Preguiça celebrates his title. ACBJJ Instagram.

Felipe “Preguiça” Pena and Luiz Panza did Brazil proud in the Absolute Championship Berkut’s 16-man GP, held Saturday in Warsaw, Poland. They each defeated three opponents to become under-95kg and over-95kg champion, respectively.

Under 95kg

Preguiça started out by submitting Igor Silva via guillotine. Then, in a semifinal, he beat Poland’s own Adam Wardzinski on points. In the final Preguiça was pitted against Erberth Santos; Preguiça walked away with the title after taking the back and applying the bow-and-arrow choke.

Over 95kg

Luiz Panza kicked off his campaign by finishing Moku Kahawai with a heel hook. Then he caught Ricardo Evangelista in a knee bar. The final saw Panza take on Alexander Trans, and Panza ended up with a decision win.

Luiz Panza – ACB JJ champion in 95+ kg division. Congratulations champ, this was just awesome! – Луиз Панза – чемпион ACB JJ в весе свыше 95 кг. Поздравляем, чемпион, это было потрясающе! – #acbjj #jiujitsu #warsaw #poland

A post shared by Absolute Championship Berkut (@acb_jj) on May 7, 2017 at 4:16am PDT

Felipe Pena at the 2015 Worlds No-Gi

Felipe Pena “Preguiça” will fight Gordon Ryan, one of the biggest American grappling breakout stars. The match is scheduled for Dec. 17 at Studio 540 in Solana Beach, Calif. The superfight will be a one-hour, submission-only affair. In the event of a draw, the fight will be decided on overtime under the rules of the EBI, where Ryan is a two-time champion. The info comes from Flograppling.com.

Gordon finished Keenan Cornelius via inverted heel hook. Photo: Tiago Molinos

Preguiça is the sitting champion of the Abu Dhabi World Pro and the Grand Slam, as well as a no-gi world champion. Ryan won the Eddie Bravo Invitational this year in two weight classes and subbed Keenan Cornelius in a Grappling Industries superfight.

The event will also feature Garry Tonon vs. Kim Terra (brother of two-time world champion Caio Terra), and Nicky Ryan (Gordon’s younger brother) vs. Kennedy Maciel (son of four-time world champ Rubens Charles “Cobrinha”). These will also be submission-only bouts, but lasting half an hour each, with the same tiebreaking rules.

Por isso, nossos parceiros da Galler bateram um papo com a fera, e ele destrinchou um pouco do seu estilo de luta, além de dividir algumas de suas melhores dicas para o atleta evoluir o seu Jiu-Jitsu até chegar à faixa-preta.

Ainda no vídeo, temos os melhores lances da fera em ação no Brasileiro de Equipes, evento que rolou este mês, na Tijuca.

Confira!

Marcus Buchecha por cima de Léo Nogueira na final do GP da IBJJF em Vegas. Foto: Luca Atalla/GALLERR.

Para o fã do UFC 200, foi um aperitivo. Já para o fã de Jiu-Jitsu, foi um banquete do melhor da arte suave, em pleno Las Vegas Convention Center, sede da UFC Fan Expo.

O torneio IBJJF Pro League GP, realizado neste sábado durante o Campeonato Americano de Jiu-Jitsu, reuniu oito craques da faixa-preta de olho nos 50 mil dólares de premiação.

O campeão, que abiscoitou 40 mil, foi mais uma vez Marcus Vinicius “Buchecha” de Almeida, o tetra mundial absoluto na faixa-preta.

Na final, Marcus Buchecha enfrentou a teia pegajosa da meia-guarda de Léo Nogueira, mas conseguiu, logo no início, ganhar 2 vantagens ao jogar por cima, e ficou com o título.

Léo Nogueira, por sua vez, ficou com a armadilha engatilhada quase até o fim, mas não conseguiu executar a raspagem da meia – que seria a raspagem mais valiosa de sua carreira, pois lhe renderia 40 mil verdinhas. De todo modo, ele atuou bem e ainda ficou com a bela soma de 10 mil dólares.

Antes da final do GP, Marcus Buchecha eliminara João Gabriel Rocha num lutão. Buchecha passou a guarda de João e escorregou para a montada, mas viu o oponente da Soul Fighters virar-se e tirá-lo de cima. João Gabriel foi para cima e bombardeou a meia-guarda de Buchecha até o fim, mas apesar da pressão não conseguiu pontuar, e o placar se manteve: 7 a 0.

Já na primeira luta, Buchecha pegou as costas e finalizou Bruno Bastos.

