AUGUST 23, 2021, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL. The biggest event of the month and arguably the whole Summer was the South American Championships organized by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) in the Poliesportiva Cel. Wenceslau Malta arena. The event gathered many of jiu-jitsu’s elite South American grapplers, including big names of our sport such as Hiago George, Meyram Maquiné, Ygor Rodrigues, Guthierry Barbosa, Dimitrius Souza, to name a few. Although filled with big names, the tournament was not overly represented by Brazil’s juggernaut team, the Dream Art Project, which did come as a surprise. Below is a synopsis of the weekend’s events in the adult black belt division.
HIAGO GEORGE DOMINATES AT LIGHT FEATHER
Although hinting at a switch towards MMA in the near future, Cicero Costha black belt Hiago George continued to terrorize the light featherweights in his home country. Last Sunday, the Bahia native took out two of the countries rising stars in Matheus Onda (Barbosa JJ) and Jonas Pereira (Atos), going on to meet his longtime foe Cleber Sousa (Almeida JJ) in the final. George took the lead early in this last match, amounting to a 5 point lead which Sousa managed to rebound from, putting 6 points on the board for a 6-5 score with less than a minute to go, an incredible comeback. Hiago made a final push near the end, an effort that paid off with the victory coming through for him by 7×6.
MEYRAM FINDS STEEP OPPOSITION AT FEATHERWEIGHT
Although he received his black belt only a year ago, 20-year-old Guigo Jiu-Jitsu Team representative Meyram Maquiné has proved that he is at the top of the division through his unbeaten record at feather and light-feather over the past 12 months, having only been scored on 3 times prior to this weekends matches.
The first test for Maquine was GFT’s new black belt, Gustavo Jovelino. Jovelino proved to be a real challenge for the Manaus native, scoring on Meyram and ultimately being DQ’ed for escaping a submission towards the end of the mat, a decision we did not agree with at the time. Nevertheless, Maquine advanced, taking out Antônio Gomes and another GFT rising star in Thierry Reis, the latter with a beautiful cross choke.
In the final Maquine met the cream of the crop of Rio de Janeiro’s Double Five team, Daniel Amorim Junior. Once again, Meyram experienced difficulties against the very serious challenger that is Daniel. A very even match won by Maquine by advantages.
WALLACE COSTA TAKES DOUBLE GOLD
One of the most interesting dynamics that played out during the COVID19 pandemic was seeing the sport’s new stars develop on separate circuits, with a clear divide between Brazil’s new breed and America’s rising talents. While the US has produced Kevin Carrasco, Jessa Khan, Estevan Martinez, Andy Murasaki, etc through their gi events, Brazil has followed suit with names such as the aforementioned Meyram Maquine, Jonata Gomes, the Munis brothers, Duda Tozoni, Ingridd Alves, Jessica Caroline and more.
Among the names that have climbed the ladder of success in Brazil during the pandemic were Pedro Alex and Wallace Costa of the GFT squad. These two ultra-heavyweight training partners have been tearing through their division consistently, currently holding over 60 wins during their 10 months of competing in the black belt division. This, during one of the scarcest tournament seasons in living memory. Very impressive work.
This weekend, once again, Alex and Costa took the top of the podium at the Sul Americano, with Wallace pushing for the open weight as well. 7 matches, 7 victories, 1 submission, and zero points scored against him. Truly impressive form by Costa.
ROOSTERWEIGHT MAKES THE FINAL OF WOMEN’S ABSOLUTE
One of the most exciting new roosterweights in Brazil, Jessica Caroline, continued to impress us with a fantastic performance at the South American Championships. After earning a gold medal in her weight class with a masterful display of guard work against Mariana Rolszt, the CTA representative and student of Alessandro Nunes decided to test her skills against the bigger women, and what a test it was!
Severely out-weighed, Caroline amassed 2 wins on her way to the final, earning a bye in the quarter-finals. In the final, Jessica could not survive for long against the heavyweight talent that is Ingridd Alves, losing via submission (armlock).
Ingridd Alves also looked incredible throughout the tournament with 6 solid wins both in her weight and the open weight class. 6 wins, 4 submissions, including a very important win over a legend of the sport – Fernanda Mazzelli – in the semi-finals of the heavyweight division.
