On July 2nd, 5-time IBJJF black belt world champion, Talita Alencar (0-0), is set to make her professional MMA debut at Titan FC 70 in Miami, FL.
Alencar is set to face Staci Vega (0-1) in the lone women's strawweight bout on the Titan FC 70 card. Although the world class Jiu-Jitsu practitioner respects her opponent, she expects a finish come July 2nd.
"I'm not cocky, I'm aware," she said. "I will finish her."
At 30-years-old, it made a ton of sense for Alencar to make the jump from jiu-jitsu to MMA. She will provide problems with her grappling skills for just about any strawweight on the planet and it starts with her debilitating pressure. Alencar prides herself on being aggressive in her fights or matches. This is one of the main reasons she decided to get into MMA.
"I love to be aggressive," Alencar explained. "Even if I beat you in jiu-jitsu, I can't punch you in the face."
Growing up Alencar was always involved in some sort of athletic activity. She started swimming at age 4, which sparked her interest in being a triathlete and competing in triathlons. After pursuing her goal of being a triathlete for over six years, along with skating and surfing, she started seriously training Jiu-Jitsu around age 10.
As the years progressed she went on to train with some of the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu coaches and teams in the world; GF Team, Theodoro Canal and Julio Cesar Pereira to name a few. After making her mark on the IBJJF scene in 2012, placing 2nd at the IBJJF Rio Open as a blue belt, it was clear she was a force in the sport. A year later she got her first IBJJF tournament victory as a blue belt at the 2013 IBJJF Rio Open. From 2014-2016 she won three more IBJJF tournaments as a purple and brown belt and placed in four more.
She earned her black belt in 2016 and won her first IBJJF World Championship as a black belt that year as well. Following the early success, she won a total of five IBJJF world championships, a UAEJJF Grand Slam and a UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro. She also placed in seven more IBJJF and UAEJJF tournaments ranging from 2016-2020.
With this quality of a jiu-jitsu resume, it’s obvious people will question her decision to go to MMA. However, Alencar is way more than just a jiu-jitsu practitioner. Although she is known for her well-rounded jiu-jitsu game, she has enticing Judo skills and has been working on completing her MMA game with her team at American Combat Gym. She has private training sessions with multiple coaches and teammates that all have specific instructions for her.
As well as being a member of the ACG team she also is a manager and coach along with, UFC vet and Head Coach of American Combat Gym, Charles McCarthy. Some of her teammates include UFC featherweight Charles Rosa and Titan FC welterweight Rami Hamed.
It's safe to say Alencar seems ready for her debut with the team she has. With the skillset and resume she has, she will likely have the grappling advantage on July 2nd. One thing that shouldn't be slept on is her striking. She has worked tirelessly on developing her striking and American Combat Gym has quite the quality of muay Thai and kickboxing talent. She even had a few kickboxing matches of her own. After asking her how she will get the job done on July 2nd she confidently described how she will dominate the grappling exchanges and even have the chance to get a KO. However, no matter how the fight goes she expects a finish.
"It could be a fast finish," she explained. "But if she gives me more trouble I will finish her within two."
Talita Alencar making her MMA debut is not only a significant move for her, but also a huge statement for women's MMA in general. She will join the likes of Kayla Harrison and Claressa Shields, who made the transition from a sport they were dominant in to become a successful martial artist.
Overall, Alencar has everything needed to be successful in this sport; a strong background, a high-level team and the confidence of a true warrior. On July 2nd, Alencar looks to start a new chapter of her career off right with a dominant win over Staci Vega.
By: Coby Weinsier