Caroline Brunacio

Caroline Brunacio Vinhaes, often referenced as Carol Brunacio, is a jiu-jitsu black belt under Julio Cesar Pereira and a regular participant in the sport’s professional circuit. Brunacio first made waves as a colored belt athlete, a division where she conquered an array of important titles, particularly in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF).

Carol Brunacio Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Caroline Brunacio Vinhaes

Nickname: Carol, which is short for Caroline.

Lineage: Luis França > Oswaldo Fadda > Monir Salomão > Júlio César > Carol Brunacio

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship NOGI (2025)
• 1st Place CBJJ South American Championship NOGI (2024 / 2025)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2025)
• 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2025)
• 3rd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2025)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2023 purple)
• 1st Place CBJJ South American Championship (2022 blue)
• 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2022 blue)
• 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals NOGI (2022 blue)
• 1st Place CBJJ South American Championship NOGI (2023 brown)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2024 brown)
• 3rd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2023 purple)

Favorite Position/Technique: De La Riva Hook

Weight Division: Peso Pena (58,50 kg / 129.0 lbs) & Peso Leve (76,00 kg / 168.0 lbs)

Team / Association: Piramide JJ

Caroline Brunacio Vinhaes Biography

Carol Brunacio was born in May 2002, in Grajaú, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro’s Zona Norte region, Brazil.

Growing up, Brunacio was very active in sports, playing and competing in a variety of activities, with a focus on Volleyball, Futsal (5-a-side), and Football (soccer) during her childhood and early teens.

In 2018, 17-year-old Carol Brunacio found herself at a crossroads. After losing two people close to her, she stopped all physical activity. Recognizing how this was an important part of Caroline, Brunacio’s mother convinced her to try a jiu-jitsu class, hoping it could get her back into her routine. Her mother had a connection with a local jiu-jitsu coach, Julia Boscher, which made the adaptation easier. Carol accepted the idea and joined the gym led by Boscher and Hugo Marques.

After a couple of weeks of training, Carol was already invested in the sport and asked if she could compete at a local tournament with the team. She was told she needed some time to prepare and went on to compete 3 months later, which she enjoyed thoroughly. The experience gradually gained relevance in Brunacio’s day-to-day life.

Brunacio earned her blue belt in August 2019 and continued progressing in the sport. When coach Hugo left Brazil and moved to the US, Julia Boscher joined the GF Team Association, one of the strongest training networks in Rio de Janeiro. Carolina made full use of the network of renowned coaches from then on and progressed through the belt system.

Carol Brunacio Vinhaes earned her purple belt in January 2023 and her brown belt in June 2023 from Sergio Miranda (GFT MERCK), going on to receive her black belt from the team leader, Julio Cesar Pereira, on May 31, 2024.