{{short description|Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner from England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use Oxford spelling|date=March 2022}} {{Infobox martial artist |name = Vanessa English |birth_name = |other_names = |nickname = ''Vanessita''<ref name="Awakening Fighters 2018">{{cite web | title=Vanessa English martial arts details| website=Awakening Fighters | date=2018-01-28 | url=https://awakeningfighters.com/athletes/vanessa-english}}</ref> |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1989|05|09}}<ref name="BJJ Heroes 2018">{{cite web | title=Vanessa English | website=BJJ Heroes | date=2018-07-26 | url=https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/vanessa-english}}</ref> | nationality = | team =Gracie Barra | occupation = | rank = ''BJJ black belt''{{efn|name=belt|under Victor Estima}} | trainer = Victor Estima, Gareth Neale | weight_class = GI Weight Classes * Super feather 53.5 kg * Featherweight 58.5 kg | style = Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | website = | medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry | {{ENG}} }} {{MedalSport | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu}} {{MedalCompetition | World Championship<ref name="World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2018">{{cite web | title=World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2018| website=International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation | url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/926/PublicResults}}</ref>}} {{MedalBronze | 2018 California, USA | -53.5 kg}} {{MedalCompetition | European Championship<ref name="European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2018">{{cite web | title=European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2018| website=International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation | url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/849/PublicResults}}</ref>}} {{MedalGold | 2018 Lisbon, Portugal | -53.5 kg}} {{MedalCompetition |Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour<ref name="Jiu-Jitsu Times 2017">{{cite web| title=Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour London results| website=Jiu-Jitsu Times| date=2017-03-19| url=https://jiujitsutimes.com/abu-dhabi-grand-slam-jiu-jitsu-world-tour-london| access-date=23 March 2022| archive-date=27 March 2023| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327111610/https://jiujitsutimes.com/abu-dhabi-grand-slam-jiu-jitsu-world-tour-london/| url-status=dead}}</ref>}} {{MedalGold | 2017 London, England | -55 kg}} }}
'''Vanessa English''' (born 9 May 1989), is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt competitor and instructor.{{efn|name=belt}} In coloured belt she is a multiple-time European champion, in both Gi and No-Gi, and is the first British-born Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor to win the IBJJF World Championships. English is a 2018 World Championship black belt medallist and the 2018 European Open black belt Champion.
== Career == Vanessa English was born on 9 May 1989 in King's Lynn, Norfolk, England. At the age of 16 she started Capoeira, followed by Japanese jujutsu, then in 2009 Brazilian jiu-jitsu at Gracie Barra Derby under Pat and Steven Martin; here she began competing as a white belt. In 2012 she moved to Nottingham at another Gracie Barra academy under Victor Estima and Gareth Neale.<ref name="Bjj Eastern Europe 2013">{{cite web | title=Interview with 2013 Purple Belt World BJJ Champ, The UK's Vanessa English | website=Bjj Eastern Europe | date=2013-06-14 | url=https://www.bjjee.com/interview/interview-with-2013-purple-belt-world-bjj-champ-the-uks-vanessa-english}}</ref> As a blue belt she won the British Open Championship in both Gi and No-Gi then won bronze at the 2011 World Championship. English started training daily, sometimes following her night shifts as a home carer in Nottingham.<ref name="BBC News 2014">{{cite web | title=Home carer Vanessa English turned Brazilian Jujitsu champ | website=BBC News | date=2014-01-23 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-nottinghamshire-25861254}}</ref> After receiving her purple belt in 2012,<ref name="Awakening Fighters 2018" /> English won the British Open again. In 2013 she became world champion and European champion after winning the 2013 World Championship, the 2013 European Open Championship and the 2013 European Open No-Gi Championship, she became the first British born Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitor to win the IBJJF World Championships in the adult division.<ref name="Female Fighters 2020">{{cite web | title=Welcome to Female Fighters! | website=Female Fighters | date=2020-02-29 | url=https://femalefighters.co.uk/home-ff | access-date=23 March 2022 | archive-date=26 December 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241226141219/https://femalefighters.co.uk/home-ff | url-status=dead }}</ref> After receiving her brown belt in 2014, she won the IBJJF London International Open then won the European Champion two years in a row (2014 & 2015), also winning bronze in the Open Class in 2014.<ref name="European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2014">{{cite web | title=European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2014| website=International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation | url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/232/PublicResults}}</ref>
