Photo: Milena Maldonado

As a brown-belt, in 2019, Jéssica Caroline had her best moment when she topped off a strong phase with titles in the IBJJF’s Pan and World Championship in Long Beach, California.

The two medals resulted in Jéssica, 27, being promoted black-belt atop the podium of the last Worlds, prior to the pandemic. Since then, the Alessandro Nunes-trained athlete won the South American and the Rio Open, and placed second in the Brazilian Nationals—all three events held by IBJJF/CBJJ in Brazil.

“In 2019 it was an incredible experience; I was really well prepared, I felt really good in all the fights I had, thus winning the title of champion,” she said. “This year I’m feeling great too, focused and training a lot… I’m going to give it my maximum to bring this title home again, now in the black belt.”

Asked about the state of the roosterweight division, the PAX Academy athlete added: “My category is quite interesting! There are some girls I’ve never fought, all at a high level. I’m anxious and excited! I want it to come soon, because it’s going to be a war.

“I’m prepared and confident; my training sessions have been difficult, and that makes me confident. Nothing can be harder than my training.”

A black-belt since September 2019, Jéssica also spoke of what she thinks it takes to win the World Championship, which is set to start on December 9 in Anaheim, California.

“It’s impossible for you to have success at the Worlds without having the discipline to train right and eat well,” she said. “That’s the work I’ve been doing in the course of all these years. I have a training routine, and discipline to do what’s right and say no to the distractions. When it’s fight time, I also like to see each fight as final, and, in my mind, the person who dictates the pace of the fight is me. That’s the path I’ll follow to become world champion!”

Check out below one of Jéssica’s fights from the 2019 Worlds in California.