Jessica Flowers

Born Jessica Oliveira on January 23, 1992, in Manaus, Brazil, Jessica Flowers arrived at Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu through a winding path that first led her through the world of striking. Introduced to martial arts at 15 via Muay Thai, she soon transitioned into wrestling before finding her home on the jiu-jitsu mats around 2009 — each discipline adding a layer to the well-rounded grappler she would become.

Her early relationship with jiu-jitsu was not one of immediate passion. Flowers has acknowledged that she did not enjoy the sport in its initial stages, yet she recognized something more important than personal preference — its effectiveness. That pragmatic understanding kept her committed to training when others might have walked away. She developed her game at the world-renowned A.S.L.E. (Associação Sensei de Lutas Esportivas) club in Manaus under head coach Henrique Machado, an institution long regarded as one of Brazil's premier grappling academies. The club's lineage speaks for itself, having produced high-profile athletes such as Ronaldo Souza and Ary Farias — a tradition of excellence that shaped Flowers from the very beginning.

Dominating the Brown Belt Division

Jessica Flowers built one of the most decorated brown belt careers in modern competitive jiu-jitsu. She captured IBJJF World Championship gold in both gi and no-gi formats, added IBJJF European Open and CBJJ Brazilian Nationals titles to her résumé, and — perhaps most remarkably — earned a silver medal at the ADCC World Championship in 2015 while still competing below the black belt threshold. That ADCC result, achieved at one of submission grappling's most elite and format-agnostic events, announced the caliber of athlete she had become long before her formal elevation to the sport's highest rank.

Relocation and Black Belt Promotion

As jiu-jitsu drew Flowers beyond Brazil's borders, she made regular trips to the United States to compete on the IBJJF circuit. In 2015, she made the decision to relocate to America, establishing herself at Orlando Sanchez's gym — an environment that proved transformative in more ways than one. It was there that she met the person who would become her husband, and following their marriage she adopted his surname, transitioning from Jessica Oliveira to Jessica Flowers.

Her black belt promotion carried a personal significance that matched its athletic weight. Henrique Machado, her coach from A.S.L.E., traveled from Brazil to the United States specifically to award Flowers her black belt on December 21, 2016 — a ceremony that honored both her achievements and the enduring bond between athlete and coach.

Establishing Elite Status

Flowers wasted little time making her mark at the black belt level, proving that her brown belt dominance was a preview of sustained elite performance rather than a peak. In 2017, she claimed gold at the IBJJF Pan Championship — one of the sport's most competitive gi events on the international calendar — and followed that with an IBJJF No-Gi World Championship title that same year. She returned to claim a second IBJJF No-Gi World Championship in 2019, establishing herself as one of the foremost no-gi competitors in her weight class across a multi-year span.

International Reach and ADCC Credentials

Her success extended well beyond no-gi competition and a single continent. In 2020, Flowers added the IBJJF European Open to her black belt portfolio, confirming her consistency across different formats and international venues. Her ADCC credentials — a silver medal in 2015 followed by a bronze medal at the 2017 ADCC World Championship — further cemented her standing in submission grappling, a discipline that draws elite wrestlers, judoka, and grapplers from across combat sports.

Competing in the Meio Pesado division (74 kg / 163.5 lbs), Flowers represents the United States in international competition, reflecting the personal and professional roots she established upon relocating from Brazil. At the black belt level, she competes under the banner of Gracie Barra, one of the largest and most globally recognized jiu-jitsu organizations in the sport. Her career stands as a testament to disciplined development — from a reluctant beginner in Manaus to a multiple-time world champion competing on jiu-jitsu's biggest stages.