The Brazilian No-Gi Nationals caught fire last Saturday. Photo: IBJJF/Flashsport

The charming Brazilian temple of BJJ, Tijuca Tennis Club was the stage for another exhibition of all that’s best about the gentle art. The no-gi championship was a good deal for the athletes that battled the Rio heat without being further punished by the cloth on October 26.

Man of the hour Luiz Fernando Panza (Barbosa JJ), who recently took gold in New York, came to Brazil to get some more at the No-Gi Nationals. And he succeeded. Panza was ferocious and managed to win both the heavyweight division and the absolute.

Among women, the day belonged to Talita Treta (Ryan Gracie). She, who’s been flirting with MMA, having won a bout at Circuito Talent last month, was also a heavyweight and absolute champion.

Other standouts were Douglas Rufino (Checkmat), who beat Leandro Lopes (Soul Fighters) at light featherweight; José Tiago (Cicero Costha), who went past Victor Genovesi (Alliance) at featherweight; AJ Agazarm (Gracie Barra), who took gold over Kim Terra (Caio Terra Ass.) at lightweight; GFTeam members Vinicius Marinho and Jacob Mackenzie, who closed out the middleweight class; Claudio Cardoso (Gracie Barra), who defeated Gabriel Procópio (BTT) at the medium heavyweight final; Salomão Ribeiro
(Alliance), who beat Leonardo Corrêa (Atos) at super-heavyweight; and Gabriel Lucas (Checkmat), who took gold over Otavio Serafim (Barbosa JJ) at ultra-heavyweight.

Click here for the complete results.