By BJJ Heroes on December 26th, 2010

Leticia Ribeiro (Gracie Humaitá)

Leticia Ribeiro

A historical figure in women’s Jiu Jitsu, Leticia Ribeiro has collected medals in World grappling events for years on end, being considered one of the top 10 best female fighters of all time. She is also the leader of one of the best female BJJ teams around, the Gracie Humaitá. An organization teeming with talent, such as Penny Thomas, Bia Mesquita and the new member Michelle Tavares.
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Leticia Ribeiro in Detail

Full Name: Leticia Ribeiro dos Santos

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Royler Gracie > Vini Aieta > Leticia Ribeiro

Main Titles:

5x World Champion (2010, 2009, 2006, 2002, 2000)
2x World Nogi Champion (2010, 2008)
Pan American Champion (2004, 2003)
European Champion (2005 won by WO)

Weight Division: Light Feather

Favourite Position/Technique: Armbar

Team/Association: Gracie Humaitá (Tijuca)

Leticia Ribeiro Biography

Leticia Ribeiro was born on the 24th of February, 1974 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She started training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu when she was 15 years of age at Gracie Tijuca with Arthur Carthiar and Marcelo Machado. She wanted to lose a few pounds and get into shape, but she did not enjoy weight lifting, so after an invitation from a friend, she decided to take BJJ.

Throughout the years, the Gracie Tijuca gym (an affiliate of the Gracie Humaitá Academy) had a different roster of trainers, teachers like Saulo Ribeiro, Royler Gracie and of course Vini Aieta, it was the last two that handed Leticia Ribeiro her black belt. It was also through Jiu Jitsu that Leticia would meet her partner, Fabricio “Morango” Camoes.

Leticia recently moved to the United States (San Diego) just like most of the bigger names on her team before her (Royler Gracie, Saulo and Alexandre Ribeiro, Vinny Magalhaes and more). She was planning on concentrating on the coaching side of her career and in 2009 just before the Mundial, she even told her students that that would be the last year she would fight, but the competitor in her did not allow her to make that decision and she returned to the mats in 2010 with another impressive win.

Leticia Ribeiro vs Michele Nicolini