Gabrieli Pessanha has spent the last few years dominating the world of gi competition, but now she’s decided to make her no gi debut at the upcoming IBJJF No Gi World Championship 2024. Pessanha has won every single major gi title multiple times over and has become the only person to win multiple double IBJJF grand slams as well, cementing her place in history at the young age of just 24. She is currently riding one of the most impressive winning streaks the sport has ever seen, as she’s won 150 matches in a row without registering a single loss in the last 3 years.
Despite having so many years of competition left in her athletic prime, Pessanha has already had a career that the vast majority of competitors wouldn’t be able to rival in an entire lifetime. Although she will likely continue winning major titles in the years to come, there is very little left for Pessanha to do in the gi side of the sport. That’s why her coach revealed at the end of last year that they were spending some time preparing for a move to no gi in 2024. This obviously led to speculation around where and when she would make her debut, and it seemed as though ADCC 2024 might be a likely option.
When she didn’t make an appearance at ADCC, it seemed as though she might have delayed her no gi debut beyond this year. The IBJJF No Gi World Championship 2024 marked the final chance for Gabrieli Pessanha to make her no gi debut this year and with just days left to register, it seemed like this opportunity would pass as well. She’s taken the leap at the last moment though, and Pessanha will now be competing in the super-heavyweight division there. She currently has just two opponents in the bracket, Mayara Moreira and her biggest threat Kendall Reusing, but registration is still open and this list may grow further.
