Tayane Porfirio received her black belt at the IBJJF 2016 World Jiu-Jitsu Championships after winning gold once again. The Alliance super heavyweight champion posted this lovely eulogy on her Instagram account. 

Exact five years and five months of jiu-jitsu. I remember perfectly the first day in which I went tot the gym, they didn’t have a gi for me! Haha, I managed to get a loose gi to train in and so I began. I said to the teacher that I wanted to loose weight, and so I went, until Children’s Day 2011 when I was promoted to blue belt. It was a special moment for me, I had never felt anything so magical, the perfect realization of something inside me. 

Time passed and I switched gyms and continued in search of my dreams, until January 17, 2013 when I won my first trials for Abu Dhabi. 

I thought, “Man I’m going to travel, I can’t believe it, I will get my passport”. I finally went on an airplane for the first time, a simple 14 hour direct flight! Time passed, on December 8, 2014 I was promoted to purple belt. 

In my head, I thought “Man, I’m a purple belt!” and I continued on my journey, dedicated myself to training, until because of some issues I moved gyms once again and joined one of the best teams in the world – Alliance. 

After this I began to know the world, I met the best teacher in the world, not only my teacher, but almost a father to me. 

And so he was my passport to the world, he helped and still helps me, until he told me “I’m going to make you a world champion, not just for me, but because of your force of will”. 

On May 29, 2015 I became jiu-jitsu world champion, and with this victory came the brown belt I desired so much. 

And so I went on, believing in my dreams and today – June 4, 2016 – I conquered my biggest dream, the back belt I waited for, that I was dreaming to receive from his hands. Sincerely, if it’s a dream I don’t want to wake up. 

Thank you Alexandre Paiva for being my teacher and a father, not forgetting Dani, for always motivating me. Thanks!