Following UFC BJJ 10 at the UFC Apex, Claudia Gadelha declared that the promotion has become a turning point for the sport she has competed in for over two decades.
“UFC BJJ is the best thing that has happened to Jiu Jitsu,” Gadelha said during the press conference. “Seeing athletes making decisions to come here and really seeing them understanding the path they can go through to be able to one, be treated like a professional athlete and paid like a professional athlete.”
Gadelha said most jiu jitsu competitors have long trained and performed at a professional level without receiving professional compensation.
“I feel like most jiu-jitsu competitors are training and performing and doing everything in the best of their ability to be amazing athletes, but they were not getting paid to be the professionals. They are [now]. So UFC BJJ gives them this path and this vision to make money, to build a career, to build their brand.”
She pointed to the card itself as evidence, noting Andrew Tackett‘s continued rise.
“Everyone on the card was amazing tonight. We had six submissions out of eight matches. And we are the Jiu-Jitsu event that have the most submissions.”
Gadelha connected the promotion’s mission to her own path into MMA.
“If I go back 24 years ago when I started training jiu-jitsu, my goal was to be a jiu-jitsu competitor,” she said. “There was no money and no career path in jiu-jitsu other than competing, becoming the best in the world, and then making money, opening a gym, or teaching seminars.”
She said she turned to MMA because it offered a way to support her family, but wishes jiu jitsu alone could have done the same.
“How about if I had that chance in jiu-jitsu I would be so happy right… now we see Cassia Moura, she actually wants to compete in MMA. But if she didn’t, she’s making really good money here.”
Gadelha also discussed plans to grow the promotion through UFC BJJ Opens, with an eye toward Abu Dhabi and Brazil, and eventually pulling top regional talent into the main roster.
“We want to bring the best of the best, regardless of where they are,” she said, adding that athletes will “always, always, always perform the way they train,” which is why building a development pipeline matters as much as the main card itself.
