Lineage
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About
| Full Name | Ana Carolina Lima da Silva |
| Nicknames | “Pitbullzinha” / “Braba” |
| Date of Birth | December 2, 2001 |
| Rank & Title | Black Belt & 2x Pan Champion |
| Weight Division | Peso Galo (Roosterweight – 48.5 kg / 107 lbs) |
| Signature Techniques | Straight Ankle Lock & Triangle System |
| Team Affiliation | Art of Jiu-Jitsu (AOJ) / Fight Sports (Formerly) |
Main Achievements
Black Belt Accolades:
- 2x 1st Place — IBJJF Pan Championship (2024 / 2026)
- 3rd Place — IBJJF World Championship (2024 bronze medalist)
Colored Belt Accolades:
- 1st Place — IBJJF World Championship No-Gi (2023 brown)
- Consecutive 1st Place — IBJJF American Nationals Champion
Overview
Ana Carolina Lima da Silva, known on the international circuit by her fierce competitive nicknames “Pitbullzinha” (Little Pitbull) and “Braba” (Tough), is an elite professional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. She has rapidly risen to become one of the top roosterweight (Peso Galo) competitors in the world, representing the prestigious Art of Jiu-Jitsu (AOJ) academy.
From Futsal to the Tatami
Though born in Vassouras, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Ana spent much of her childhood moving across states before settling in Argentina at the age of 12. Always drawn to sports, she began playing futsal at age four and took up Muay Thai at 11.
Her transition to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was initially delayed; despite her father being a practitioner, he held the old-school belief that BJJ was not a sport for girls. However, after seeing a gym in Argentina filled with thriving female competitors, he relented. Ana began her formal BJJ training in 2016 in Buenos Aires under Ícaro Ventura, who guided her through her juvenile ranks.
The Move to America and Career Commitment
In 2020, Ana relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, where she cross-trained heavily to expand her athletic base. She joined Stoughton High School’s wrestling team for a season, winning a state championship and earning the “Best Pinner” award.
After earning her purple belt, she decided to pursue grappling as a full-time career and moved to Miami, Florida, to train at Fight Sports under Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu. The move paid off dramatically; she won her first world title at brown belt and was subsequently promoted to black belt by Abreu in December 2023.
Transition to AOJ and Championship Success
In 2024, wanting to shift her focus from no-gi rulesets to the traditional kimono, Ana transitioned to the world-renowned Art of Jiu-Jitsu (AOJ) academy under Guilherme Mendes. Competing at the ultra-lightweight limit of 48.5 kg (107 lbs), she shook up the international black belt circuit by capturing gold at the IBJJF Pan Championships in 2024 (closing out with teammate Shelby Murphey) and repeating the golden performance in 2026 after defeating Mariana Rolszt.
Fighting Style
Despite her small stature, Ana is highly revered for her fearless “Marrenta” (cocky/confident) competitive attitude, frequently registering for absolute open-weight classes to test herself against heavyweights. She maintains an exceptionally well-rounded grappling style, boasting a near 50% professional submission rate with a highly lethal straight ankle lock and triangle system.
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