Former UFC strawweight contender Claudia Gadelha recently had the opportunity to visit Quantico to train FBI agents in jiu-jitsu, and the experience left a lasting impression on the Brazilian star.
“It was amazing,” Gadelha said during a recent UFC BJJ press conference. “One of the best experiences in my life.”
For Gadelha, the trip carried a personal weight. Before carving out her career as a professional athlete, she had entirely different ambitions growing up in Brazil.
“Before getting into the UFC, I went to college in Brazil because I wanted to be an agent,” she said. “I wanted to be in the special forces, and Dana White ended up saying yes to women in the UFC, so that’s the path I ended up following.”
That path led to a decorated career in mixed martial arts, including multiple matches for the strawweight title. But the visit to Quantico gave her a glimpse into the life she once imagined for herself.
“Being able to experience some of the things I was dreaming as a kid, it was amazing,” Gadelha said. “Being able to hang out with such a great professional team out there with the FBI, it was just a life-changing experience.”
When asked whether she witnessed firsthand how martial arts translates into real-world law enforcement situations, Gadelha said it was evident throughout the entire visit.
FBI agents are trained to de-escalate potentially dangerous encounters, and she saw clearly how grappling fits into that framework.
“All the time,” she said. “I think jiu-jitsu helped them a lot. Of course they have weapons around their body that they have to watch out for so people don’t grab it, but it’s all about jiu-jitsu on the ground.”
The practical application, she explained, comes down to control.
“If you know how to defend your weapon and be able to dominate somebody, it’s all about jiu-jitsu on the ground,” she said. “I was able to see what they train already and how much the UFC can add to their lives, and it’s a lot. This is a great partnership for the FBI and the UFC.”
Gadelha described the partnership between the martial arts world and federal law enforcement as something with real value on both sides.
