Caroline de Lazzer

Caroline de Lazzer was born on October 28, 1980, in Caxias do Sul, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. From an early age, she demonstrated a natural affinity for physical activity, competing in Dancing, Gymnastics, and Handball throughout her childhood. Despite this active upbringing, BJJ was a sport she deliberately avoided — in the late 1990s, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu carried strong associations with gang violence in Brazil, and de Lazzer wanted no part of it.

Her first meaningful exposure to the sport came through university colleagues Rodrigo Dias and Patricia Furlanetto, a couple who trained nearby. Even then, her initial impression of Rodrigo — shaped by his shaved head and cauliflower ears — did little to warm her to the sport or its practitioners. Over time, the three became close friends, and the pair extended an invitation for her to train with them. She declined, her reservations still firmly in place.

The turning point arrived during a summer holiday in Garopaba, a coastal town in the state of Santa Catarina. On three separate occasions, strangers asked whether she practiced Jiu-Jitsu. After denying it twice, she answered affirmatively on the third — partly to project confidence. The moment left a lasting impression. Upon returning to Caxias do Sul, she decided to step onto the mats for the first time.

Her debut class was an uncomfortable one. The physical intimacy of grappling and the absence of other women made her feel out of place, and she resolved not to return. When Rodrigo Dias and Patricia Furlanetto learned of her hesitation, they responded with a gesture that would alter the course of her life: they opened a women-only class specifically to make her feel welcome. On March 23, 2001, Caroline de Lazzer attended that session and began taking Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu seriously.

De Lazzer's foundational training was shaped by Rodrigo Dias and Patricia Furlanetto, who introduced her to the technical and competitive dimensions of the sport. Her formal belt progression, however, was overseen by two figures of considerable standing in the BJJ world: Zé Mario Sperry, a widely respected black belt and pioneer of the sport, and Walter Mattos, a black belt under Sergio Penha. Every belt promotion — from the early ranks through to black belt — was awarded by this pair, reflecting the rigorous and principled environment in which she developed.

Her black belt was awarded after she completed her 25th birthday, a milestone that underscored the high standards maintained by her instructors. The progression to that rank was backed by a consistent record of elite competitive results at every stage.

A Medal at Every Rank

At blue belt, de Lazzer earned a bronze medal at the IBJJF World Championships in 2003. A year later at purple belt, she stepped onto the podium again with a silver medal at the 2004 IBJJF World Championships. The most emphatic statement of her pre-black belt career came in 2006, when she claimed the world title at brown belt at the IBJJF World Championships and added a World Cup title at the same belt level through the CBJJO — a remarkable double in a single year.

Her transition to black belt competition brought no decline in performance. She secured a bronze medal at the 2009 IBJJF World Championships and a silver medal at the 2010 IBJJF World Championships, confirming her standing among the elite in the Peso Médio (69kg) division across the full span of her competitive career.

Alongside her rise through the BJJ ranks, Caroline de Lazzer cultivated a parallel career in wrestling that brought her to the highest levels of the sport in a remarkably short time. Her athletic foundation and competitive drive translated naturally to the wrestling mat, earning her a place on the Brazilian National Wrestling Team on multiple occasions.

International Wrestling Medals and Multi-Sport Excellence

In 2006 — the same year she won the BJJ World Championship at brown belt — she delivered two standout international wrestling results: a silver medal at the South American Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a silver medal at the Pan American Championships. The breadth and simultaneity of these achievements across two distinct grappling disciplines speak to her exceptional athleticism and competitive range.

Her presence on the international wrestling stage continued into 2007, when she represented Brazil at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro and competed as a member of the Brazilian National Team at an event in Baku, Azerbaijan. Her involvement in pre-Olympic selection processes further underlined her standing in the sport, having been part of the pre-Olympic squad during both the Athens 2004 and Beijing cycles.

In no-gi submission grappling, she also demonstrated elite ability, finishing as runner-up at the ADCC Brazilian Trials in 2007 — a result that placed her among the top competitors in the country in that format.

In September 2009, Caroline de Lazzer accepted a position as an expert coach in the United Arab Emirates, marking a significant transition in both her career and her country of representation. Relocating to the UAE, she took on responsibility for introducing BJJ to teenagers and children through the local school system, where the sport forms part of the official activities curriculum — a reflection of the UAE's institutional commitment to grappling arts.

In addition to her work with young students, de Lazzer was entrusted with training the female armed forces regiment, a role that speaks to the level of institutional and governmental confidence placed in her expertise. Her affiliation shifted to the Emirates Team, representing the UAE in her competitive and professional capacity from that point onward.

Her relocation to the Middle East exemplifies the broader international expansion of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu during the late 2000s, a period in which qualified Brazilian coaches were increasingly sought by emerging BJJ programs around the world. De Lazzer's combination of elite competitive credentials across BJJ and wrestling, paired with her teaching experience, made her a natural fit for the demands of the UAE program.