Fernanda Mazzelli Almeida Maio (born 27 September 1988), also known as Fernanda Mazzelli, is a Brazilian grappler, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt competitor and a politician. Competing in heavy and super heavyweight divisions, she is a 3x world champion and a 6x Brazilian nationals champion at both colored and black belt level. When not competing Mazzelli is an elected councilwoman for the Brazilian municipality of Guarapari. [3]
Fernanda Mazzelli Almeida Maio was born on 27 September 1988 in Guarapari the daughter of Fabiano Viola Maio and Roberta Mazzelli Almeida Maio. Her great-grandfather, Oswaldo Epaminondas de Almeida was the first elected mayor of Guarapari. [3] She started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) at the age of 11. In 2006, she was part of the Brazilian Olympic Wrestling Team and in 2007, she participated in the Olympic Torch Relay. [3] She received all her BJJ belts from the same trainer Thiago de Oliveira, a former student of Flavio "Dente" Ferreira, she was promoted to black belt on the podium of the Brazilian Nationals on 10 May 2008. Mazzelli graduated university in 2012 with a degree in physical education, she entered politics following her grandfather example who was the town's mayor. Running under Brazil's PSD (Social Democratic Party) she was elected councilwoman of her hometown. In 2012 she won the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship for the first time. [1]
Main Achievements at black belt level:
Main Achievements (Coloured Belts):
Margot Ciccarelli is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor and coach.
Venla Luukkonen is a Finnish grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor and instructor. In 2014, she became the first Finnish female black belt and the first Finn to win the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championship at black belt level. Since 2014, in addition to winning several major tournaments, Luukkonen reached the world championship final three more times, winning gold again in 2018.
Bianca Barbosa Basílio also known as Bia Basílio is a submission grappler, mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) competitor. A multiple time world champion in coloured belts, Basílio is a black belt World Jiu-Jitsu Champion, Pan American Champion, Brazilian National Champion, ADCC Submission Fighting World Champion and a three times Abu Dhabi World Pro Champion.
Laurence Cousin Fouillat is a French submission grappler and third degree black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor and instructor. Considered a pioneer in the sport, Cousin is regarded as the first European female to receive a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. In 2005 she won the CBJJO World Jiu-Jitsu Cup and medalled at the IBJJF World Championship taking place in Rio de Janeiro. In 2007 Cousin became the first woman from outside Brazil to become IBJJF World jiu-jitsu champion.
Emily Kwok is a Canadian submission grappler and 3rd degree black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) instructor. A former mixed martial arts (MMA) competitor with a perfect record, Kwok is the first Canadian woman to receive a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the first to become World Champion. As one of the first females to rise to prominence, Kwok is widely regarded as an early pioneer of the BJJ scene in North America.
Devhonte Johnson, commonly known as "Bones", is an American grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt competitor and coach. A multiple time IBJJF World, Pan American and European champion in lower belt divisions; Johnson is a black belt IBJJF World No-Gi, Pan American No-Gi and European Open No-Gi Champion.
Gabrielle McComb Lima, also known as Gabi McComb, is a Brazilian submission grappler and black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor. McComb is a multiple times World and Pan-American champion, in both Gi and No-Gi. She is the 2021 Black Belt Featherweight World Champion.
Vanessa English, is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt competitor and instructor. In coloured belt she is a multiple-time European champion, in both Gi and No-Gi, and is the first British-born Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor to win the IBJJF World Championships. English is a 2018 World Championship black belt medallist and the 2018 European Open black belt Champion.
Rikako Yuasa; born 12 April 1991) is a submission grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt competitor. Regarded by some as one of the greatest Japanese BJJ fighters, Yuasa is a World, European and Asian champion in coloured belt and a four times black belt World champion.
Samantha Cook is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt competitor. Cook is a No-Gi World champion, a four-time European champion and a four-time British champion in coloured belts. The first British female to win the ADCC Trials in the black belt division, she is a multiple time World Medalist and the 2019 European Champion in both Gi and No-Gi.
Chloé McNally is an American competitor of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. A No-Gi World Champion, IBJJF Pan American Champion and Brazilian National Champion in colored belts, McNally is a two-time World Jiu-Jitsu Championship and Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship black belt medallist.
Claire-France Thévenon is a French grappler, a 4th dan judo black belt and a 1st degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt competitor and instructor. An IBJJF European Champion and World medallist at brown belt, Thévenon is a black belt World, Pan-American, European, AJP World Pro and AJP Grand Slam medallist as well as the 2022 Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship super-heavyweight silver medallist.
Penny Thomas is a South African submission grappler and 3rd degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt practitioner and coach.
Tammi Musumeci is an American submission grappler and black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor. A multiple times world champion in colored belts, Musumeci is a black belt world champion, a four-time No-Gi world champion and a two-time Pan American champion.
Amy Campo is an American submission grappler, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt athlete.
Brianna Ste-Marie is a Canadian submission grappler, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt athlete. An IBJJF World No-Gi, Pan American, European and American national jiu-jitsu champion in coloured belts, as well as a Combat Jiu-Jitsu and Medusa champion; Ste-Marie is a 2022 World No-GI champion, a 2023 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship medallist and the 2022 ADCC Submission Grappling under 60 kilograms (130 lb) silver medallist.
Rafaela Guedes is a Brazilian submission grappler, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt athlete. An IBJJF World champion at brown belt, Guedes is a two-time World No-Gi, Pan American black belt champion. Originally from Manaus, Brazil now fighting out of San Diego, California, Guedes is also the WNO women's heavyweight champion, a 2021 World jiu-jitsu double medallist and the 2022 ADCC Submission Fighting silver medallist.
Ashley Bendle is a Welsh submission grappler, Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and competitor. A British and European No-Gi champion in coloured belts, Bendle is a black belt No-Gi World, European Open and ADCC trials medalist.
Ana Carolina Vieira is a Brazilian grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and competitor. A multiple-time World and Brazilian champion in the lower belts divisions, Vieira is a five-time black belt IBJJF World champion, four-time IBJJF Pan Champion, two-time Abu Dhabi World Pro Champion and European champion. She is the founder of Aviv jiu-jitsu.
Maria Malyjasiak is a Polish Judoka, submission grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt competitor.
