo first in the female master 1 black-belt super-heavy division and third in the master 1 black-belt open class, registered for Vision.

      Where in the source: Results page, heading 'Female / Master 1 / Black / Super Heavy' place 1; 'Female / Master 1 / Black / Open Class' place 3

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 2025, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2025 Brazilian National Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo (Alliance) first in the female adult black-belt super-heavy division, with Gabrieli Pessanha second.

      Where in the source: Results page, heading 'Female / Adult / Black / Super Heavy', places 1 and 2

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2025 World Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo (Alliance) second in both the female adult black-belt super-heavy division and the black-belt open class, with Gabrieli Pessanha first in both.

      Where in the source: Results page, headings 'Female / Adult / Black / Super Heavy' and 'Female / Adult / Black / Open Class', place 2 in each

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025, official results (ibjjf.com).(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF's results for the 2025 World Master Championship list Tayane Porfírio de Araújo first in both the female master 1 black-belt super-heavy division and the master 1 black-belt open class, registered for Alliance.

      Where in the source: Results page, headings 'Female / Master 1 / Black / Super Heavy' and 'Female / Master 1 / Black / Open Class', place 1 in each

      Accessed:

  • Hywel Teague, "Tayane Porfirio: 'The Next Gabi Garcia'", FloGrappling, 9 December 2015.(opens in a new tab)

    • In a December 2015 FloGrappling interview, Porfírio said she is from Sobral but considers herself more of a carioca, having come to Rio de Janeiro at the age of two, and that she began training jiu-jitsu in Rio.

      Where in the source: First answer of the interview, 'I am from Sobral'

      Accessed:

    • In the same interview she said jiu-jitsu had been nothing more than fun for her and that she never expected to make a living from it, but that it got her hooked.

      Where in the source: First answer of the interview, 'for fun'

      Accessed:

    • Porfírio told FloGrappling she received her brown belt on 30 May 2015, on the podium at the World Championships.

      Where in the source: Answer to the question about her brown belt, 'May 30, 2015'

      Accessed:

    • FloGrappling noted that she and Gabi Garcia were both Alliance ultra-heavyweights and that her style and success drew comparisons with Garcia; Porfírio said that when she began training, Garcia was the only person she looked up to, and that she was proud of the comparison.

      Where in the source: Standfirst paragraph and the answer about Gabi Garcia, 'looked up to'

      Accessed:

    • FloGrappling described her, unlike Garcia, as pulling guard and sweeping with a lasso hook on the opponent's biceps; Porfírio said she had changed her game herself because she was tired of hearing that she did not know jiu-jitsu, wanting to show she could be heavy and technical, and that her teacher Alexandre 'Gigi' Paiva had influenced her a great deal.

      Where in the source: Question and answer about how she developed her game, 'heavy but technical'

      Accessed:

    • According to FloGrappling, at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam in Rio de Janeiro in early December 2015 the brown belt won her weight category and the openweight in the combined brown and black belt division, beating experienced black belts; the interviewer called it her biggest win to date.

      Where in the source: Standfirst paragraph and the second question, 'combined brown-black belt division'

      Accessed:

    • Asked about the future in December 2015, she said her goals were to get her black belt and to become a black-belt world champion.

      Where in the source: Final answer of the interview, 'black belt world champion'

      Accessed:

  • Hywel Teague, "Meet The Brand New Wave of Black Belt Women Competitors From Brazil", FloGrappling, 9 June 2016.(opens in a new tab)

    • FloGrappling's June 2016 round-up of five newly promoted Brazilian women black belts includes Porfírio, then 21, listing her as from Rio de Janeiro, competing for Alliance Rio de Janeiro and coached by Alexandre 'Gigi' Paiva.

      Where in the source: Intro line 'five NEW Brazilian female black belts', then her entry with the fields Age, From, Team, Coach

      Accessed:

    • The same FloGrappling piece says she won the 2015 Worlds at purple belt and was given her brown belt on the podium, and that her black belt came almost exactly a year later, after gold in her weight class and bronze in the open class at the 2016 Worlds.

      Where in the source: Her entry, 'What you need to know' field, 'almost exactly one year later'

      Accessed:

    • FloGrappling wrote in 2016 that, despite comparisons with Alliance super-heavyweight Gabi Garcia, Porfírio was even more aggressive and had no problem fighting off her back, often pulling guard and sweeping with a lasso hook.

      Where in the source: Her entry, 'What you need to know' field, first sentence

      Accessed:

  • Reid Connell, "2017 European Championships Recap: The Tayane Porfirio Era", FloGrappling, 26 January 2017.(opens in a new tab)

    • FloGrappling's recap of the 2017 European Championships in Lisbon reported that Alexandre Paiva promoted her to black belt on the podium after her gold at the 2016 World Championship in Irvine, California, so she had been a black belt for less than a year when she won in Lisbon.

