Alessandra Vieira

Alessandra "Leka" Vieira is a 6th degree black belt and one of the most accomplished female Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners in history. Born March 14, 1976 in Minas Gerais, Brazil, she began training BJJ in 1992 after a handball injury and earned her black belt in 1998. A legendary competitor, Leka is a 3x World Champion and 4x Pan American Champion, with her most recent Pan Am gold in 2019 where she submitted all opponents. She moved to the United States in 2001, became a US citizen in 2010, and opened Checkmat Valencia in 2014. In March 2022, Master Leo Vieira awarded her the 6th degree on her black belt, making her the highest-ranked female BJJ practitioner in the United States. Her professional attitude, passion, and aggressive style helped elevate the women's division in competitive BJJ.