Russian BJJ practitioner Maria Varshavskaia thought she was getting another stripe or two on her brown belt, but instead, she earned a surprise she’ll never forget.
A video recorded and shared by Burak Değer Biçer shows Varshavskaia stepping up to receive the next stripe on her brown belt, but then, from behind her, a black belt is draped around her shoulders. Varshavskaia, who was born and raised in Russia but now lives in Turkey, breaks down with emotion and shock.
After she processes the big promotion, she delivers an inspirational speech that reminds her teammates (and everyone watching the video) to never give up, adding that she’s been training for about eight years.
You can check out the heartwarming video below:
