Emma Xiong

Emma Xiong, also known by her Chinese name Xiong Yuxing, was born on November 23, 1991, in Hunan, China. Before discovering martial arts, she channeled her competitive drive into Latin Dancing — a discipline that cultivated the body awareness, rhythm, and spatial intelligence that would later translate directly to her movement on the mats. In 2014, she relocated to Singapore to pursue academic studies, a decision that would prove transformative for her athletic career.

Shortly after arriving in Singapore, Emma began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Fortitude BJJ under coach Vinc Tan. Her commitment to the sport was immediate and unmistakable — within two weeks of her first class, she stepped onto the competition mat, setting the tone for the relentless drive that would define her rapid rise through the ranks.

Emma Xiong's progression through the BJJ belt system stands as one of the most remarkable ascents in the sport's history across Asia. Under Vinc Tan at Fortitude BJJ, she earned every belt from white through brown, building a technical foundation through disciplined, high-volume training that yielded accelerated development at every stage.

The Influence of Letícia Ribeiro

A defining influence on Emma's growth was her admiration for Letícia Ribeiro, one of the most decorated female grapplers in BJJ history. Drawing inspiration from Ribeiro's approach to the sport, Emma incorporated freestyle wrestling into her training regimen — adding an athletically diverse, pressure-oriented dimension to her game that complemented her technical BJJ foundation and sharpened her competitive edge.

World Titles and the Black Belt Milestone

Her competitive record at the lower belt levels left no doubt about her readiness for the sport's highest rank. Emma captured the IBJJF World Championship title at purple belt in 2016 and repeated the feat at brown belt in 2017 — consecutive world-class performances that made a compelling case for elite recognition. On June 8, 2017, Letícia Ribeiro promoted Emma to black belt following her second IBJJF World title victory, completing her journey from white to black belt in just over three years — an exceptionally fast timeline by any measure.

With that promotion, Emma Xiong became the first female grappler from China to receive a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a historic milestone both for her personal legacy and for the growth of the sport across the region.

Throughout her lower belt career, Emma Xiong built an extensive and geographically diverse competitive record, performing consistently at the top of the Peso Galo division (48.5 kg / 107.0 lbs) across Asia and on the international stage.

Building an International Profile at Blue Belt

Her international presence took shape in 2015, when she claimed gold at tournaments in Malaysia and Bangkok, and secured victory at the 2015 FJJR Rio State Championship while competing in Brazil — an early signal that her ambitions extended well beyond the regional circuit. That same year, a silver medal at the AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro demonstrated her capacity to compete among the world's best at the blue belt level.

A Breakout Purple Belt Season

The 2016 season marked a significant leap forward. Emma captured gold at the 2016 IBJJF World Championship in the purple belt division, cementing her status as a world-class competitor. She also claimed the absolute title at the ASJJF Japan DUMAU Open and added a brown belt division title at the SJJIF LA National, showcasing her versatility across multiple competition formats. Later that year, a 3rd-place finish at the AJP Grand Slam in Tokyo further reinforced her standing in the international submission grappling community.

The Brown Belt World Title That Earned the Black Belt

The pinnacle of her pre-black belt career arrived at the 2017 IBJJF World Championship, where Emma won gold in the brown belt division — her second consecutive IBJJF world title. It was this victory that directly preceded Letícia Ribeiro's decision to award her the black belt, a recognition that Emma's technical mastery and competitive record had fully earned the sport's highest honor.