Do outro lado da chave, Léo Nogueira apertou o pescoço de Alexandro Ceconi pelas costas, e depois eliminou Mahamed Aly nas raspagens, por 4 a 2. Aly vencera Xande Ribeiro por 2 a 0. Outra grande luta foi João Gabriel contra Felipe Preguiça, um 4 a 4 em que João foi melhor e venceu por 5 vantagens.

“Esse GP estava com uma chave digna de absoluto de Mundial”, comentou Buchecha.

Assista às lutas no Facebook da IBJJF, estão todas lá e valem o estudo.

Felipe Pena at the 2016 European

Felipe Pena is one of the greatest talents to come out of the Gracie Barra camp in recent years. The 2015 no-gi black belt open class and heavyweight world champion, put on the gi in 2016 and continued on his path of triumphs.

He achieved a double-gold campaign at the 2016 European and then won the $30,000 prize up for grabs at the 2016 WPJJC absolute division.  After skipping the 2016 Pan, Pena is now completely focused on the 2016 World championship.

It’s going to be his first appearance after a year off in 2015 and also after having to forfeit his heavyweight gold medal at the 2014 Worlds, when he accepted sanctions by the United States Anti-Doping Association (USADA) for the presence of testosterone above the permitted levels.

With all that behind him now, Pena is looking ahead and aiming to achieve great things. We talked to him during a break in the final stages of his training camp for the 2016 Worlds.

GRACIEMAG.COM: The year of 2016 started really great for you, with the double gold campaign at the European championship and the absolute gold at the WPJJC. The 2016 Worlds could put you face to face with some opponents you still haven’t faced this year, like Bernardo Faria and Marcus Buchecha. How is your training camp? Does potential opponents influence in any way your training routine? 

Felipe Pena: I’m training in a really intense level and, most importantly, with a lot of desire to win. There’s nowhere to run or to hide at the Worlds. I know I’ll have very tough opponents both in my weight class and the open class. Even so, I am not shaping my training routine to any opponent in particular. Sure I try to study the main guys’ games, but as there’s nothing but tough guys it’s a bit difficult to focus on someone before the brackets are out.

Felipe Pena vs. Erberth Santos at the 2016 Worlds

GRACIEMAG.COM: You competed in only one world championship as a black belt in 2014. You were out last year and is returning now. Could this hiatus be a problem? How’s your mindset coming in for the 2016 Worlds? 

Felipe Pena: I believe I already have good baggage in terms of competing as a black belt. I have fought the best guys out there and each time I feel more mature and experienced. At the Worlds I’ll try to fight like I always do, with a lot of heart, desire and intelligence. I hope it turns out ok!

GRACIEMAG.COM: How hard on yourself are you? What kind of result do you consider a good result at the 2016 Worlds? Are you aiming for a double-gold campaign? 

Felipe Pena: I guess high level athletes are always hard on themselves. No one likes to loose. I believe this kind of pressure is there for all of us and I try to focus on the good side of it. As a way to keep focused, I have grown accustomed to this feeling. I will fight both on the weight class and the absolute and I know it’s going to be hard, but I have been feeling great during training and that makes me feel happy for the competition.

Don’t forget to register for the 2016 World Jiu-Jitsu championship.

The final deadline is May 24.

Click here and register now.

Coverage brought to you by Gameness.

The Long Beach Pyramid at the 2014 Worlds

Every year the World championship is the stage for some of Jiu-Jitsu’s greatest battles.

Since Roleta vs. Wallid in 1996, all the way to Buchecha vs. Rodolfo in 2014, including Tererê vs. Marcelinho in 2003, Roger vs. Jacaré in 2004 and 2005, Roger vs. Xande in 2006 and 2008, and countless other historic matches, there’s a clear pattern of awesome matches in the events’ history.

The 2016 edition is set to be another occasion when great matches will take place, some of them for the first time this year or at all.

We listed 7 of those matches that, if become a reality, can make the 2016 Worlds an even more spectacular event.

Here we go.

1. Felipe Pena vs. Bernardo Faria

The two have been running parallel courses for some time now. Bernardo ruled over the Pan, Worlds in 2015 and the 2016 Pan. Pena won all he could win at the Worlds No-Gi in 2015, and then the 2016 European and the 2016 WPJJC. They may finally meet in Long Beach, maybe in the superheavy division, probably in the open class. If they do meet, what do you think will happen? Will Faria jump to his deadly deep half guard or will Pena be able to work his guard game like he’s been doing with everyone else so far?

2. Marcus Buchecha vs. Bernardo Faria

Buchecha vs. Faria at the 2013 Worlds

They should have fought at the 2015 Worlds black belt open class final, but Buchecha got hurt in the quarterfinals against Ricardo Evangelista. The matches between the two in the past have been always decided by the smallest of details with wins for both sides. Buchecha will probably be in the ultraheavy division while Faria should be in the superheavy weight class, so the open class is the most probable setting for another encounter.

