Izadora Cristina atop two podia at the 2017 European Championship. IBJJF.

Another day of plenty of BJJ in Odivelas, Portugal, with new champions emerging. The second day was highlighted by women’s open divisions.

In the purple belt absolute, it was NS Brotherhood’s Izadora Cristina who came out on top. First she had beat Szarecka (Gracie Barra) to take heavyweight gold. The absolute final was a rematch with the same outcome.

In the blue belt open, Luzimery Garcia (GFTeam) triumphed. After losing in a super heavyweight semifinal and taking bronze, Garcia went into the absolute unshaken. In the final, she defeated Jennifer Killeen (Rio Grappling Club Europe).

Stay tuned to Graciemag.com and our social media accounts to get the inside scoop on the European BJJ Championship. Click here for the results so far.

Leandro Lo will be a heavyweight at the European BJJ Championship. Graciemag.

With less than a week to go until the 2017 European Championship kicks off Jan. 18 in Odivelas, Portugal, the black-belt talent keeps piling up.

With so many names on the list, Graciemag dived into it to look for some standouts. Those include world champions Rubens Cobrinha, Leandro Lo, Claudio Calasans, Mackenzie Dern and Bia Mesquita.

Here’s the entire list of biggest names compiled by our team. Let us know who you think will come out on top this year.

MEN’S

Light featherweight

João Miyao

Isaac Doederlein

Michael Musumeci

Hiago George

Featherweight

Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles

Gianni Grippo

Carlos Holanda

Gabriel Marangoni

Tiago Bravo dos Santos

Alexandre Vieira

Luciano Queiroz

Isaque Paiva

Lightweight

Marcio André

Breno Bittencourt

Rodrigo Caporal

Luan Carvalho

Renato Canuto

Middleweight

Davi Ramos

Isaque Bahiense

Marcos Tinoco

Jaime Canuto

Medium heavyweight

Cláudio Calasans

Patrick Gáudio

Luca Anacoreta

Nathan Mendelsohn

Rodrigo “Pimpolho” Fajardo

Horlando Monteiro

Heavyweight

Leandro Lo

Helvécio Penna

Manuel Ribamar

Tanner Rice

Super-heavyweight

Lucio “Lagarto” Rodrigues

Mahamed Aly

Ultra-heavyweight

Ricardo Evangelista

Carlos Farias

Igor Silva

WOMEN’S

Light featherweight

Talita Alencar

Gezary Matuda

Thamires Aquino

Featherweight

Mackenzie Dern

Lightweight

Tammi Musumeci

Beatriz Mesquita

Luiza Monteiro

Middleweight

Ana Carolina Vieira

Medium heavyweight

Nathiely de Jesus

Ida “Xuxu” Fløisvik

Heavyweight

Claudia Doval

Super-heavyweight

Tayane Porfírio

Leandro lo at the 2016 Worlds

Leandro Lo caught a lot of people by surprise as he signed up among heavyweights for the European BJJ Championship, set to take place Jan. 18 through 22 at the Multiusos Pavilion in Odivelas, Portugal. Luckily, Graciemag.com just caught up with him.

“I decided not to go on diet right now; that’s why I signed up in a higher weight class,” he said. “I don’t know whether I will fight as a heavyweight all year — I have yet to decide, — but I believe not. It will depend on how I feel at the European. I’m also moving up in weight because of the absolute; I’m even doing physical preparation focused on that.”

Bernardo Faria and Leandro Lo at the 2015 Pan

Lo has fought in three weight classes and became world champion in each one. He has won lightweight (2012/13), middleweight (2014) and medium heavyweight (2015/2016) titles. In the open division, he’s gotten the bronze a few times. To reach his ultimate goal, Lo isn’t just gaining weight.

“The absolute is a title I have been seeking for a while,” he says. “I’ve always studied the game of heavier athletes; I know them all. But what’s needed now is for me to get stronger and heavier, because I believe this will go a long way in helping me fight the big guys.”

Márcio André vs. Paulo Miyao at the 2016 Euro. Ivan Trindade

The IBJJF’s European Championship will kick-start the official BJJ calendar between the 17th and 22nd of January. Naturally, two-time European champion Marcio André (2015/16) wants a third title, but this time as a lightweight.

Seeking new challenges, he opted for a new weight class and plans to soar higher in 2017. Here’s what he has to say about his plans.

On the reason for the change:

“I’ve always suffered to fight at featherweight, due to having to cut weight, and this time I chose to move up. I’ve always wanted to fight the athletes from lightweight; I feel comfortable at this weight. When I was a brown-belt, for example, I fought at lightweight a few times, and it was good. I like challenges, and I’d also like to fight many athletes of this weight class. I want to test myself in this new category until the Worlds.”

On one final appointment before a potentially permanent move:

“I still have to seek my world title, and I want it to be at featherweight. Afterward, maybe I’ll start only fighting as a lightweight.”

On preparation:

“I spent the holidays with my family; it was great being with them. I managed to maintain good nutrition, but with a few exceptions. I’ve been able to direct my own training, and I have a good plan — that makes me confident. I strive not to get stalled in my training, and I let my jiu-jitsu flow. The sessions get interesting.”

[Based on a press release.]