Who Is Bia Mesquita? Ten-Time World Champion Makes Statement in UFC Rio Debut
Beatriz Bia Mesquita announced herself to the mixed martial arts world in emphatic fashion at UFC Rio on Saturday, October 11, 2025, submitting veteran Irina Alekseeva with a second-round rear-naked choke at the Farmasi Arena. The 34-year-old Brazilian showed why her transition from grappling icon to cage fighter has generated such excitement across combat sports circles.
Who Is Bia Mesquita?
Mesquita brings credentials that few fighters can match to the UFC bantamweight division. She holds the Guinness World Record for most individual IBJJF World Championship gold medals by a female competitor, with an unprecedented 10 titles earned between 2012 and 2021. Her comprehensive Brazilian jiu-jitsu resume includes 24 black belt titles across the four major gi championships, plus victories in ADCC competition and membership in the IBJJF Hall of Fame.
The performance against Alekseeva showcased the dominant grappling skills that made Mesquita a household name in competitive jiu-jitsu. After a measured first minute, Mesquita closed the distance and secured a takedown directly into mount position. She controlled the Russian fighter throughout the opening round, landing punishing ground-and-pound strikes that bloodied her opponent and had the referee considering a stoppage.
Round two followed a similar pattern. Mesquita executed another clean takedown and quickly advanced to mount before transitioning to back control. The rear-naked choke came at 2:14 of the second round, forcing Alekseeva to tap and giving Mesquita her first UFC victory.
The victory extends Mesquita’s perfect professional MMA record to 6-0, with five finishes across her short but impressive career. She made her professional debut just 16 months ago in June 2024 and captured the LFA women’s bantamweight championship in her fifth professional fight this past June. Her rapid rise through the regional circuit earned her a UFC contract in July 2025.
Training at American Top Team in Florida since September 2023, Mesquita has worked alongside current bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison and other elite fighters to develop her striking and overall MMA game. The transition from pure grappling to mixed martial arts represented a significant career shift for someone who had dominated Brazilian jiu-jitsu competition for over a decade.
Mesquita’s jiu-jitsu journey began at age five under legendary instructor Leticia Ribeiro in Rio de Janeiro. She quickly established herself as a prodigy, winning Brazilian national junior championships by age 10 and earning her black belt in 2011. Her competitive achievements include a notable 64-second submission victory over current UFC strawweight contender Mackenzie Dern in 2017, which first sparked discussions about her potential move to MMA.
The UFC debut performance earned Mesquita a Performance of the Night bonus alongside main event winner Charles Oliveira. Speaking after the fight, she emphasized her readiness to remain active and build momentum in the bantamweight division. Her post-fight interview highlighted her gratitude for debuting in her home country and her eagerness to continue climbing the UFC rankings.
For Alekseeva, the loss marked her third consecutive defeat and potentially jeopardized her position on the UFC roster. The 35-year-old veteran, known as “Russian Ronda,” struggled to find answers for Mesquita’s grappling pressure and ground control throughout the contest.
Mesquita’s arrival in the UFC adds another elite grappler to a bantamweight division already featuring accomplished grapplers like Harrison and former champion Juliana Pena. Her combination of world-class jiu-jitsu skills, improving striking, and championship mentality positions her as a potential title contender despite beginning her MMA career relatively late at age 33.
The performance at UFC Rio demonstrated that Mesquita’s legendary grappling skills translate effectively to mixed martial arts competition. With her perfect record intact and a successful Octagon debut complete, she appears poised to make a significant impact in one of the UFC’s most competitive divisions.
