But why?
Standing 6 feet tall and weighing approximately 235 pounds, Gabi Garcia competes primarily in openweight and heavyweight divisions, earning her the nickname “The General” due to her commanding presence.
In a post on Instagram, Karate Combat officials asked: “@gabigarciaofficial says she’s ready to fight in the pit! Who wants to see this?! 😍”
One user immediately replied: “It’s called Karate Combat, so why bring in BJJ specialists when they have their own competitions? She’s great at BJJ, but I haven’t found any records of her doing karate, just some MMA that shouldn’t legitimize her. She’s made for judo and BJJ, not karate fighting… 🙏”
Garcia is widely regarded as the most successful female BJJ competitor ever, with a record of dominance in black belt tournaments.
Gabi Garcia’s major achievements include:
9x IBJJF World Champion (black belt, including multiple open weight titles)
11x IBJJF Pan American Champion
8x world professional champion in Abu Dhabi
4x ADCC World Champion (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 in +60 kg/open class)
Inducted into the IBJJF Hall of Fame
She won her first major adult titles as a brown belt and maintained an undefeated streak until 2021, when she suffered her first defeat by decision against Nathiely de Jesus at Who’s Number One (WNO). In 2014, she tested positive for anabolic steroids and was stripped of her 2013 titles, but she bounced back strongly afterward. As of 2025, she remains active in competitions and recently participated in the CJJ Invitational.
Garcia transitioned to MMA in 2015, signing with Japan’s RIZIN Fighting Federation. Her professional record stands at 6-0 (1 no contest), with all wins coming via first-round stoppages via strikes or submissions. Notable fights include wins over Lei’d Tapa and Barbara Nepomuceno.
She had a brief foray into shoot boxing in 2017, which ended in a no-contest due to illegal kicks.
Garcia’s professional MMA record stands at 6-0 with her last fight coming in 2018.
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