      Where in the source: Third paragraph, 'promoted his star student'

      Accessed:

    • According to the same recap, the 2017 European black-belt open class included Beatriz Mesquita, Mackenzie Dern and Nathiely de Jesus; Porfírio beat Dern decisively and won a close decision over Mesquita in the final, having already beaten Mesquita 3-0 in Abu Dhabi the year before.

      Where in the source: Second and fourth paragraphs, 'close decision over Beatriz Mesquita'

      Accessed:

    • The recap compared her pressure-heavy game with Gabi Garcia's and described Porfírio as unusually agile and limber for her size, often quicker even than lighter opponents.

      Where in the source: Fifth paragraph, 'agile and limber for her size'

      Accessed:

  • Diogo de Souza, "Tayane Porfirio Returns To Alliance Jiu-Jitsu After Five Years", Jits Magazine, 3 December 2024.(opens in a new tab)

    • Jits Magazine reported in December 2024 that Porfírio, who had started jiu-jitsu with other teams, joined Alliance in 2014 as a little-known purple belt, became one of the leading women's coloured belts there and was promoted to black belt by Alexandre Paiva in 2016.

      Where in the source: First paragraph, 'joined Alliance in 2014'

      Accessed:

    • Jits Magazine reported that she announced in early December 2024 that she was returning to Alliance after about five years away, telling Tatame that 'a good daughter returns home' and that her first event for Alliance again would be BJJ Stars on 7 December.

      Where in the source: Opening sentence and the quoted announcement, 'a good daughter returns home'

      Accessed:

    • Jits Magazine wrote that she began making her name at the top level straight away after her black-belt promotion and won an IBJJF grand slam on her very first attempt, in 2017.

      Where in the source: First paragraph, last sentence, 'grand slam on her very first attempt'

      Accessed:

  • "BJJ Stars 14: The History Full Results And Highlights", Jits Magazine, 8 December 2024.(opens in a new tab)

    • At BJJ Stars 14 in December 2024, Porfírio beat Giovanna Jara 7-0 on points in a women's superfight; Jits Magazine credited the win to heavy top pressure.

      Where in the source: Second paragraph and results list, 'heavy top pressure'

      Accessed:

  • "BJJ Bet 2 Full Results And Review", Jits Magazine, 3 August 2021.(opens in a new tab)

    • Jits Magazine's results for BJJ Bet 2, published 3 August 2021, record that Tayane Porfírio beat Gabi Pessanha on points, 2-0.

      Where in the source: 'BJJ Bet 2 Full Results' list, line 'defeats Gabi Pessanha via Points'

      Accessed:

  • "IBJJF: The Crown Full Results And Review", Jits Magazine, 20 November 2023.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the IBJJF event The Crown on 19 November 2023, Porfírio entered the women's super-heavyweight division on short notice, submitted Melissa Stricker with a choke from the back, and lost the final to Gabrieli Pessanha on points, 2-0.

      Where in the source: Third paragraph, 'came in on short notice'; women's super-heavyweight results, 'Choke from back'

      Accessed:

  • "BJJ Stars 15 Full Results And Highlights", Jits Magazine, 27 April 2025.(opens in a new tab)

    • At BJJ Stars 15 on 26 April 2025, Porfírio challenged Gabrieli Pessanha for the promotion's women's absolute title; Pessanha chained submission attempts, took her back and won by collar choke.

      Where in the source: First and second paragraphs, 'securing the collar choke'

      Accessed:

  • "Interview with Tayane Porfírio: on Nationals victory, online trolls", Graciemag, 6 May 2017.(opens in a new tab)

    • Interviewed by Graciemag after her double gold at the 2017 Brazilian Nationals in Barueri, her first as a black belt, Porfírio said she had been very nervous but stayed focused, was able to listen to her coach, treated every match as a final, and was glad to see how much women's jiu-jitsu had developed.

      Where in the source: Answers to the first three questions, 'I faced each one like a final'

      Accessed:

    • She described her 2017 Nationals finals: in the weight final Luzia Fernandes scored an early advantage after Porfírio pulled guard, but on the restart she pulled guard again, swept and submitted her; in the open-class final Beatriz Mesquita pulled guard and Porfírio passed it.

      Where in the source: Answer about her toughest fight, 'managed to sweep and finish'

      Accessed:

    • Asked about the abuse she received on social media despite her wins, she said the beginning had been very hard but she had not given up and was gradually carving out her own space; to her critics she answered 'Criticize away!', adding that she would give her best in every competition.

