Amanda Monteiro

Amanda Monteiro was born on December 5, 1994, in Brasília (DF), Brazil, and raised in São Paulo. Her martial arts journey began with muay Thai, a discipline that sharpened her competitive instincts and gave her a striking foundation before she discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In December 2011, she made the transition to BJJ, stepping onto the mats for the first time at the Ryan Gracie Academy in São Paulo under the instruction of Sérgio Soares.

That early chapter proved formative. Under Soares, Monteiro earned her blue belt and claimed her first national title — a clear signal that she possessed both the talent and drive to compete at the sport's highest levels.

Monteiro's development accelerated after she joined GF Team, one of Brazil's most prominent and competitive BJJ organizations. Under the guidance of Renato Dominguez, she refined her technical game and built an impressive record across multiple belt divisions. Through her blue, purple, and brown belt years, she accumulated IBJJF World, Pans, and Brazilian National titles, establishing herself as one of the most decorated colored belt competitors of her generation in the featherweight division.

Her brown belt campaign reached its peak with a gold medal at the 2017 IBJJF World Championship — a performance that earned her an immediate black belt promotion. Júlio César Pereira, the master behind GF Team's lineage, promoted her to black belt in June 2017, recognizing her competitive achievements and technical maturity. The promotion closed one chapter and opened an even more distinguished career on the international circuit.

Immediate Impact at Black Belt

Monteiro wasted no time making her mark at the black belt level. Within her first months in the division, she captured the IBJJF Pans No-Gi Championship in 2017 — an early statement of intent that confirmed her readiness to compete among the sport's elite.

A Breakthrough Season in 2018

The 2018 season proved to be a defining year. She opened with a gold medal at the IBJJF European Open, then won the UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Grand Slam, demonstrating her ability to perform across both gi and no-gi formats on the world stage. She capped the year by claiming the IBJJF World Championship title in the featherweight division — Peso Pena (58.50 kg / 129.0 lbs) — placing herself firmly among the top competitors in the world at her weight.

Sustained Excellence and Continued Titles

Monteiro continued to add to her résumé in the years that followed. In 2019, she captured the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship, adding a no-gi world title that underscored her versatility across formats. She claimed the IBJJF South American Championship in 2020, further demonstrating her consistency at both regional and global levels. Her longevity was on display again in 2024, when she earned a silver medal at the IBJJF World Championship, confirming her place among the elite in her division well into her black belt career.

In 2019, Amanda Monteiro married Jaime Canuto, a high-level BJJ competitor in his own right, making them one of the sport's most notable competitive couples. The union is reflected in her full legal last name, Monteiro Canuto. Their shared commitment to competing at the highest levels speaks to a partnership built on a mutual understanding of the discipline and sacrifice that elite BJJ demands. The marriage marked a meaningful personal milestone that coincided with one of the strongest competitive periods of her career, including her IBJJF World No-Gi Championship title that same year.