Claudia do Val

Claudia do Val is a professional grappler and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt as well as one of the top representatives of the Soul Fighters Association in the sport’s international circuit, a team she joined in 2019 after years representing the DLR squad. Do Val is also one of the rare cases in BJJ of someone who did not compete extensively while climbing the ranks of this martial art, but still conquered her space as one of the top grapplers of her generation.

Claudia do Val Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Claudia Fernanda Onofre V. do Val

Nickname: “Claudinha” an affectionate way of saying Claudia in Portuguese.

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlson Gracie > Ricardo De La Riva > Claudia do Val

Main Achievements:

1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2017 / 2018 / 2019 / 2020)
1st Place IBJJF Masters World Championship (2018** / 2019)
1st Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2018)
1st Place IBJJF South American Championship (2016)
1st Place IBJJF South Brazilian Championship (2016**)
1st Place IBJJF Asian Open (2018)
1st Place IBJJF European Open (2018)
1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2017 / 2018)
1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals NoGi (2019)
1st Place IBJJF British Nationals (2017**)
1st Place IBJJF British Nationals NoGi (2017 / 2018)
1st Place IBJJF Spanish Nationals (2017** / 2018**)
1st Place IBJJF Spanish Nationals NoGi (2017** / 2018)
1st Place IBJJF Floripa Fall Open (2017)
1st Place IBJJF Salvador Open (2017)
1st Place UAEJJF Petrópolis Pro (2016)
1st Place IBJJF Rio Winter Open (2016**)
1st Place IBJJF Sao Paulo BJJ Pro (2016)
1st Place NAGA Rio de Janeiro (2016)
2nd Place IBJJF World Championship No-Gi (2018)
2nd Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2017)
3rd Place IBJJF European Open (2017* / 2018* / 2019*)
3rd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2018*)
3rd Place UAEJJF Grand Slam, Rio de Janeiro (2016)
3rd Place UAEJJF Grand Slam, Tokyo (2018)
3rd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2017*)
3rd Place IBJJF Floripa Fall Open (2017*)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2016 brown)
1st Place IBJJF European Open Champion (2016 brown)
3rd Place IBJJF European Open Championship (2016* brown)

* Absolute
** Weight and absolute

Weight Division: Peso Pesado (79,30 kg / 175.0 lbs)

Favorite Position/Technique: Triangle Choke

Team/Association: Soul Fighters

Claudia do Val Biography

Claudia do Val was born on June 1st, 1988 in Resende – a municipality in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro, being raised in nearby Penedo.

At the age of 18, Claudia started taking judo lessons, becoming highly engaged with that sport. With the passing of time, do Val decided to add jiu-jitsu to her weekly training routine as a way to improve her skills on the ground, and better her overall judo game.

Do Val was 21 years old when she started jiu-jitsu with the well known Ricardo De La Riva. The love for the submission game quickly took over her judo aspirations, and soon Claudia became fully focused on BJJ.

Although Claudia competed in jiu-jitsu 3 times as a white belt, and once as a blue belt, her focus was not in competition, and she quickly removed herself from that element of the sport to carry out her training as a hobbyist. That changed as a brown belt, when she returned to the tournament scene (2015), immediately making her mark in the division.

After remarkable wins at the World Championship, European Open and Rio Winter Open (double gold) that year, Claudia do Val was awarded her black belt by De La Riva. The promotion taking place on December 17, 2016.

Original cover photo by Maggie Left.

Claudia Do Val Match Rio Summer Open 2016