      Where in the source: Last answer, 'Criticize away!'

      Accessed:

  • "Tayane Porfírio talks double gold at Worlds, Grand Slam win", Graciemag, 7 June 2017.(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag wrote in June 2017 that Porfírio had spent her first year as a black belt winning eight gold medals at the four biggest events of the 2016-17 season; at the 2017 Worlds her guard was the key to beating Venla Luukkonen in the super-heavy division, with a transition that ended in a leg lock, and she beat Nathiely de Jesus in the open class with an americana.

      Where in the source: Standfirst and second paragraph, 'Eight gold medals'

      Accessed:

    • Asked what went through her mind as world champion, she said her childhood had been a little turbulent, that she was not ashamed of her story or where she came from, that she was proud to come from the countryside of Ceará, and that she had always had a strong mind and wanted to be world champion.

      Where in the source: First answer, 'I come from the country, in Ceará'

      Accessed:

    • She called Beatriz Mesquita her hardest opponent at the 2017 Worlds, a match she won only on advantages, and said that because she is very big, fighting smaller women can be complicated and she feels better in her own weight class.

      Where in the source: Answer about her hardest fight, 'won by advantages'

      Accessed:

    • Graciemag noted that Gabi Garcia cheered for her from the stands at the 2017 Worlds; Porfírio said Garcia had done a great deal for women's jiu-jitsu, was owed respect, and that she dreamed of sharing a podium with her.

      Where in the source: Answer about Gabi Garcia, 'done a lot for women's BJJ'

      Accessed:

    • On the abusive messages she received, she said the arena fell quiet when her name was announced and she imagined people expecting a dull heavyweight match; she won the super-heavy final about a minute in by pulling guard and finishing with a leg lock, said she competed to beat her own fears rather than to prove she was the best, and that criticism had made her want to win even more.

      Where in the source: Answer about mean messages, 'beat my fears'

      Accessed:

  • "Interview: Tayane Porfírio talks move to Gracie Barra", Graciemag, 18 April 2019.(opens in a new tab)

    • In April 2019 Porfírio told Graciemag she had arrived at Alliance in 2014, that she regarded Alexandre 'Gigi' Paiva as a father who had taught her values and principles beyond jiu-jitsu, and that he had made her the athlete she was.

      Where in the source: First answer, 'I hold him as a father'

      Accessed:

    • Graciemag reported in April 2019 that Porfírio had joined Gracie Barra, training at Gracie Barra Fulham in London; she said nobody had recruited her, that she had first visited London in 2016 and fallen in love with it, that she had been weighing a move abroad since the previous August, and that London offered better infrastructure, quality of life and the chance to learn English for teaching seminars.

      Where in the source: Introduction and second answer, 'more infrastructure and quality of life'

      Accessed:

    • She said her main reason for moving was to earn a living from what she loved and to help her family, arguing that jiu-jitsu was not valued in Brazil as it should be and that sponsors did not understand athletes' costs, and she rejected the idea that leaving made her any less Brazilian.

      Where in the source: Answers on her motives, 'I'm no less of a Brazilian'

      Accessed:

    • Asked whether fans could now expect her to face her former teammate Gabi Garcia, she preferred not to single out one opponent, saying there were many athletes in her division and nobody knew who would end up meeting whom; she was 24 at the time.

      Where in the source: Last answer, 'prefer not to talk'

      Accessed:

  • "Tayane e Nicholas Meregali tornam-se os melhores faixas-roxas do Brasil", Graciemag, 3 May 2014 (Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag reported that in the purple-belt open-class final at the 2014 Brazilian Nationals in Barueri, Porfírio, then competing for Brigadeiro BJJ, was behind by an advantage against Ana Carolina Srour until she pulled guard late and attacked an omoplata, levelling the score; the referees gave her the decision.

      Where in the source: Second and third paragraphs, 'encaixar uma omoplata'

      Accessed:

  • "Tayane busca título em Abu Dhabi: 'Quero repetir os feitos de Gabi Garcia no Jiu-Jitsu'", Graciemag, 21 April 2015 (Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • Before travelling to Abu Dhabi in April 2015 to defend her heavyweight and open-class titles there, the 20-year-old purple belt told Graciemag that she trained under Gigi Paiva in Rio, worked mostly on her guard away from competitions and on takedowns and guard passing close to them, and drilled escapes from the back and side control.

      Where in the source: Second paragraph, quoted answer, 'treino bastante minha guarda'

      Accessed:

    • In the same 2015 interview she named Gabi Garcia as her biggest idol, partly because their games and size were similar, along with Marcus 'Buchecha', Alexandre Paiva and Monique Elias, and said her greatest goal was to become a black-belt world champion.

