From May 24th to 26th, 2024, the Mandela Forum in Florence will become pulsating heart of Italian Jiu-Jitsu, hosting the highly anticipated 2024 edition of the Italian BJJ Open and the Jiu Jitsu Expo. These events, capturing the essence of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, offer an unrivaled opportunity for athletes, enthusiasts, and brands connected to the sport.

Italian BJJ Open: a stage for excellence

This year’s Italian BJJ Open, managed by the UIJJ – Unione Italian Jiu-Jitsu, promises to be the climactic event of the sport season, marking the culmination of the UIJJ rankings and the awarding of prizes to the most deserving athletes. With over 2000 participants expected, including a growing number of international competitors, the event is confirmed to be one of the top three largest and best-organized tournaments in Europe.

Ten competition areas will be set up to host three days of intense challenges, including a division for children. This year, there’s a 30% increase in registrations, surpassing 400 young athletes. In 2023, the total number of black belts reached 100, a significant figure considering that just a few years ago, the numbers were much lower. Since 2023, this year also featured several matches in the adult women’s black belt category, highlighting the event’s importance and growth.

Jiu-Jitsu Expo: a meeting point for the BJJ community
Born in 2022 alongside the 10th edition of the Italian BJJ Open, the Jiu-Jitsu Expo has quickly established itself as a unique event in Italy. It’s where the BJJ community comes together to network and build relationships, promoting Italian Jiu-Jitsu culture and offering unprecedented commercial opportunities even for international brands.

The organization is under UIJJ, the entity that is behind also OCEAN, the new exciting NOGI pro championship running with Trials all over Italy , with Semi and Finals in Sardinia during the BJJ Summer Week.

The shops in the Expo will showcase services and products related to BJJ and martial arts. Many old and new brands will attend the event, among many: BJJ Summer Week (the biggest BJJ Camp in the world), Half Sumo, Adidas Combat Sports, Keiko, Kingz, Tatami Fightwear, Progress and many more.

The 2023 edition was explosive, with many new stands added compared to the previous year, and free seminars led by prominent figures such as Michelle Nicolini and Italian Olympic judo champion Fabio Basile.

The third edition will take place on 24, 25 and 26 May 2024, at the Mandela Forum in Florence.

We will see Professors such as Alessandro Borgonovo, Matteo Patrone, Melissa Benedini, Alberto Tesi, Fabrizio Screpante, Ilia Pachkowsky, Riccardo Mezzetti, Matteo Menna alternating on the mats set up for the seminars, and brands such as Revive Fightwear, Bud Power, Half Sumo just to name a few.

An opportunity not to be missed
The UIJJ ranking, valid only for registered athletes in Italy, offers cash prizes that this year have increased from €3000 in previous editions to €5000. This ranking also represents financial support for the annual competition-related expenses, and including prizes for other belt levels as a free registrations for the entire annual UIJJ calendar.

Registrations for Italian BJJ Open close on May 17th at midnight, and details for participation can be found on the uijj.org website under the competitions section.

If you are interested in promoting your team or brand inside the Jiu-Jitsu Expo, you can contact the organization at expo@uijj.org.

Do not miss this high-quality Jiu-Jitsu event in Florence, where sport, culture, and passion converge in an event that promises to be unforgettable.

Ivan Rocha competed in London Open 2013. Photo: Personal archive

Black belt Ivan Rocha has built a consolidated work in Europe and has worked both as a competitor and in the training of Jiu-Jitsu athletes. Ivan lived in Italy for seven years and divided his time between teaching and competing. He taught several seminars in Italian cities and traveled to other European countries, such as England and Germany, with the purpose of testing his team, Cabecinha Team Italy, and spreading the values of Jiu-Jitsu.

One of the most special achievements of Ivan’s career came at the London Open 2013, organized by IBJJF. Ivan overcame the English cold and the opponents to be consecrated champion in the categories with and without kimono. “Winning is always gratifying, it’s too good. Besides my titles, my team had a positive balance. In total, we came home with ten medals, four of them gold”, recalled the black belt.

In a chat with the GRACIEMAG.com team, Ivan Rocha recalled some of the highlights of the London Open and listed the most important lessons learned during the period he lived in Italy.

GRACIEMAG: What did the London Open title represent for you?

IVAN ROCHA: Winning this title has a special meaning, because it is difficult to train hard and work on both my technical evolution and that of my students at the same time. The teachers who also compete know this. Winning is always gratifying, it is too good. Besides my titles in the categories with and without kimono, my team had a positive balance. In total, we came home with ten medals, four of them gold.

Do you have any outstanding memory from this championship?

