Luanna in final against Bia / Photo: John Lamonica
Luanna Alzuguir is still one of the main female competitors on the current Jiu-Jitsu scene following her win at weight and open weight alongside teammate Gabi Garcia at the last Pan. At the Abu Dhabi World Pro, however, there was no way to double up in the open division, as there was no absolute for the ladies. The two black belts did dominate their divisions, though. Now Luanna is getting ready to compete in Italy. Check out the conversation she had with GRACIEMAG.com.
What did you think of your performance and the event as a whole?
It was a very hard-fought tournament with really tough competitors. Truly world class. I’d been going strong in training since early in the year – and that certainly made the difference. With the shortened match duration we have to be really strategical and in good shape for a short and intense bout.
Were there any matches that were particularly difficult for you?
I had four matches. But the one that sticks out was my second, against Ida. I have an injury that bothered me a lot during that match. I was nearly crying from pain after it. I was really pleased how I was able to overcome. It wasn’t easy!
Tell us about your final with Beatriz Mesquita?
The final wasn’t the liveliest of matches. Although she was trying the whole time, Bia plays a kind of staller’s game, and that made the match kind of slow, which I don’t like but have to know how to deal with. We’ve fought each other five times and will certainly face each other again in the future.
What are your goals now?
My goals now are the championship in Italy in May (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Professional Cup), the Worlds in June, and the ADCC in September.