Thamires Aquino - Featherweight BJJ Black Belt

Thamires Aquino was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on September 6, 1994. Aquino is a top-ranked featherweight BJJ competitor who has won many championships in her weight division. Aquino has won many medals in the world’s most important tournaments, making her the best female athlete of her generation.  Aquino started martial arts at the age of 11. Now, she is a black belt athlete under Master Julio Cesar Pereira.

Aquino grew up in an athletic environment that aligned her childhood with several athletic activities.

Aquino is the twin sister of a famous BJJ fighter, Jhenifer Aquino. Aquino grew up with her sister and got into many athletic activities after being inspired by her.

In 2005, at the tender age of 11, Aquino was introduced to the Brazilian martial art, capoeira, which involves kicking techniques. Aquino practiced capoeira for some years and then left it.

In 2008, at the age of 14, Aquino had her first contact with jiu-jitsu while visiting her mother’s gym, where jiu-jitsu training sessions were also offered. This piques Aquino’s interest in the gentle art, leading her to participate in a few trial classes. Aquino immediately took a liking for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and started training as a white belt.

Aquino started her jiu-jitsu training in her mother’s gym, under the tutelage of Andre Ricardo de Silva, who is well-known as “Garapa” in the jiu-jitsu world.

Aquino got her blue belt from Andre Garapa, and this achievement helped Aquino compete in the jiu-jitsu circuit for the first time at this belt level. In 2016, Aquino shared her experience after competing for the first time in an interview in the following words:

Aquino needed a more competitive training environment to unleash her full potential and to rise as an athlete. So, she moved to Cia Paulista’s headquarters, where she trained under Garapa’s head coach, Max Trombini.

Aquino got to the purple belt under Max Trombini. As a purple belt, Aquino built an even more potent team.

After building a more substantial game as a purple belt, Aquino moved to Rio de Janeiro in Meyer to get training at GF Team's headquarters. On June 3, 2015, Aquino achieved another milestone in her BJJ journey, the brown belt rank.

On June 6, 2016, Aquino was promoted to the black belt level at the GF Team. Immediately after being promoted to black belt, Aquino competed in two international championships, The South American Championship, and the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam-Rio de Janeiro, and won two critical titles in her first six months as a black belt.

Aquino competed in various BJJ Championships, both as a colored and a black belt. She won medals in many IBJJF Championships as a colored belt and many UAEJJF Championships as a black belt.

Aquino competed with Brenda Wunner at the IBJJF Dallas Open 2023 in the black belt, light-featherweight division. Aquino scored the first two points by applying pressure and taking Wunner down. As Wunner tried to escape, Aquino gained two more points for taking Wunner’s back. Aquino got another four points for applying the Berimbolo technique. In the end, Aquino submitted Wunner using her guillotine technique.

Aquino faced Vanderlucia Barbosa in the 2017 Brazilian Nationals, in the black belt light-featherweight division. Aquino dominated her opponent from the start of the match. In a quick fight, Aquino defeated Vanderlucia with the choke technique.

Aquino faced Patricia Machado at the 2019 IBJJF Dallas Spring Open in the black belt, light-featherweight division. After a long and intense fight, Aquino submitted her opponent using the choke technique.

Thamires Aquino v Maria Tozoni / Oklahoma City Open 2023

Thamires Aquino VS Maybelline Masuda / Las Vegas Open 2019

Thamires Aquino v Brenda Wunner / Dallas Open 2023

Jessa Khan v Thamires Aquino / Pan Championship 2022

Photo Credit: @thamiresaquinojj