MALE / ADULT / BLACK / ROOSTER
1. Welerson Gonçalves (Nova União)
2. Oziel Santos (Gracie Barra/FP Team)
3. George Barbosa Silva (Progress BJJ)
3. Italo Bonfim Frota (Karkara BJJ)
MALE / ADULT / BLACK / LIGHT-FEATHER
1. Hiago George (Cicero Costha) << click to check profile
2. Cleber de Sousa (JFC Almeida) << click to check profile
3. Jonas Pereira (Atos)
3. Juan Lopes (Carlson Gracie)
MALE / ADULT / BLACK / FEATHER
1. Meyram Maquiné (Guigo) << click to check profile
2. Daniel Amorim Junior (Double Five) << click to check profile
3. João Victor de Oliveira (GF Team)
3. Thierry Reis (GF Team)
MALE / ADULT / BLACK / LIGHT
1. Victor Nithael (Nova União) << click to check profile
2. Marlus Salgado (Guigo)
3. Lucas Castelo Branco (Ed Ramos)
3. Ygor Rodrigues (CT MR) << check profile
MALE / ADULT / BLACK / MIDDLE
1. Guthierry Barbosa (Carlson Gracie) << click to check profile
2. Andre Ygor (Feu BJJ Malibu)
3. Matheus Ferreira (Carlson Gracie)
3. Wallisson Oliveira (Guigo)
MALE / ADULT / BLACK / MEDIUM-HEAVY
1. Marcelo Lemelle (GF Team)
2. Matheus Godoy (Alliance) << click to check profile
3. Alex Munis (Alliance/Dream Art) << click to check profile
3. Manoel Porto Junior (Ceconi KMKZ)
MALE / ADULT / BLACK / HEAVY
1. Dimitrius Souza (Alliance) << click to check profile
2. Leon Brito (BTT) << click to check profile
3: Filipe Pimentel (Qatar BJJ)
3. Gustavo Borges (GF Team)
MALE / ADULT / BLACK / SUPER-HEAVY
1. Pedro Agrizzi (Striker JJ)
2. Marcelo Gomide (Gracie Barra) << click to check profile
3. Hygor Brito (Cicero Costha) << click to check profile
3. Vitor Cheloni Mello (Gracie Barra)
MALE / ADULT / BLACK / ULTRA-HEAVY
1. Wallace Costa (GF Team) << click to check profile
2. Pedro Alex (GF Team) << click to check profile
3. Antonio Assef (GF Team)
3. Herico Hesley (Nova União)
MALE / ADULT / BLACK / OPEN CLASS
1. Wallace Costa (GF Team) << click to check profile
2. Everton Freitas (Núcleo JJ)
3. Herico Hesley (Nova União)
3. Leonardo Andrade (Gracie Barra)
FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / ROOSTER
1. Jessica Caroline (CTA/PAX) << click to check profile
2. Mariana Rolszt (Gracie Humaita)
FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / FEATHER
1. Ershirley Granja (CheckMat)
2. Thauany Corrêa (Gracie Barra)
FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / LIGHT
1. Luciane Silva (CheckMat)
2. Lauriane Mendes (OCS)
3. Luiara Gedeon Rochael (Gracie Barra)
FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / MIDDLE
1. Renata Borges (Nova União)
2. Ludmila Fiori (Nova União)
3. Juliana Teixeira (Ceconi KMKZ)
3. Natália Zumba (Alliance)
FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / MEDIUM-HEAVY
1. Sábatha Laís (R1NG BJJ)
2. Raiane Mara (Gracie Barra)
3. Cyntia Xavier (Nova União)
3. Keila Grace Rosa (GF Team)
FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / HEAVY
1. Ingridd Alves (Guigo) << click to check profile
2. Juliana Campos (Striker JJ)
3. Fernanda Mazzelli (Striker JJ) << check profile
3. Graciele Del Fava (Guigo JJ)
FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / SUPER-HEAVY
1. Mayara Abi-Saber (Relson Gracie)
2. Joaquina Bomfim (Gracie Barra) <<click to check profile
3. Victoria Amaral (CheckMat)
FEMALE / ADULT / BLACK / OPEN CLASS
1. Ingridd Alves (Guigo) << click to check profile
2. Jessica Caroline (CTA/PAX) << click to check profile
3. Graciele Del Fava (Guigo JJ)
3. Mayara Abi-Saber (Relson Gracie)