3. Felipe Pena vs. Marcus Buchecha

Buchecha vs. Pena at the 2014 Worlds

This match was moments away from happening at the 2016 WPJJC black belt open class division quarterfinals when Buchecha pulled out after request by Checkmat’s leader, Leo Vieira. They have fought once at the 2014 Worlds, when Buchecha managed a foot lock finish in the open class quarterfinals. Since then, Pena really blossomed into a much stronger competitor and a rematch would set the Pyramid on fire. Maybe in the open class semifinals.

4. Andresa Correa vs. Dominyka Obelenyte

That’s another match that should have happened already in 2016, but fate got in the way. A knee injury sidelined Dominyka from the Pan open class final against Andresa. Healed, the 2015 black belt absolute champion is ready to go and Andresa is already registered to compete in Long Beach. Let’s just hope nothing gets in the way of the two Alliance teammates going at it on the mats of the pyramid.

5. Leandro Lo vs. Keenan Cornelius

It’s a classic already, but it does not happen very often. The 2015 open class quarterfinals is still branded in everybody minds. Keenan’s flying triangle and Lo’s escape were the stuff of legends. Since then, Keenan remained more in the quiet side, making appearances at the Marianas Open and the WPJJC. It’s still unclear if Cornelius will sign up for the 2016 Worlds, but we sure hope he does.

6. Rafael Mendes vs. Rubens Cobrinha

Mendes vs. Cobra at the 2015 Worlds

Another classic and probably the longest-running rivalry still going in Jiu-Jitsu today. In the Worlds alone, they have been in four featherweight finals, in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015. In 2016, Rafael Mendes will be going for his sixth gold medal while Cobrinha will be trying to reach his fifth and tie the count with his archival. Mendes vs. Cobra usually happens once a year and you know you can’t miss it.

7. Caio Terra vs. João Miyao

That’s a match that never happened before. Caio terra has been absent from the last two world championships, but promised to return this year. João Miyao had to settle with two silver medals in 2014 and 2015 after two losses to Bruno Malfacine in the roosterweight division. They may meet at last this summer in long Beach and who can tell what will happen.

Don’t forget to register for the 2016 World Jiu-Jitsu championship, scheduled June 1-5, in Long Beach, California.

The final deadline is May 24.

Click here to sign up now.

The 2016 WPJJC is in the books after four days of trills at the IPIC Arena, in Abu Dhabi.

Gracie Barra’s Felipe Pena and Alliance’s Tayane Porfírio walked away with the open class belts for the black belt divisions and the big checks.

Pena caught Jose Junior with an armlock to pocket $30,000 and join the rankings of absolute champions in the UAE.

Tayane Porfírio

Tayane completed her collection from previous years with a shinning brown/black belt open class division title after a 3-0 win over the always tough Bia Mesquita. The points came from a guard pass early in the match.

In the other divisions of the black belt, results were as follows:

MALE 

62kg – João Miyao alleged an injury to not fight his teammate Hiago George. George took home the gold medal.

69kg: Marcio Andre managed two near guard passes to beat Paulo Miyao and win the division.

77kg: Gabriel Arges swept Roberto Satoshi three times to win 6-4 and become the champion.

85kg: Leandro Lo beat Claudio Calasans Jr. by referees decision after a 2-2 tie.

94kg: Erberth Santos started out fast to pass guard and get to mount and score 7-2 on Felipe Pena.

+94kg: Ricardo Evangelista swept and got to mount to beat Victor Honorio 6-2.

FEMALE

55kg: Mackenzie Dern beat Marina Ribeiro 2-1 on advantages for the title.

62kg: Bia Mesquita caught Bianca Basílio in a kneebar to win.

70kg: Nathiely Jesus caught Priscilla Cerqueira with abow and arrow choke to be the champion.

+70kg: Tayane Porfírio choked Fernanda Mazzelli from mount to win the division.

The final day of the WPJJC also featured three BJJ legends matches.

Marcio Pé de Pano beat Rodrigo Comprido 2-0 with a sweep; Alexandre Soca beat Robinho Moura by one advantage after a 5-5 tie; Vitor Shaolin choked Daniel Moraes from the back.

In the lower belts, open class results were:

Brown Belt

Nicholas Meregali beat Rudson Matheus 4-0 with two sweeps for the open class belt.

Purple Belt

Gustavo Batista caught Pedro Elias with an armlock for the title.

Gabrielle Lima managed an armbar to beat Renata Moreira.

Blue Belt

Luis Carmo finished Bruno Lima with an americana lock from side control.

