Lillian Marchand

Lillian Jane Marchand is a Canadian grappler and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, promoted by legendary André and Angelica Galvão. She first gained recognition as a juvenile blue belt. She continued to build an impressive competitive record throughout her colored belt career, particularly in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) circuit, while representing the Atos Jiu-Jitsu Team.

Lillian Marchand Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Lillian Marchand

Nickname: Lilli

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Reyson Gracie > Osvaldo Alves > Luis Dagmar >André Galvão (> Angelica Galvão) > Lillian Jane Marchand

Main Achievements (Professional):

• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2025)
• 1st Place AJP Abu Dhabi World Championship (2024 / 2025)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2024 purple)
• 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2024 purple, 2025 brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF European Championship (2024 purple / 2025 brown)
• 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2024 purple / 2025 brown)
• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2024)
• 3rd Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2025* brown)

Main Achievements (Juvenile):

• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2022** / 2023)
• 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2022 / 2023)
• 1st Place IBJJF European Championship (2023**)
• 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2023)

*Absolute
** Weight and Absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: De La Riva Hook & Omoplata

Weight Division: Peso Médio (69,00 kg / 152.5 lbs)

Team/Association: Atos

Lillian Marchand Biography

Lillian Marchand was born on July 27, 2006, in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada, where she was raised.

Jiu-jitsu is the only sport that Lillian practiced and competed in, growing up. She began training at the age of 5, alongside her younger brother, at NOS BJJ, under the guidance of Professor Mario Deveault, who promoted her through the kids’ ranks to blue belt.

Initially, Lillian started jiu-jitsu because she was being bullied, and her parents wanted her to learn self-defense. However, by the age of 9, she had become completely immersed in the competition culture in this sport and began traveling with her parents to San Diego, California, to attend training camps at Atos in preparation for the IBJJF Kids Pans.

At 15 years old, she decided to fully commit to training at Atos, dedicating herself to jiu-jitsu and pursuing a career as a professional athlete. She began traveling to the U.S. more frequently and spent half of the year training in San Diego.

Meanwhile, she was homeschooled during the last three years of high school and graduated in June 2024. In the Fall of 2024, she began college, going on to attend the Early Childhood Education school while working 9.5 hours a day at a daycare to complete her practicum. All this while training and competing in BJJ at the highest level.

During her career in the sport, Lillian became the first Native American (from the Okanagan Indian Band) to become an IBJJF World Champion.

On May 31, 2025, Lillian Marchand was promoted to black belt by her instructors André and Angelica Galvão.

NOTE REGARDING LILLIAN MARCHAND’S RECORD

Traditionally, BJJ Heroes only accounted for black belt records as they signify an athlete’s entry into our sport’s elite ranks. Marchand, however, competed in the AJP circuit as a brown belt, a league that combines the female brown and black belt divisions, and achieved great success, winning the league’s most prestigious tournament. This has left BJJ Heroes with a delicate predicament of defining when to start accounting for the young prodigy’s match records.

Considering how well this young athlete did in this AJP category as a brown belt, winning several important medals while competing against some of the top-ranked athletes at the time, we have decided to add these matches to Lillian’s record. Our readers should keep in mind, when addressing Marchand’s career, that her true black belt record starts in 2025.

This profile was written by Mayara Munhos. Follow Mayara on Instagram at @maymunhos & @jiujitsuinframes