Hannette Staack

Hannette Staack was born on February 7, 1979, in São Luís do Maranhão, Brazil, and relocated to Rio de Janeiro at the age of two, where she spent her formative years. Her path to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu began later than many elite competitors — she did not step onto the mats until age 18. Her initial training was conducted under Fernando Cruz and Master Flavio Figueiredo, with Cruz awarding her both her blue and purple belts.

When Fernando Cruz stopped teaching, Staack continued her development under André Terêncio, known within the BJJ community as "Negão." Terêncio played a pivotal role in sharpening her technical foundation and molding her into the competitor she would become. Beyond the coach-athlete relationship, he became her greatest source of inspiration and eventual husband — a bond that would define both her personal life and her professional legacy in the sport.

Hannette Staack's ascent through the women's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ranks is defined by a sustained run of championship success spanning nearly a decade at the IBJJF World Championship. Her first major title arrived in 2002, when she captured gold in the women's purple/brown/black belt combined division — an early signal of the championship-level talent she possessed.

At the black belt level, her dominance only deepened. Staack claimed IBJJF World Championship gold in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011, accumulating eight IBJJF World Championship titles across all divisions — a figure confirmed by her official website and one that places her among the most decorated female competitors in IBJJF history. The 2007 season proved particularly exceptional, as she added the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship to her gi world title, demonstrating elite versatility across both formats.

Her IBJJF résumé extends well beyond gold medals. Runner-up finishes at the IBJJF Worlds in 2006 and 2014 bookend her peak competitive years, while bronze medal performances at the 2005 and 2013 IBJJF World Championships further underscore a consistency that few competitors in the women's divisions have ever matched.

If Staack's IBJJF record establishes her as one of the greatest female gi competitors of all time, her ADCC World Championship performances cement that legacy in no-gi grappling with equal force. Across her ADCC career, she captured three World Championship titles — two weight division golds and one absolute gold — making her the defining female no-gi grappler of her era.

2007: The Historic Double

At the 2007 ADCC World Championship, Staack accomplished a historic double by winning both the weight division and the absolute division at the same event. The absolute final against Rosangela Conceição stands as one of the most memorable moments of her career and among the most iconic sequences in women's grappling history: Staack secured victory with a spectacular flying armbar — a finish that has since become synonymous with her competitive identity and technical boldness.

2009 and Beyond

She returned to the top step of the ADCC podium at the 2009 ADCC World Championship, claiming the weight division title and confirming that her 2007 dominance was no isolated performance. In 2011, Staack finished as ADCC runner-up, demonstrating continued elite-level presence across multiple ADCC cycles. Her three ADCC titles across two weight division golds and one absolute gold represent one of the most complete ADCC résumés in the history of women's grappling.

Beyond her competitive achievements, Hannette Staack has invested deeply in building a lasting institutional presence in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Alongside her husband André Terêncio and Carlos Henrique, she co-founded the Brazil 021 School of Jiu-Jitsu — a team whose name pays homage to the Rio de Janeiro area code, honoring the team's Brazilian roots while operating on an international scale.

Staack and Terêncio established two academies in Chicago, Illinois, bringing the Brazil 021 system to the United States and cultivating a competitive community around their methodology. The team's reach extends beyond individual academy locations through a broader association model, and Staack conducts regular seminars to share her championship-level technical expertise with practitioners across all experience levels.

The community-building work extends well beyond the gym floor. Staack and Terêncio operate a non-profit association in Rio de Janeiro that connects underprivileged children with jiu-jitsu, using the sport as a vehicle for personal development and opportunity. The program has produced competitive talent — including Kristin Mikkelson, Kristen Martin, and purple belt Vinicius da Silva Pereira — all of whom have carried the Brazil 021 ethos onto the competition circuit.

After nearly four and a half years away from competition, Hannette Staack returned to the circuit at the SJJIF World Championship on October 27, 2018. Her decision to return was motivated in part by reading Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, a book that reinforced a growth-oriented philosophy toward competition and personal development.

Staack finished as SJJIF World Championship runner-up in 2018 — a creditable result after an extended competitive absence. She used the platform of her return to draw attention to a concern that extends beyond her own performance: the low turnout in the female division at the SJJIF Worlds. Despite equal prize money being offered for men and women, Staack expressed disappointment at the participation gap and publicly committed to leading by example to strengthen women's presence in grappling competitions.

Her willingness to speak openly about gender equity in competitive jiu-jitsu reflects an advocacy role that complements her achievements on the mat. Staack positions herself not only as a competitor, but as a standard-bearer for what women's grappling can and should be.

Hannette Staack expanded her competitive footprint beyond grappling by pursuing a mixed martial arts career, applying her elite submission grappling credentials to the broader arena of combat sports. Her MMA journey took a notable step forward on March 21, 2025, when she competed at Shooto Brasil 128, submitting Jaqueline Ferreira to secure a decisive victory.

The Shooto Brasil 128 win moved Staack's MMA record to 3 wins and 1 loss — a reflection of a legitimate and active presence in MMA rather than a ceremonial crossover appearance. Her ability to compete at this level speaks to the athletic longevity and competitive drive that have defined her career across multiple decades and disciplines. The transition to MMA represents a continuation of the same ethos that drove her to eight IBJJF World titles and three ADCC championships: a commitment to testing herself at the highest available level of competition.

The full weight of Hannette Staack's career is perhaps best captured by her induction into the IBJJF Hall of Fame — one of the sport's most prestigious honors and a formal acknowledgment of her transformative contributions to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Widely regarded as one of the greatest female BJJ competitors of all time, her record spans multiple decades of elite-level performance across gi, no-gi, and MMA competition.

Her nickname "Nette" became widely recognized within the BJJ community, adopted informally because Hannette is an uncommon name. The less common nickname "Tin," used primarily by her mother, reflects the human dimension behind the championship résumé. Staack maintains an active presence in the BJJ community through her Instagram accounts @hannettestaack and @brazil021chicagohq, connecting with practitioners and continuing to advocate for the sport she has helped shape.

The totality of her legacy — eight IBJJF World Championship titles, three ADCC World Championship titles, a No-Gi World Championship, IBJJF Hall of Fame induction, an active MMA record, two academies in Chicago, and a non-profit program serving underprivileged youth in Rio de Janeiro — places Hannette Staack among the most accomplished and influential women in the history of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.