Karen Antunes

Karen Deisy Antunes Girotto Borges (born December 9, 1985, in Brasília, Brazil) is a premier Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Mayko Araújo. Representing the elite Checkmat team, Antunes established herself as one of the top athletes in the sport’s female lightweight class, capturing World titles in both Gi and No-Gi formats.

Early Life & Tragedy as a Catalyst
Antunes first discovered Jiu-Jitsu through her older brother. He was a troubled teenager who utilized the discipline and community of the martial art to help him stay away from drugs for extended periods. Observing how profoundly the sport influenced his life, young Karen developed a deep respect for Jiu-Jitsu.

Tragically, her brother passed away prematurely, leaving Antunes and her family in a lengthy period of deep grief. Years later, looking for a way to heal and move forward, her younger sister encouraged her to step onto the mats. In April 2009, Antunes took her first formal class, immediately feeling a powerful connection to the grappling art.

Rising Under Mayko Araújo
From her very first day in the academy, Antunes trained under the guidance of coach Mayko Araújo. Their relationship grew over the years both on and off the mats, with Araújo eventually becoming her husband.

Under his direct tutelage, Antunes put together a spectacular run through the lower ranks, winning an IBJJF World title as a purple belt and dominant No-Gi World titles at both purple and brown belt. Following her sustained success on the international circuit, Araújo formally promoted Antunes to black belt on July 28, 2014.

Breakthrough and Mainstream Success
Antunes truly broke onto the mainstream BJJ radar in August 2015 at the prestigious Five Super League tournament. Navigating a high-stakes bracket, she put on a career-defining performance by defeating established former world champions like Luiza Monteiro and Nijah Rollins on her way to the finals, cementing her standing as an elite powerhouse of her generation.

She reached the absolute pinnacle of the sport in 2018, capturing gold at both the IBJJF Pan American Championship and the IBJJF World Championship (Mundials) in the adult black belt divisions.

Main Achievements
IBJJF World Champion: 1st Place (2018)

IBJJF World No-Gi Champion: 1st Place (2015)

IBJJF Pan American Champion: 1st Place (2018)

IBJJF Pan American Championship: 2nd Place (2016)

Five Super League Tournament: 2nd Place (2015)

Legacy and Style
Competing in the Peso Leve (Lightweight) division at 64 kg (141 lbs), Antunes is highly regarded for her aggressive and precise Guard Passing systems.

After years of traveling back and forth from Brazil to the United States to compete, Antunes and her husband permanently relocated to the U.S., settling in Minnesota where they co-founded their own academy to train the next generation of grapplers.