12 Facts About Venla Luukkonen

Venla Luukkonen was born on 2 March 1984 and is a Finnish grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor and instructor.

Since 2014, in addition to winning several major tournaments, Luukkonen reached the world championship final three more times, winning gold again in 2018.

Venla Orvokki Luukkonen was born on 2 March 1984 in Espoo, Finland.

Venla Luukkonen received her blue belt from Kimmo Rautiainen in 2009 then won silver the following year at the 2010 IBJJF World Championship.

Venla Luukkonen received her brown belt from Marko Leisten in 2012, becoming world champion for the first time in 2013 and winning silver again at the 2013 ADCC European Trials.

Venla Luukkonen received her black belt from former World champion Pedro Duarte on 22 February 2014, becoming the first Finnish female black belt.

Venla Luukkonen became the first Finn to win a world championship at black belt level.

In 2015 Venla Luukkonen won gold at the European No-Gi Championship in two categories, superheavy and absolute, she won silver at the European Championship then won bronze at the World Championship fighting under team Hilti BJJ Jyvaskyla.

In 2016 and 2017 Venla Luukkonen reached the World Championship and the European Championship finals, winning silver both years.

Venla Luukkonen became world champion for the second time in 2018 after her opponent in the final, Tayane Porfirio, was disqualified by the USADA for testing positive for nandrolone, a prohibited substance.

In July 2018, competing in grappling at Polaris 7, Venla Luukkonen won a No-Gi match against Samantha Cook via split judges decision.

In January 2022 Venla Luukkonen won the ADCC Sweden Tournament 8 that took place in Eskilstuna, Sweden, that same year, competing under Grapplingverkstan Orebro IF, she became Swedish champion after winning in September the SBJJF BJJ 2022.