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Andrew McNicol

At just 18, Chinese-born American Grace Gundrum is already considered a generational talent in women’s no-gi jiu-jitsu.
“The Silent Assassin”, as she is known, became the youngest US female, and second youngest internationally, to earn a black belt last July after another standout performance.
She has lost just one competitive bout since the age of 12, against fellow prodigy and 2019 world champion Mayssa Bastos last month.
The man who presented Gundrum with the belt, renowned jiu-jitsu guru Eddie Bravo, called her “pound for pound probably our most technical competitor” as she progresses exponentially under his affiliate gym, 10th Planet Bethlehem, in Pennsylvania.

The pressure is intense, but you could never tell that with Gundrum’s stoic demeanour on and off the mat.
“I’m usually relatively nervous, but the way I deal with it is to stay pretty quiet and focus on what I’m doing so I don’t focus on the nerves. Like even with interviews, I’m super scared because I’m not really good at talking,” she told the Post.

Gundrum was speaking alongside coach Zach Maslany, who alongside JM Holland has helped hone her outside-the-box abilities since childhood.
“There are a lot of people who come in with physical talent or ability to pick the game up quick, but not many would train as long as her with that consistency. The type of mind and smarts she has, developing the physical along the way – it was a perfect storm,” said Maslany, a competitor-turned-instructor.
“A lot of kids don’t stick with it or have the ability to stay insanely consistently like how she was. It kept compounding – more training and competing – and now we’re here. It’s pretty awesome.

“Any guy or girl who goes out to compete for the schools means a lot to me, but her especially being able to bring us to a certain level of the game that I myself would never have got to, we’re super grateful.”
The levels he speaks of refers to Gundrum’s tier of opponents faced. In 2019, she drew with four-time IBJJF black belt world champion Rikako Yuasa in her native Japan, leaving local commentators in awe.
Last October, she submitted three-time world champion Pati Fontes to become the Fight2Win strawweight champion.

“I sometimes think back like, ‘Oh, that’s pretty cool’ [to be facing such high-level opponents] but I try to not stay stuck on people who others talk about a ton. When I compete against them I try to focus on the action,” said Gundrum, who switched karate for jiu-jitsu aged 10 and still competes in wrestling.
Adopted and brought to the US at a very young age, she considers herself “mainly American” and has returned to China just the once.
“I don’t really know much because I wasn’t in China for that long – maybe a few months old. They don’t know exactly where I was born but they did the paperwork and adopted me from Beijing and we went back to the US from there,” she recalled.




















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A post shared by Grace Gundrum (@gracegundrum)



“I never learned Chinese or was with a Chinese family or anything. Most of my family is from America. My younger sister is also adopted from China so I did go back when I was four or five for a week to adopt her.”
Several mat sessions under Bravo’s 10th Planet system; the perfecting of her favourite dead orchard armbar submission; and a near-photographic memory for new moves, Gundrum’s devotion to jiu-jitsu is clearly paying off.
The black belt may still be raw but future opposition will be very much in their prime. Contrast a bout between a crafty vet or elite technician with college-bound Gundrum, who was only received her purple and brown promotions in the last two years.

“Yeah, there’s definitely a lot of pressure getting the black belt – it’s added a lot to it. I never thought I’d get this far but I can’t really take it back. I just have to keep going and represent it well,” she said.
Gundrum said she will be prioritising her education after being accepted into Lehigh University majoring in computer science and engineering.
“I’d like to try to do both. If I compete again, I’ll be doing college at the same time.”


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Martial arts

Chinese-born jiu-jitsu black belt Grace Gundrum beating world champions at just 18

Chinese-born Grace Gundrum became the youngest American female to receive a jiu-jitsu black belt in July 2020. Photo: Handout

American jiu jitsu competitor Grace Gundrum receives her black belt from Eddie Bravo in July of last year. Photo: Handout

American Grace Gundrum wins a special EBI rules match against Danielle Kelly in 2020. Photo: Handout

Chinese-American Grace Gundrum in her decision win over Danielle Kelly in July of last year. Photo: Handout

Grace Gundrum with her 10th Planet Bethlehem teammates Zach Maslany, Jon Blank and JM Holland after a grappling match in December 2020. Photo: Handout

Young Grace Gundrum with 10th Planet founder and American jiu jitsu legend Eddie Bravo. Photo: Handout

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Singapore jiu-jitsu team member Constance Lien takes top position in grappling tournament. Photo: Nicholas Damien Goh Photography

The 20-year-old purple belt Constance Lien trains at Evolve MMA alongside the country's most talented combat athletes. Photo: Evolve MMA

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Hong Kong's Shaun Kiatvongcharoen dons his new black belt after eight years of training in Brazilian jiu jitsu. Photo: Handout

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Sport

China

Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts

Other Martial Arts


‘The Silent Assassin’ trains and competes under Eddie Bravo’s renowned 10th Planet system
‘I never thought I’d get this far but I can’t really take it back,’ says 18-year-old who was adopted and raised in the US



‘The Silent Assassin’ trains under Eddie Bravo’s 10th Planet system and has already beaten multiple world champions.


Chinese-born jiu-jitsu black belt Grace Gundrum beating world champions at just 18

‘The Silent Assassin’ trains and competes under Eddie Bravo’s renowned 10th Planet system ‘I never thought I’d get this far but I can’t really take it back,’ says 18-year-old who was adopted and raised in the US

‘The Silent Assassin’ trains and competes under Eddie Bravo’s renowned 10th Planet system

‘I never thought I’d get this far but I can’t really take it back,’ says 18-year-old who was adopted and raised in the US