Keanna Klay heads to The Crown with no pressure as an underdog
One year into her black belt career, the Gracie Barra athlete competes at lightweight on November 8 and told VF Comunica what changed after the Worlds.
Keanna Klay heads to The Crown with one year as a black belt and no weight on her shoulders. The Gracie Barra athlete from the United States competes at lightweight in the IBJJF invitational on November 8 at the Pyramid in Long Beach, California, and spoke exclusively with VF Comunica about where she is right now. “I’m not feeling any pressure at all for this tournament!” she said.
She sees the event as the chance to take the next step in her career. “It’s awesome that with just one year at black belt I’ve reached fifth place at lightweight and twelfth overall! I feel like this Crown is going to be the tournament where I earn my spot at the top and show the world who Keanna Klay is,” she said.
The turnaround after Worlds
The first half of the season was tough on her. Keanna took bronze at the Pans and at the Brazilian Nationals at featherweight and went into the Worlds with high expectations. “During this year’s Pans-to-Worlds season, I put a lot of pressure and expectations on myself to win my first black belt Grand Slams. I competed really well at the Pans and the Brazilian Nationals, so my expectations for the Worlds were very high. I lost my first match, something that has happened to me only once or twice in my whole career,” she said.
Her answer was to step back. “I took some time after the Worlds to recover my body and my mind. Sometimes we forget how much our mind also needs to rest from that pressure,” she said.
When she came back, she moved up to lightweight and won both her division and the open class at the Asian Open in July, then won Jiu-Jitsu CON in September. “I went into the Asian Open and JJCON happy! Happy with my routine, with my training and happy overall. I think that was something I used to put aside, and now I’m focusing on it!”
From guard player to complete game
The guard is Keanna’s trademark, but she says she no longer depends on it alone. “Guard is kind of my first love. Until brown belt, I didn’t pay much attention to my top game. After I lost the brown belt European final on a decision because I didn’t come up, I made a point of working on my top game and having a 100% complete game,” she explained.
For her, there is no set script in a bracket like The Crown’s. “In a bracket with the best, I don’t think there’s one right path to becoming champion. You have to be prepared for any style and always be one step ahead. So I’m ready for any game.”
Used to facing bigger opponents
The Crown’s lightweight division is full of strong athletes, and Keanna says she has been used to that from early on. “I’ve always competed in the open class since juvenile. The open class has always been where I could compete without pressure, because I know there’s sometimes a strength difference. Also, the students at my academy are much bigger than me, so I’m used to training with people stronger than me who show no mercy. My academy prepared me for this!”
The daughter of coaches Marcia Carvalho and Fabio Costa of Gracie Barra Georgia, in Acworth, Keanna started Jiu-Jitsu at age 3 and now teaches at the same academy.
“I’m an underdog on this card”
Asked whether she had a preferred opponent, she did not name anyone. “I don’t have any athlete in mind. I’m excited to compete against anyone! I think I’m an underdog on this card, so in any match I’ll be able to show the world who Keanna is,” she said.
The lightweight bracket has eight athletes: Keanna, Janaína Lebre, Sabrina Gondim, Elisabeth Clay, Ághata Rabelo, Nikolett Kis, Giovanah Oliveira and Sarah Galvão, the defending champion.
Can Keanna Klay pull off a surprise at lightweight at The Crown? Let us know in the comments.
Read more
- Sarah Galvão returns to defend her Crown lightweight title
- Sabrina Gondim at The Crown 2026 and her rematch with Janaína Lebre
- Gabi Pessanha chases fourth straight Crown title vs. Anabel