Katharina Araujo beat Amelia Lui by referees decision after a 0-0 tie.

Catch the full results at uaejjf.org

Relive the thrills on GRACIEMAG’s Instagram account.

Felipe Pena at the 2016 European

The 17th edition of the Marianas Open Jiu-Jitsu championship took place this Saturday, April 16, in Guam.

Gracie Barra’s Felipe Pena was the standout with a 4-2 win over last year’s champion Keenan Cornelius for the black belt open class title.

Pena took home $10,000 in prizes while Cornelius got $3k and Igor Schneider got $2k for the third place.

Pena fought three times to get to the final.

First he beat Guilherme Augusto 2-0 with a sweep, then he finished Terrence Aflague in the semifinal.

Keenan also did great, first finishing Jacob Guerrero with a baratoplata and then Igor Schneider with an omoplata.

Schneider made to third place by finishing Aflague with an armbar.

Click here for the full results.

Steve Shimizu and Kennan

The 2016 Marianas Open is just around the corner.

The event scheduled April 16 will gather some big names this Saturday in the beautiful island of Guam.

The organizers just released the brackets for the adult male black belt division, which is worth $15k in money prizes.

Here are the paths to the bounty for each athlete registered.

Bracket 1

Felipe Pena vs. Bryant Pangelinan

Luiz Panza vs. Igor Schneider

Bracket 2

Terrence Aflague vs. Rhalan Gracie

Keenan Cornelius vs. Guilherme Augusto

Final

Winner of bracket 1 vs. Winner of bracket 2

As you can see, last year’s champion, Keenan Cornelius is one side while Felipe Pena and Luiz Panza are on the other side.

Pena and Panza could meet in the semifinal while Keenan could face the always tough Rhalan Gracie on the other semifinal.

Click here for more info and to find out how you can watch the action live from Guam.

The 2016 edition of the Marianas Open is lining up to be one historic moment for Jiu-Jitsu in Guam, on April 16.

An all-star team of black belts will land in the Pacific island to compete in the open class and battle for $15k in prizes.

The champion will pocket $10k, while the runner up will get $3k and the third place will get $2k.

The 2015 champion Keenan Cornelius is back to defend his title, but he’ll have his work cut out for him.

Felipe pena, Luiz Panza, Rhalan Gracie, Bryant Pangelinan, Cristiano Kaminishi, Guilherme Augusto and Igor Schneider are also in the mix.

The Marianas Open is also an event for competitors of all ages and belt rankings.

The online registration is closed, but if you are in Guam you can still register at the Fokai store in Hagatna.

If you can’t fly to Guam, you can watch the live stream on PPV. Click here to order it.

Click here to know more.

Felipe Pena was the standout of the adult male black belt division at the 2016 European.

He won the open class after a thrilling battle with Erberth Santos in the semifinal.

First he defended a nasty armbar to then choke Santos from the back and close out the division with his Professor Romulo Barral.

Click play to watch a highlight reel of Preguiça in Lisbon.

Who’s the most exciting fighter in Jiu-Jitsu today? Who’s that guy or girl that people stop to watch? We have selected four names for your appreciation, but feel free to add any other name you like. We focused on the people that are active today, leaving out currently injured athletes.

Leandro Lo

The leader of NS Brotherhood has said many times that fighting larger and tougher opponents is what keeps him going. Four times world champion in three different weight classes, he is still pursuing his first open class world title as a black belt. Here’s Lo against Keenan Cornelius at the 2015 Worlds, the best match of last year’s edition.

Felipe Pena

The Gracie Barra black belt under Rominho Barral really matured after a shaky start in the ranking. He did awesome at the 2015 ADCC, won double gold at the Worlds No-Gi with six submissions in seven matches and recently closed the open class at the European open class with his professor. Pena’s matches are always nail-biting battles. Here’s his latest war against Erberth Santos in Lisbon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kmMAsFk-rM

Mackenzie Dern

Fearless, Mackenzie Dern is today the most popular female Jiu-Jitsu fighter. His all or nothing style that relies in lighting fast attacks to the opponent’s limbs has conquered audiences all over the world. As she transitions to MMA, she is still after a open class title in a major gi tournament. Being a featherweight, you know how big the challenge is. Here’s her battle against Michelle Nicolini at the 2015 Worlds.

Garry Tonon

The heel hook king of today’s no-gi competition, Garry Tonon thrills the crowd wherever he competes. Owner of a style that does not hold back and gives all in, Tonon is a fan favorite. He’s still missing a major title at the ADCC or Worlds No-Gi, but that does not shadow his impressive record even a bit. Here’s Tonon against Stephen Martinez at EBI 5.

So, who’s your favorite?