Brown belts are literally the black belts of tomorrow. Whether they get promoted on the podium, or after the World Championships, women who are succeeding at the highest level of competition at brown belt are well on their way to challenging the reigning black belt champions. These are the women you need to know, now!

Gabrieli Pessanha

While Gabrieli Pessanha (Infight JJ) may just be 18 years old, her jiu-jitsu maturity far surpasses that of your average teenager. In the last year we have witnessed the super-heavyweight come into her own as one of the best pound-for-pound grapplers of this generation. 

She has already defeated two-time IBJJF black belt World champion Nathiely de Jesus at the Abu Dhabi World Pro to claim the brown/black belt combined division title in a neck and neck contest that revealed Pessanha’s mat IQ and poise as a thing of the highest caliber. She was absent at Europeans this year, but has won double gold at Brazilian Nationals and Pans, and is going into Worlds as the number one seed in her division.

On her side of the bracket she will take on formidable opponents in Kendall Reusing (Gracie Barra) and Yara Soares (Team Lloyd Irvin). Soares is a new brown belt coming off a purple belt double gold Pans campaign that could not have looked stronger. New blood in the division could shake things up!

Thamara Silva

Thamara Silva (Cicero Costha) is the IBJJF number 1 ranked female brown belt, and is another brown belt who has already made waves against black belts. On her way to becoming the Abu Dhabi World Pro champion she defeated Checkmat’s Samantha Cook in the 70kg brown/black belt combined division. 

At brown belt she has already achieved double gold at Europeans, and middleweight gold at Brazilian Nationals and World Pro. She took silver at Pan Ams coming up short against rival Julia Boscher (Soul Fighters), who she previously defeated at Europeans. 

The pair are seeded first and second for Worlds so a tie breaking match in the finals of the middleweight division is possible if both athletes keep up their momentum this week and make it through an absolutely stacked division. Four of the top 20 female brown belts are concentrated in the middleweight division alone, so every match up is one to see.

Anna Rodrigues

Anna Rodrigues (Alliance) is one of those athletes who has proved herself as a force at every belt rank and only shows signs of gaining momentum. Highly decorated at all the colored belts, she comes to the featherweight division as the 2018 purple belt World Champion, and since her promotion to brown belt has claimed both Pans and Brazilian Nationals gold. 

Rodrigues trains in the Dream Art Project (which you can see featured here) and though she has trained with many teams her style is reminiscent of the relentless and acrobatic style of her professor, Isaque Bahiense. Difficult to subdue, Rodrigues always comes out hot.

Last year’s purple belt World Champions coming back as brown belts include: 

Vicky Hoang (Jiu Jitsu For Life)

Vicky Hoang, also referred to at Ni Ni, is a rooster weight based out of Toronto. She was the purple belt, rooster weight World Champion last year and since being promoted to brown belt has claimed Gold at Europeans. Her smart open guard, and swift submissions will be a challenge for any opponent.

Brenda Larissa (Alliance)

The 2018 purple belt light-feather world champ is back for more. Brenda Larissa is coming back to the light featherweight division fresh off a gold medal run at Brasileiros. She placed second at Pans, losing only to Jessica Dantas (Brasa) who has dropped to the roosterweight division for Worlds. Despite being in one of the lightest female weight divisions, she regularly shows up to test herself in the absolute division and podiums alongside much heavier opponents proving that size is only one factor in this game.   

Kira Sung (Jiu Jitsu Lab)

Hailing from Soth Korea, Kira Sung quickly made a name for herself in the competition scene winning the middleweight divisions at both Europeans and Worlds as a purple belt. She has dropped to Lightweight for her brown belt Worlds run in hopes of replicating her success this year. Equally well rounded on top and bottom, watch out for her heavy top game and precision guard work and heavy top game to take her the distance.

Maggie Grindatti (Fight Sports)

Grindatti received her brown belt in December last year after winning gold at both Worlds and No-Gi Worlds as a purple belt in the medium-heavy weight division. Well known for her beautiful ADCC trials campaign where she placed second in the West Coast, keep an eye on her take downs and wrestling skills.

Yara Soares (Team Lloyd Irvin)

The freshest brown belt on the list isn’t to be counted out! After a dominant purple belt career, and recently taking double gold at Pan Ams Soares is a true threat in the brown belt division, bumping up to the super heavy weight division after winning the title at heavyweight last year as a purple belt.

The 2019 IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship will take place in Long Beach, California, and matches start every day at 9am local time.