== Black belt career ==
On 7 June 2015, English was upgraded to black belt by Victor Estima.<ref name="Abu Dhabi Jiu Jitsu Pro 2022">{{cite web | title=Vanessa English – Fighter profile | website=Abu Dhabi Jiu Jitsu Pro | date=2022-03-23 | url=https://ajptour.com/en/profile/32251}}</ref> As a black belt English won the 2018 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu European Championship after defeating Livia Gluchowska in the light-featherweight's division finale.<ref name="BJJ Heroes - Euro 2018">{{cite web | title=IBJJF European Open 2018 Results | website=BJJ Heroes - Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Team History, Fighter Stats, Biographies and News | date=2018-01-21 | url=https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-news/ibjjf-european-open-2018-results}}</ref> and the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam London. In 2018 she won bronze at the 2018 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship taking place in Long Beach, California,<ref name="Athlete Results Vanessa English">{{cite web | title=Athlete Results | website=Athlete Results Vanessa English | date=1999-02-22 | url=https://ibjjf.com/athletes/vanessa-english}}</ref> In 2023 she won gold at the IBJJF London Open competing in the light division.<ref name="IBJJF London 2023">{{cite web | title=IBJJF London 2023| website=IBJJF| url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/2082/PublicResults}}</ref>
English was invited to compete at the first Kairos Pro Jiu-Jitsu event on May 7, 2023.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Burne |first1=Kathrine |title=Kairos Pro Jiu-Jitsu Announces Superb Lineup For First Event |url=https://jitsmagazine.com/kairos-pro-jiu-jitsu-announces-superb-lineup-for-first-event/ |website=JitsMagazine |date=19 April 2023 |access-date=9 May 2023}}</ref> She registered 3 wins and 1 draw to win her group and progress to the final, followed by defeating Gabi Schuck by decision to win the tournament.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kairos Pro Jiu-Jitsu 1 Full Results And Review |url=https://jitsmagazine.com/kairos-pro-jiu-jitsu-1-full-results-and-review/ |website=JitsMagazine |access-date=9 May 2023}}</ref>
English was invited to compete at Grapplefest 16 on July 1, 2023 for the promotion's vacant under 60kgs title against Adele Fornarino.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lindsey |first1=Alex |title=Fantastic Lineup Announced For Grapplefest 16 |url=https://jitsmagazine.com/fantastic-lineup-announced-for-grapplefest-16/ |website=JitsMagazine |access-date=3 May 2023}}</ref> English lost the match by decision.<ref>{{cite web |title=Grapplefest 16 Full Results And Review |url=https://jitsmagazine.com/grapplefest-16-full-results-and-review/ |website=Jitsmagazine |date=3 July 2023 |access-date=3 July 2023}}</ref>
== Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitive summary == Main Achievements (Black Belt)<ref name="BJJ Heroes 2018" /> * IBJJF European Champion (2018) * Abu Dhabi Grand Slam London Champion (2017) * IBJJF London International Open champion (2023<ref name="IBJJF London 2023"/>) * IBJJF London Winter Open Champion (2017) * 2nd place Abu Dhabi World Pro Championship (2017) * 2nd place IBJJF London Winter Open (2017{{efn|name=Absolute|Absolute}}) * 3rd place IBJJF London International Open (2023{{efn|name=Absolute}}) * 3rd place IBJJF World Championship (2018)
Main Achievements (Coloured Belts)<ref name="BJJ Heroes 2018" /> * IBJJF World Champion (2013 purple) * IBJJF European Champion (2013 purple, 2014/2015 brown) * IBJJF European Open No-Gi Champion (2013 purple) * IBJJF London Open Champion (2014 brown) * 3rd place IBJJF World Championship (2011 blue) * 3rd place IBJJF European Champion (2014{{efn|name=Absolute}} brown<ref name="European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2014" />)
== Instructor lineage == Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr. > Victor Estima > Vanessa English<ref name="BJJ Heroes 2018" />
== Notes == {{notelist}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:English, Vanessa}} Category:English practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu Category:English submission wrestlers Category:Living people Category:1989 births Category:People awarded a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu Category:Sportspeople from King's Lynn Category:World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship medalists Category:Female Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners