Maria
Maria is 15 years old, from Rio Grande do Sul, and her schedule is relentless. From Monday to Friday, she balances school in the mornings and intense training sessions in the afternoons and evenings. Three hours of competition training every day, with physical conditioning, gi and no-gi sessions, youth classes and advanced adult training — all to sharpen her technique and prepare for the next competition. On weekends, she competes.
And the hard work is paying off. Maria has remained undefeated in her state for over two years and has made a name for herself in the biggest federations. At just 12 years old, she fought — and won — against brown belts in a no-gi championship. In 2023, she took double gold at ADCC, dominating her category and even the advanced black belt division. She also claimed the title of CBJJ Brazilian Champion and CBJJ World Champion.
In addition, she dominated Brazilian Nationals this year winning double gold in her category and absolute.
But despite her talent and relentless work ethic, Maria is facing her biggest opponent yet — financial barriers. She’s working tirelessly to secure a visa, raise funds for competition fees, and book a flight to the U.S. to compete on the world stage. Sponsorships are hard to come by, and though she has supporters, financial backing is still out of reach.
Now, we’re working to get Maria to the U.S. to compete at Worlds. Your donation will go toward her travel, accommodation, and training costs. Gentle Human BJJ will handle securing her visa and tournament registration ensuring Maria has everything she needs to step onto the mats and represent her country on the world stage.
Maria’s goal is clear: to be recognized globally for her refined and aggressive Jiu-Jitsu, open her own academy one day, and train the next generation of champions. But to do that, she needs our help.
Join us in supporting Maria — because talent and drive deserve a fighting chance.
Total Raised: $1,703