Yes, besides my golds gi and nogi, the weight loss also marked me because it was not easy at all. Sacrifice sums up the fighter’s life. Besides losing weight, I ventured into the absolute afterwards. And, at the time, I weighed 64kg. What I remember from that day was the fact that it was very cold. I ran the whole gym and couldn’t sweat at all. It was a pleasure to accompany my students in an international competition and to see each of them winning and giving it their all. The team unity gives me an inexplicable feeling. What motivates me the most is to see my work going the right way. Besides these moments, Jiu-Jitsu provides incredible experiences, such as getting to know new places and different cultures around the world.

Ivan Rocha became gi and nogi champion at the London Open 2013. Photo: Personal Archive

What are the biggest challenges of competing abroad?

The rewards outweigh the challenges. However, it is not easy, there are numerous barriers, such as the cultural impact and the difference in food. But, in my opinion, the biggest obstacle is the cold. It is complicated to struggle in such low temperatures, something that is recurrent in Europe.

What were your favorite techniques in your competitive days?

I am a guard passer. I used to wait for the opponent to pull me to guard or I would try the fall to get on top. I feel good when I get to half-guard, I like to bull-fight to get to the side control. When I’m on the bottom, I like to do the De la Riva with the intention of scraping the opponent.

What were the biggest learnings during the time you lived in Europe?

Above all, I evolved personally and professionally. It is important to travel, to get to know other countries and experience cultures different from the one we are used to. Leaving our roots makes us go further, broadens our horizons, and is something enriching. No one ever takes that experience away from you. During the seven years I lived for Jiu-Jitsu in Europe I understood even more the value of the martial art and how the sport opens unimagined doors. One of my wishes is that people have the opportunity to see how Jiu-Jitsu can be transformative and provide more quality of life.

International chef and TV show host Andrew Zimern has five tips for things you must do while in Rome, Italy.

You can watch the video and follow his instructions for a fun time in the Eternal City after you compete at the 2016 Rome Open and the 2016 European No-Gi championship. on April 1-3.

Before all that, you need to register to compete and the deadline is March 24.

Click here and register now.

Jackson Sousa

The IBJJF invited you to compete at the 2016 London Winter Open.

The event is scheduled March 5, at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.

You have until Feb 26 to sign up and compete among some of Europe’s best athletes.

Click here and register now.

Watch Jackson Sousa vs. Charles Negromonte at the 2015 black belt open class final

Here are some of the best images of the black belt division at the 2015 European championship, from last Sunday, Jan. 25. Andre Galvão, Gabi Garcia, Mackenzie Dern, the Miyao Bros, Caio Terra and many others in awesome moments that were born classics.

They took home the gold of the adult black belt open class divisions.

Gabi confirmed her favoritism and was able to submit all her opponents.

In the final, she had to recover from a near sweep and also an attack to her neck by Mackenzie Dern, the most thrilling moment of the event.

After putting things back to normal, Gabi passed guard and got the win with a choke from side control, like she usually does.

The same crowd that seemed to be rooting for Dern, cheered Garcia in the end, recognizing her talent and supremacy in the female black belt division.

In the male open class final, Andre Galvão also had to recover to confirm his position as favorite.

Igor Silva, who had an amazing weekend, started out hot with an attack to Galvão’s foot and a sweep that put him 2-0 ahead with one advantage.

After that, Galvão worked his game plan and was able to comeback in the match.

He had the not predicted help of a rib injury suffered by Silva in a prior match, which slowed him down.

Galvão was able to sweep back, pass guard and put the knee on the belly twice to get to a 9-2 score at the moment Silva called it quits due to the pain.

Go to our instagram page to know how the other black belt divisions played out.

For the full results, click here.

In the teams competition, the results were:

