Gabi Garcia is a Brazilian black belt from Porto Alegre and one of the most successful heavyweights in women's jiu-jitsu. Competing for Alliance, she won IBJJF World titles in both her weight class and the absolute and became the first woman to win four ADCC titles. She also built an unbeaten MMA record in Japan's Rizin promotion.
Background and lineage
Garcia trains with Alliance in São Paulo under Fábio Gurgel. Her lineage runs through Romero "Jacaré" Cavalcanti and Rolls Gracie back to Hélio Gracie. She is 187 cm tall and also holds a judo black belt, awarded in March 2023. She is a member of the IBJJF Hall of Fame and appears in the 2024 Guinness World Records book.
Competition highlights
- IBJJF World Championship: +74 kg gold in 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012 and absolute gold in 2011 and 2012, plus absolute silver in 2010. Her 2013 results were voided after a positive test for clomiphene. She was later found not at fault and was not suspended.
- ADCC: +60 kg gold in 2011, 2013, 2017 and 2019. Her 2019 final, a submission of Carina Santi, made her the first woman with four ADCC golds. She also took bronze in 2015 and 2022.
- IBJJF Pans: a long run of weight and absolute titles from 2010 to 2019.
Style and signature techniques
Detailed technical breakdowns of Garcia's game are scarce, so we stick to her recorded finishes. In the 2013 Pan semi-final she beat Mackenzie Dern with a clock choke, and in MMA she has finished opponents with the armbar, keylock (americana) and rear naked choke.
Notable matches and later career
- Mackenzie Dern, Pans 2013: a clock choke win in the semi-final.
- Yara Soares, Worlds 2021: her first submission loss at black belt, after which she retired from IBJJF competition.
- Amy Campo, ADCC 2022: a points loss in the semi-final, followed by bronze.
- Craig Jones, CJI 2024: a mixed-sex superfight that ended with a rear naked choke after she refused to tap to a heel hook.
MMA career
Garcia debuted in Rizin on 31 December 2015 with a TKO of Lei'D Tapa. She went on to beat Anna Malyukova (armbar), Destanie Yarbrough (keylock), Yumiko Hotta (TKO), Veronika Futina (rear naked choke, Road FC) and Barbara Nepomuceno (keylock). A 2017 bout with Oksana Gagloeva ended in a no contest after an accidental eye poke. She has also worked as a guest coach on The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3.