      Where in the source: Last two quoted answers, 'A maior é realmente a Gabi Garcia'

      Accessed:

  • "Grand Slam Rio: Evangelista, Porfirio stand out in the black belt division; other results", Graciemag, 7 December 2015.(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag's report from the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam in Rio de Janeiro in December 2015 says that, still a brown belt in the combined brown and black belt division, Porfírio beat Claudia do Val 2-0 for the +70 kg title and then Tammy Griego 13-0 for the open-class gold and prize money.

      Where in the source: Paragraph under her photo, 'Still a brown belt'

      Accessed:

  • "2016 WPJJC: Pena, Porfírio crowned open class champions; other results", Graciemag, 24 April 2016.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2016 World Pro (WPJJC) in Abu Dhabi, Graciemag reported, Porfírio won the brown/black belt open class 3-0 over Beatriz Mesquita with an early guard pass, and the +70 kg division by choking Fernanda Mazzelli from mount.

      Where in the source: Paragraph under her name and the female results list, '3-0 win over the always tough Bia Mesquita'

      Accessed:

  • Marcelo Dunlop, "Como Tayane e Gabi Pessanha roubaram a cena no Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 2025", Graciemag, 6 May 2025 (Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag's Marcelo Dunlop described Porfírio in May 2025 as a native of Sobral in Ceará who received her black belt in 2016 from Alexandre 'Gigi' Paiva at Alliance Leblon.

      Where in the source: Third paragraph, 'Cearense de Sobral'

      Accessed:

    • According to the same article, Gabrieli Pessanha, a black belt since 2019, first met Porfírio at BJJ Bet in 2021, where Porfírio won 2-0, the key moment being a sweep from half guard just as Pessanha was close to passing and mounting.

      Where in the source: Paragraphs on their first meeting at BJJ Bet in 2021, 'raspou da meia-guarda'

      Accessed:

    • Graciemag reported that in November 2021 in Abu Dhabi the two were the only super-heavyweights in the bracket and met twice, Pessanha winning first on a referees' decision after a scoreless match and golden-point extension, then 4-3 after Porfírio had passed her guard; and that Pessanha won their 2024 European final 9-0.

      Where in the source: Paragraphs on the November 2021 Abu Dhabi bracket and the 2024 European final, 'duelaram duas vezes'

      Accessed:

    • At the 2025 Brazilian Nationals, Graciemag reported, Pessanha choked Porfírio in the open-class quarter-finals, but in the super-heavy final Porfírio relied on her lasso guard and won 4-2, her first win over Pessanha in the article's account since BJJ Bet in 2021; Pessanha went on to take the open class.

      Where in the source: Paragraphs on the 2025 Brazilian Nationals, 'guarda-laço'

      Accessed:

  • "A finalização que obrigou Gabi Pessanha a dar os 3 tapinhas após 250 lutas", Graciemag, 15 December 2025 (Portuguese).(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag wrote in December 2025 that Gabrieli Pessanha had gone 30 matches without a loss since her clash with Porfírio at the 2025 Brazilian Nationals, until Elisabeth Clay submitted her at the 2025 No-Gi World Championship.

      Where in the source: Third paragraph, 'não perdia havia 30 lutas'

      Accessed:

  • "ADCC 2019: Sunday's semifinals have been defined", Graciemag, 28 September 2019.(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag's list of semi-finals at the 2019 ADCC World Championship in Anaheim pairs Porfírio with Carina Santi in the women's over-60 kg division, with Gabi Garcia meeting Ana Carolina Vieira in the other semi-final.

      Where in the source: List under 'WOMEN', heading 'Over 60kg', second pairing

      Accessed:

  • "ADCC 2019: Galvão wins 4th straight superfight; Ryan absolute champion", Graciemag, 29 September 2019.(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag's results from the final day of ADCC 2019 at the Anaheim Convention Center record that Gabi Garcia beat Carina Santi with a kimura in the women's over-60 kg final.

      Where in the source: Results list under 'WOMEN', heading 'Over 60kg'

      Accessed:

  • "Tayane Porfírio", Wikipedia (English), revision of 6 January 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • The English Wikipedia article gives her full name as Tayane Porfírio de Araújo and her birth as 11 December 1994 in Sobral, Ceará, Brazil.

      Where in the source: Lead sentence and infobox field 'Born'

      Accessed:

    • According to the English Wikipedia article, she began training in 2010 at the academy of Márcio Rodrigues.

      Where in the source: Section 'Career', first paragraph, second sentence

      Accessed:

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