Adult Male

1 – Alliance – 78

2 – PSLPB Cicero Costha – 44

3 – Atos Jiu-Jitsu – 41

4 – Gracie Barra – 37

5 – Team Lloyd Irvin – 29

6 – Brasa CTA – 26

7 – GF Team – 25

8 – Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu – 21

9 – Gracie Barra JJ – 19

10 – Game Fight BJJ/Manimal – 18

Adult Female

1 – CheckMat – 45

2 – Alliance – 38

3 – Gracie Barra – 36

4 – Roger Gracie – 26

5 – Frontline Academy – 21

6 – Carlson Gracie Team – 14

7 – GF Team – 14

8 – BJJ Globetrotters – 13

9 – Bruno Bastos Association – 12

10 – Gracie Barra JJ – 12

Juvenile

1 – Gracie Barra – 39

2 – UAE Jiu-jitsu Team – 24

3 – Hangon Hyrskyt – 20

4 – Rio Grappling Club Europe – 18

5 – SNAP A.S.D. – 18

6 – Art of Roll – 18

7 – UAEJJ – 17

8 – BJJ Globetrotters – 15

9 – Amazon Fight Team – 12

Masters

1 – Gracie Barra – 213

2 – Alliance – 173

3 – Roger Gracie – 142

4 – CheckMat – 136

5 – Icon Jiu-Jitsu Team – 109

6 – Brasa CTA – 77

7 – Carlson Gracie Team – 67

8 – WING BJJ – 47

9 – Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu – 41

10 – GF Team – 35

Novice

1 – CheckMat – 60

2 – Carlson Gracie Team – 50

3 – Alliance – 46

4 – Icon Jiu-Jitsu Team – 34

5 – Gracie Barra – 32

6 – Brasa CTA – 20

7 – Jackson Paulo Team – 20

8 – Nova União International – 20

9 – Frota Team – 19

10 – Association Aranha France – 18

Galvão got there with an all-submission campaign of four matches this Saturday.

First Galvão caught .Gabriel Rosberg’s neck, then he faced Thomas Johanessen and won with another choke from the back.

The quarterfinal was against Eberth Santos, newly arrived to the black belt division.

Galvão gave Santos a not very warm welcome with a choke from north south.

The semifinal put Galvão face to face with Checkmat’s Tarcisio Jardim and once again the Atos leader imposed his game to win by armbar submission.

On the other side of the bracket, Igor Silva worked in silence to advance each step until the final.

First he beat Alexandre Vieira, then he defeated Maksymilian Wisniewski.

The opponent in the quarterfinals was Jurandir Conceição, submitted with a foot lock.

The semifinal was a fast match against Lucio Lagarto.

A choke from the back granted Silva his place in the final.

In the female division, Gabrielle Garcia and Mackenzie Dern will clash for the gold medal just like they did at last year’s Worlds No-Gi

Both Gabi and Mackenzie fought twice to get to the final.

Gabi first beat Anna Mayne with and armbar and then choked Shanti Abelha from side control.

Mackenzie also fought twice, first choking Laurence Cousin with an ezekiel from the mount and then getting a referee decision win over Dominika Obelenyte.

Here are the best images of the day.

Day 3 of the 2015 European championship was fully devoted to blue belts and purple belts of the masters divisions.

For more than 12 hours, the 10 mats set up in the Casal Vistoso gymnasium, in Lisbon, Portugal, were packed with match after match.

People from all over the world came to compete.

People from many different origins who in regular life have many different occupations.

They are plumbers, airplane pilots, police officers, farmers, students, nurses, stock market specialists, etc.

For one day tough, they were all blue belts or purple belts.

Here are some of the great images we captured of them.

For the full results, go to ibjjf.com

That’s it! It’s go time.

The last day of the 2015 European has come and the black belt champions will be crowned.

You don’t want to miss anything, so stay glued to our social media outlets for the latest results and most amazing pictures.

With 3.400 athletes registered, the 2015 European championship is the biggest Jiu-Jitsu event ever.

Leading the herd you have big stars such as Andre Galvão, Gabi Garcia, Michael Langhi, Michelle Nicolini, JT Torres, Mackenzie Dern, Caio Terra, Janni Larson, Lucio Lagarto and many, many others.

Click here for the brackets and also the schedule and order of fights for each day.

Once again, GRACIEMAG will be present at the Casal Vistoso Gymnasium during the five days.

So, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram (@graciemagazine), Twitter (@graciemag) and also on Facebook for the latest news, best pictures and amazing videos you know you can only find here.

If you’re gonna be in the venue, stop by our booth and get your subscription to GRACIEMAG and get amazing gifts (with a very special discount).

For more info, go to ibjjf.com.

Watch here the live stream opf the 2015 European Championship.

Here are some of the best images captured by our team on day 2 of the 2015 European championship.

The thursday in Lisbon was devoted to blue belts and purple belt divisions.

The big champions were Julia Maele (Roger Gracie)  and Gustavo Batista (Cicero Costha) in the blue belt open class divisions.

In the purple belt, outscored Fabio Alano ( Alliance) 3-0 on advantages for the gold medal.

In the purple belt open class division, Rudson Telles (Game Fight BJJ) grabbed gold after a unanimous decision by the referees in the final against Phillipe Pomaski.

In the female open class, Tayane Araujo (Alliance) caught Mayssa Bastos (GFT) with a kimura to be the champion.

For more info go to Instagram.com/graciemagazine or GRACIEMAG.com