Luzia Fernandes

Luzia Fernandes first became a world champion at 13. In 1999 she won the adult blue belt heavyweight division with four submissions. She won again at blue belt in 2000 and 2001 and, in 2006, already a black belt, took the medium-heavyweight title in the combined brown and black division by beating Livia Borges in the final.

Born on April 3, 1986, in Rio de Janeiro, she moved to Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, at 6. She started jiu-jitsu at 3 and received her black belt from Marcio Feitosa in 2004, at 18. She also built a judo career over 78 kg, with silver at the 2002 South American Championships.

In 2010 she won the World Pro trials in Rio, beating Talita Nogueira in the semifinal and Carla Roberto in the final, and in Abu Dhabi she lost on points to Gabi Garcia. In 2013 she beat Michelle Nicolini at the Brazilian Nationals.

She runs Gracie Barra Cuiabá and leads the Manduvi Araras team, which also develops wrestlers.