JitsCast #40 features Ana Vieira, one of the most successful female Jiu-Jitsu competitors in the world over the last decade. Vieira has won virtually every major event in the sport during her career, starting with multiple IBJJF World Championship titles. She also transitioned to no gi grappling a few years ago and reached the top of that format as well, winning a gold medal in the under 65kg division at ADCC 2024. Vieira also has another major tournament coming up in just a few weeks, as she was invited to be one of just four women in the lineup competing for $100,000 at CJI 2.
Jits Magazine first spoke to Vieira about how she got involved with the sport and she talked about following in the footsteps of her older brother, Rodolfo Vieira. She shared what it was like to be one of the few women training in her gym when she first started, and how much it meant to her when she was finally able to have female black belts and coaches around her. Vieira also spoke about her relationship with her wife and coach, Luanna Alzuguir, and how the couple are able to balance those two different relationships with each other at the same time.
Vieira also spoke about her experience of winning both IBJJF and ADCC world titles, and her preparation for the Craig Jones Invitational 2. That’s when she opened up about one of the most difficult periods of her entire career, immediately after the IBJJF World Championship 2023. It stemmed from the most shocking moment of the tournament and one of the most controversial moments in IBJJF history, when a referee missed Vieira tapping to a choke multiple times and allowed her to be put to sleep. Vieira shared just how difficult it was for her to deal with that traumatic experience and how it forced her to take several months off training until she could eventually overcome it.
JitsCast #40 with Ana Vieira is now available to watch on the official Jits Magazine YouTube channel, click here to subscribe for more or check out the interview below:
