Elizabeth Mitrovic

Elizabeth Katherine Mitrovic is a jiu-jitsu black belt who worked extensively with Dustin Akbari,  Chad Bingham, and Rafael Rosendo. Mitrovic earned two International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) World titles (gi & no-gi) in the colored belt divisions where she made herself noticed on the global stage. Mitrovic would repeat the deed of earning a World No-Gi title in the pro division (adult black belt) later on while also conquering multiple IBJJF Masters World Championships and an ADCC American Trials gold medal.

Elizabeth Mitrovic Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Elizabeth Katherine Mitrovic

Nickname: Lyzz.

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Reyson Gracie >Osvaldo Alves > Fabrício Martins > Ricardo Reis > Cassio Werneck > Dustin Akbari >Elizabeth Mitrovic

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2023)
• 1st Place IBJJF European Championship NOGI (2023)
• 1st Place IBJJF American Nationals NOGI (2023)
• 1st Place ADCC North America Trials (2024)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2019)
• 2nd Place IBJJF European Championship (2023)
• 2nd Place IBJJF American Nationals (2023)
• 3rd Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2021 / 2024**)

Main Achievements (Masters):

• 1st Place IBJJF Masters World Championship (2022 / 2023)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Masters World Championship (2020)
• 3rd Place IBJJF Masters World Championship (2021)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2018 brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2015 purple)

Weight Division: Meio-Pesado (74,00 kg / 163.00 lbs)

Team/Association: Precision JJ (Citrus Heights, CA)

Elizabeth Mitrovic Biography

Elizabeth Katherine Mitrovic was born on October 1990, in Upland, California, and was the youngest of 3 girls. She spent her childhood in the San Bernardino county area until her family moved to High Desert, Hesperia, where she remained throughout her teenage years.

During high school Lyz found her love for sports, starting with the hurdles and throwing teams (shotput and discus). She also did cross country in the off-seasons, playing CC and Track & Field for 4 seasons, until she left for college.

While in college, where she studied Science in Entomology, Mitrovic looked for an activity to stay in shape. Through a friend she found Hapkido, there unveiling a passion for martial arts. She tried a variety of traditional MAs for a period but stuck to Hapkido, earning her black belt in March 2013.

After her black belt grading, Elizabeth wanted to try other types of combat sports, and through a friend, found her way to jiu-jitsu. She started this sport at Urijah Faber’s Ultimate Fitness (Team Alpha Male) in the Sacramento area in February 2014 with coach Dustin Akbari.

Elizabeth immediately dove into the competition scene, with her first tournament taking place 3 months into her training at a local gym. No other women showed up, so she competed against men, losing in no-gi but beating one of her teammates in the gi division for gold. Energized by the event, Mitrovic turned up for nearly every class for the next few weeks and earned her blue belt by July.

After a disastrous attempt at the IBJJF circuit as a blue belt, Elizabeth stopped competing for a while, returning to it for the World No-Gi Championship in late 2015 as a purple belt, where she won her first world title. Sadly, she suffered a bad knee injury in the open weight class, the severity of which nearly ended her competitive career.

Mitrovic remained under coach Dustin Akbari through all belts, becoming a member of the coaching staff at Ultimate Fitness while also working. There she met MMA athlete Sara McMann and her husband, BJJ black belt Chad Bingham, with whom she also started training. On March 27, 2019, Mitrovic became Dustin Akbari’s first female black belt.

In March 2020, Elizabeth switched gyms to Precision Jiu-Jitsu Academy of McMann and Bingham, in Citrus Heights, California. During this period, Elizabeth met Rafael Rosendo (Bingham’s coach at Alliance Greenville), who also helped Lyzz’s game tremendously.