SAN ANTONIO — Through a glass window, any spectator can see Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a tough sport. It's not until you're on the mat, upside-down on your back, that you realize how demanding the sport can be.
Nine-year-old Apolonia Nuncio is at the core of this chaos.
"My fighting nickname is Apolonia: The Mayan Warrior," she explained. "Where we got Mayan from - it's from my culture. And warrior, because I'm a warrior."
That title is self-proclaimed, but well-deserved. This little girl has earned a vast collection of trophies, belts, and medals since she began training four years ago.
Like many heroes in an epic tale, Apolonia's journey began with a villain.
"She got bullied in first grade," explained her dad, Gilbert Nuncio. "When she came home, she didn't want to talk about it. But I got it out of her."
"There was a girl who was bigger than me. She was standing by the door and never let me in, she was telling my friends don't be my friend, and doing all that stuff," said Apolonia.
After seeing his daughter's frustration every day, Gilbert enrolled her into a self-defense Jiu-Jitsu class.
Apolonia admitted she was out-of-place the very first time she stepped foot on a mat.
"Oh my gosh," she said. "I was not ready for it. I went on the mat with socks - we're not supposed to do that."
Her first real fight wasn't successful, either.
"We trained her for a year," said Gilbert. "She got handed. It was pretty bad for her."
However, direction and determination eventually took her to the top. She earned win after win - even against some daunting competition.
"There was this boy bigger than me - like two times my size," said Apolonia. "I actually beat him. It was the other way around, so that was cool."
That was the first time Apolonia found victory against a male opponent, but certainly not the last. She competes in tournaments all over the country now, but recently, she gained international attention after taking down a boy in one of her fights.
"I feel awesome that I'm getting this much views. It's crazy," she said. "Dana White reposted my video - it's a once-in-your-life special moment for me."
But, would you believe, that's not her biggest victory. There's something worth more than any belt or shiny trophy.
"People are watching me, and people might want to come to my gym and work with me and fight with me," she said.