Emily Kwok

Emily Kwok (born 5 October 1980) is a Canadian submission grappler and 3rd degree black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) instructor. A former mixed martial arts (MMA) competitor with a perfect record, Kwok is the first Canadian woman to receive a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the first to become World Champion.[1] As one of the first women to rise to prominence, Kwok is widely regarded as an early pioneer of the BJJ scene in North America.

Emily Kwok
Born (1980-10-05) 5 October 1980[1]
Aomori, Japan
NationalityCanadian[2]
DivisionMiddleweight
StyleBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu
TeamPrinceton Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Princeton BJJ – Marcelo Garcia[1]
TrainerMarcelo Garcia
Rank3rd Deg. BJJ black belt
Mixed martial arts record
Total1
Wins1
By decision1
Losses0
OccupationBJJ instructor, consultant
Websiteemilykwok[3]
princetonbjj
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
World Championship
Gold medal – first place 2007 California, USA -69 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2010 California, USA -69 kg
Pan-American Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2012 California, USA -69 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2008 California, USA -69 kg
American Nationals Championship
Gold medal – first place 2009 California, USA -69 kg
Silver medal – second place 2009 California, USA Open Class
World No-GI Championship
Silver medal – second place 2011 California, USA -66.5 kg
Gold medal – first place 2010 California, USA -66.5 kg
Silver medal – second place 2007 California, USA -66.5 kg
World Master Championship
Gold medal – first place 2018 Las Vegas, USA -69 kg
European Master Championship
Gold medal – first place 2023 Paris, France -69 kg

Career

Emily R. Kwok was born on 5 October 1980, in Aomori, Japan, from a Japanese mother and a Chinese father, when she was just a baby her family immigrated to Canada. During her late teens in Vancouver Kwok discovered Sambo then started training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) in 2001, complemented by Wing Chun and kickboxing, before moving to New York city.[4] She received her blue belt from Renzo Gracie, purple from Takashi Ouchi and brown and black belt from Ricardo Almeida.[1] As a brown belt in the brown/black category, Kwok won the 2007 final defeating black belt Luciana Dias with a score of 17—0[4] becoming the middleweight World Champion. Kwok became the first Canadian woman to receive a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and in 2007 the first to become Brazilian jiu-jitsu World Champion[lower-alpha 1].[6]

Throughout her competitive career Kwok also fought has an amateur and professional MMA fighter for the Smackgirl organisation in Korea and Japan.[7] Affiliated with Marcelo Garcia, Kwok founded Princeton BJJ with Art Keintz in 2010 in Princeton, New Jersey where she trains and teaches, she has also been an early organizer of Women's Grappling Camp. Kwok has been called "a legend ahead of her time"[8] and is widely regarded as a true BJJ pioneer paving the way for women in the sport.[9][10] In 2018 she won the World Master Championship in Las Vegas.[11] In April 2022 Kwok returned to competition winning gold at the 2022 Pan Championship in the Master 3 / middleweight division.[12] Kwok won gold in January at the 2023 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu European Championship competing in Master 3 / middleweight division.[13]

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitive summary

Main Achievements:[1]

  • IBJJF World Champion (2007)[5]
  • IBJJF World No-GI Champion (2010)[14]
  • 2nd Place IBJJF World No-GI Championship (2007 / 2011)[15][16]
  • 2nd Place IBJJF American Nationals Championship (2009[lower-alpha 2])
  • 3rd place IBJJF World Champion (2010)[17]
  • 3rd Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2008, 2012)[18][19]

Instructor lineage

Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr. > Renzo Gracie > Ricardo Almeida > Emily Kwok[1]

Notes
  1. in the brown/black category[5]
  2. Absolute

References
  1. "Emily Kwok". BJJ Heroes. 2015-08-31.
  2. "Emily Kwok – BJJ " MMA". Awakening Fighters. 2022-03-25.
  3. https://www.emilykwok.com/
  4. Spragins, E. (2010). What I Know Now About Success: Letters from Extraordinary Women to Their Younger Selves. Hachette Books. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-7867-4601-9.
  5. "World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2007". World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2007.
  6. Dean, A. (2021). Seconds Out: Women and Fighting. Coach House Books. p. 125. ISBN 978-1-77056-666-8.
  7. "Interview with Emily Kwok: Leading the Way for Women in BJJ". Breaking Muscle. 2012-12-19.
  8. "Emily Kwok: A Legend Ahead of Her Time". BJJ Legends Magazine – Training Tomorrows Legends Today. 2019-02-06.
  9. "BJJ: Women Who Paved the Way Top 8". Jiu-Jitsu Times. 2016-04-07.
  10. "World Champion Emily Kwok To Host Donation-Based Online Workshops For BJJ Beginners". Jiu-Jitsu Times. 2020-04-30.
  11. "International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation 2018 Masters". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  12. "International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation -". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  13. "IBJJF Euros 2023". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  14. "World Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi IBJJF Championship 2010". World Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi IBJJF Championship 2010.
  15. "World Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi IBJJF Championship 2007". World Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi IBJJF Championship 2007.
  16. "World Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi IBJJF Championship 2011". World Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi IBJJF Championship 2011.
  17. "World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2010". World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2010.
  18. "Pan Ibjjf Jiu-jitsu Championship 2012". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  19. "Pan Ibjjf Jiu-jitsu Championship 2008". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
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