Emily Kwok

Emily Kwok (born 5 October 1980) is a Canadian submission grappler. A 3rd degree black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) instructor and former mixed martial arts (MMA) competitor, Kwok is the first Canadian woman to receive a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the first to become world champion. She received her blue belt from Renzo Gracie, purple from Takashi Ouchi, and brown and black belt from Ricardo Almeida.

Throughout her competitive career, Kwok also fought has an amateur and professional MMA fighter for the Smackgirl organisation in Korea and Japan. 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" and is widely regarded as a pioneer, paving the way for women in the sport. In 2018, she won the World Master Championship in Las Vegas. In April 2022, Kwok returned to competition winning gold at the 2022 Pan Championship in the Master 3 / middleweight division. Kwok won gold in January at the 2023 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu European Championship competing in Master 3 / middleweight division.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitive summary Main Achievements: 2nd Place IBJJF World No-GI Championship (2007 / 2011) 2nd Place IBJJF American Nationals Championship (2009) 3rd place IBJJF World Champion (2010) 3rd Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2008, 2012)

Instructor lineage Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr. > Renzo Gracie > Ricardo Almeida > Emily Kwok