Luiza Monteiro

Main Achievements

Black Belt Accolades:

• 3x 1st Place — IBJJF World Championship (2015 / 2017 / 2024)
• 3x 1st Place — IBJJF World Championship No-Gi (2012 / 2013 / 2014)
• 9x 1st Place — IBJJF Pan Championship (2011 / 2013 / 2014 / 2016 / 2018 / 2019 / 2020 / 2021 / 2023)
• 5x 1st Place — IBJJF Brazilian Nationals (2011 / 2012 / 2013 / 2015 / 2023)
• 2x 1st Place — IBJJF European Open (2019 / 2023)
• 1st Place — UAEJJF Queen Of Mats (2019)
• 7x 2nd Place — IBJJF World Championship (2011 / 2012 / 2014* / 2018 / 2019 / 2021 / 2025 Silver Medalist)
• Note: (* Denotes absolute division)

Colored Belt Accolades:

• 2nd Place — IBJJF Pan American Championship (2010 Brown Belt)
• 3rd Place — IBJJF World Championship (2010 Brown Belt Bronze Medalist)

Overview

Luiza Monteiro Moura da Costa is a highly decorated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt representing Atos Jiu-Jitsu. Renowned as one of the most consistent, versatile, and enduring athletes in modern grappling history, Monteiro has captured major titles across multiple weight divisions, spanning from featherweight to medium-heavyweight. With multiple IBJJF World Championship titles in both Gi and No-Gi formats, she stands out as a dominant global force across successive competitive eras.

Early Life and Introduction to Martial Arts

Luiza Monteiro was born on November 21, 1988, in the historical city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. As a toddler, she relocated with her family to Niterói, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, where she spent the remainder of her upbringing.

Martial arts first entered Luiza’s life at the age of 12 through Muay Thai striking training. However, her athletic trajectory shifted drastically around age 14 when a school friend invited her to try out a local Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class. Experiencing an immediate and profound connection to the mats, she joined Equipe Luiz Paulo under coach Junior Duarte, who eventually awarded her blue belt rank.

The Path to Black Belt

Luiza’s early competitive career was marked by broad exposure to world-class coaching environments. She traveled and trained extensively across the Brasa and Checkmat team networks, absorbing specialized modern frameworks from legendary figures like “Fabrício Bicudo” Medeiros (who awarded her purple belt), Lucas Leite, Leo Vieira (who awarded her brown belt), and Rodrigo Cavaca. Following a dominant run through the brown belt division—where she regularly medaled while fighting up in mixed brown and black belt brackets—Rodrigo Cavaca formally promoted her to black belt in December 2010.

Championship Dominance & Team Alignments

In 2011, Luiza officially aligned with Cicero Costha’s renowned Projecto Social Lutando Pelo Bem (PSLPB) in São Paulo. This era catalyzed her rise as a premier force in women’s grappling, where she established a reputation as an incredibly versatile athlete capable of winning major titles across multiple weight classes, ranging from featherweight to medium-heavyweight.

Throughout her career, Luiza has represented top-tier competitive banners like the New School Brotherhood and Unity BJJ. In January 2018, she relocated to San Diego, California, to join Atos Headquarters under André and Angelica Galvão, where she continues to cement her legacy as one of the most consistent and decorated competitors of her generation. Shifting between the Peso Leve (64.00 kg / 141.5 lbs) and Peso Médio (69.00 kg / 152.6 lbs) weight divisions, her preferred positional system focuses heavily on chokes from the back.