Brianna Ste-Marie

Brianna Ste-Marie was born on August 30, 1996, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and grew up in the Pierrefonds neighborhood. A natural athlete from an early age, she channeled her competitive drive into rugby and soccer before narrowing her focus exclusively to rugby at age 11 — a decision that revealed both her discipline and her appetite for physical competition.

Ste-Marie carried that commitment to the university level, playing for Concordia University through the fall of 2015. Her pivot away from the rugby field came through an unexpected but fitting avenue: her father's deep passion for martial arts. Introduced to jiu-jitsu through a local Brazilian Top Team affiliate, she felt an immediate connection to grappling. At 19, she made the decisive choice to leave rugby behind and pursue jiu-jitsu full time — a transition that would prove transformative for Canadian grappling.

Ste-Marie's competitive development unfolded under the guidance of Fábio Holanda and Leonardo Saggioro of Brazilian Top Team (BTT), and she wasted little time establishing herself as one of her generation's most formidable athletes. At blue belt, she was already performing on the international stage, earning IBJJF Pan Championship gold in both gi and no-gi formats in 2018, along with a runner-up finish at the World No-Gi Championship that same year.

Her purple belt years brought further validation, culminating in a World No-Gi Championship title in 2019 — a result that announced her as a genuine threat at the sport's highest levels. She continued building her résumé through the brown belt ranks, claiming national titles in 2021, before her instructors awarded her the black belt on December 4, 2021.

In 2020, Ste-Marie joined Mizu Studio, taking on a dual role as competitor and coach. The move reflected both her growing influence within the grappling community and her commitment to developing the next generation of athletes. She competes in the Peso Leve division at 64 kg / 141.5 lbs.

Ste-Marie's no-gi career stands among the most accomplished grappling trajectories of her generation, built on a foundation of elite performances across the sport's most prestigious platforms. Her World No-Gi Championship gold as a purple belt in 2019 foreshadowed what was to come.

ADCC Trials and World Championship Runs

In 2021, Ste-Marie claimed victory at the ADCC East Coast Trials, securing her spot at the ADCC 2022 World Championship. She then demonstrated the full breadth of her ability by winning the ADCC West Coast Trials in 2022 as well — a remarkable double that underscored her dominance across the North American grappling circuit. At the ADCC 2022 World Championship itself, she advanced to the final, finishing as runner-up in one of the most competitive fields in submission grappling.

Black Belt Titles and Continued Dominance

That same year, Ste-Marie captured the Who's Number One 135 lbs title and claimed her first black belt IBJJF World No-Gi Championship, confirming her place among the global elite. She continued her ascent in 2024, adding a second IBJJF World No-Gi Championship to her record alongside the IBJJF European Championship No-Gi title and The Crown GP. A silver medal at the IBJJF World Championship in the gi in 2024 further illustrated her versatility across formats, cementing her standing as one of the most decorated Canadian grapplers of her era.