Five of a possible nine titles were won by 2017 champions in the women’s black belt finals at the 2018 IBJJF World Championships on Sunday in Long Beach, CA, while Beatriz Mesquita tied the record as the most successful female black belt of all time.

Tayane Porfirio made easy work of Venla Luukonen, whom she submitted with a choke from mount. This is the second time Porfirio has faced the Finnish black belt in the final in two years, and she has submitted her both times. Porfirio faced and defeated the same opponent in the absolute final, Nathiely de Jesus, whom she beat 12-0. 

Porfirio won double gold at Euros, Brazilian Nationals, and Worlds, almost repeating the double grand slam she pulled off in 2017, but she missed Pans due to a back injury. The time off did not seem to have slowed her down, as she looked as dominant as ever en route to climbing the podium twice in one day. 

Much like Porifirio, there were a number of women who won a second world title in consecutive years, with de Jesus (heavyweight), Claudia do Val (medium-heavyweight), Ana Carolina Vieira (middleweight), and Rikako Yuasa (roosterweight) all taking gold once again. 

De Jesus (pictured top) had her hands full with first-year black belt Maria Malyjasiak, and the match was decided on advantages with no points scored. De Jesus' strong omoplata and choke attack toward the end of the match saw it decided in her favor. 

Do Val used almost exactly the same series of attacks to win her second black belt world title in a row, but this time in a new weight class (medium-heavyweight) and against a different opponent in Monique Elias. Do Val lost to her the last time they faced off at Pans in 2017. However, in Sunday's match, she utilized her well-known guard game to lock in a triangle armbar for the tap. 

Ana Carolina Vieira cemented her position as one of the top pound-for-pound women in the sport by becoming a two-time world champion thanks to an Ezekiel choke from the back against Checkmat’s Raquel Canuto in the final. The submission came after a solid display of simple but effective toreando passing. 

Beatriz Mesquita won her eighth world title by beating Luiza Monteiro in the lightweight final. This was sweet revenge for a focused Mesquita, who lost via GQ to Monteiro in the final in 2017 and via a single advantage at the recent World Pro in April. Mesquita barely celebrated her victory, which puts her tied with Michelle Nicolini as the most winningest woman in jiu-jitsu history. 

In her first year as a black belt, Amanda Monteiro defeated 2017 champion Talita Alencar (Alliance) to become champion. There was no love lost between the one-time teammates, and Alencar incurred a penalty for engaging with the GF Team crowd midway through the fight as they taunted her with chants. 

Karen Antunes won her first world gold medal and her second major IBJJF title this year, following her win at Pans in March. A Checkmat black belt, Antunes gave birth to her child just last year and has returned better than ever. The 32-year-old athlete beat Ana Carolina Schmitt via decision for gold. 

Roosterweight Rikako Yuasa won her fourth world title in four years, beating Italian black belt Serena Gabrielli 6-2. 

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