Ana Laura Cordeiro

Ana Laura Gonçalves Cordeiro is a highly revered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) black belt representing the Gracie Barra academy. Regarded as one of the most dominant female grapplers of the late 2000s, she compiled an astounding, undefeated 65-0 record through the colored belts, capturing four consecutive world titles before her competitive career was tragically cut short by a severe injury.

Early Life and Overcoming Family Opposition
Born in Minas Gerais, Brazil, Cordeiro discovered Jiu-Jitsu relatively late at the age of 17. Initially, she sought out the sport purely as a way to lose weight after noticing the physical benefits her cousin experienced from training.

Her transition into the sport was met with heavy resistance from her family. Early in her training, she returned home with a prominent hematoma from a rigorous session. In an attempt to force her to quit, her mother hid her gis away for weeks. Undeterred, Ana Laura pushed past the opposition and continued to pursue the sport passionately.

Undefeated Rise to Stardom
As she shifted her focus to elite-level competition, Cordeiro began making a grueling three-hour bus commute each way to train at the Gracie Barra affiliate in the nation’s capital, Brasília. During this demanding period, she successfully balanced her university studies, a job assisting her father, and full-time athletic training.

The sacrifice yielded unprecedented results. Cordeiro tore through the international colored belt scene without suffering a single loss. She notably fought in mixed brown and black belt divisions as a brown belt, routinely defeating the absolute biggest icons of her generation, including Gabi Garcia and Michelle Nicolini.

Moving to America and Injury
By 2009, Cordeiro was widely viewed as a prime contender for the title of the number-one pound-for-pound female grappler in the world. Recognizing her immense profile and coaching potential, Marcio Feitosa invited her to relocate to the United States. She moved to Orange County, California, alongside her husband (also a BJJ black belt) to head the instructional program in Yorba Linda. That same year, she was awarded her black belt directly by Gracie Barra founder Carlos Gracie Junior.

Shortly after reaching the black belt ranks and capturing a Pan American title, Cordeiro suffered a devastating back injury. The severity of the spinal issue permanently sidelined her from elite, high-level competition at the absolute peak of her athletic prime. Despite the abbreviated length of her competitive run, her flawless record cements her legacy as one of the greatest female athletes to ever grace the mats.

Main Achievements
Cordeiro’s competitive resume reflects total dominance across both her colored and black belt tenures:

Black Belt Accomplishments:

1st Place: IBJJF Pan American Championship (2008)

1st Place: IBJJF World Championship (2014 / 2015)

1st Place: IBJJF Pan American Championship (2015)

Colored Belt Accomplishments:

1st Place: IBJJF World Championship (2006 blue / 2007* purple / 2008 brown)

1st Place: IBJJF World No-Gi Championship (2008* brown/black mixed division)

*Refers to Weight and Absolute (Open Weight) division victories

Practitioner Profile
Weight Division: Peso Médio (69 kg / 152 lbs)

Favorite Techniques: Spider Guard and Armbar

Team Association: Gracie Barra