Bernardo Faria on top. Photo: Ivan Trindade/GracieMag

The Jiu-Jitsu Pan Championship 2013 in late March, in Irvine, Calif. was not so good for Alliance athlete Bernardo Faria.

Bronze in the absolute, the black belt from Minas Gerais, Brazil, failed to return Sunday to compete in the super heavyweight. As a result, he lost some positions in the IBJJF ranking and saw Marcus Buchecha, ultra heavyweight and absolute champion, take his position at the top.

The athlete, who is recovering in New York, where he has been training with the star Marcelo Garcia, commented on his rib injury with GracieMag.

“It was kinda serious, my rib clicked in the middle of the (semifinal) fight with Buchecha and from there I had only to defend myself, because I could not move. But now I’m taking care of my recovery and I’ll be back in the Long Beach World Championship, God willing,” said Faria.

And why would a heavy fighter with a solid game be learning from a light and fast athlete like Marcelo Garcia? Bernardo said:

“Training with Marcelo has been a fantastic experience. I’m actually getting to know him better and understanding how he thinks about Jiu-Jitsu, the way he trains. The coolest thing is to see that, as a person, he may be even better than as an athlete. He is very humble and considerate to everyone, so I am learning outside the mats as well,” he said.

About the positions, Faria analyzed: “I’m trying to bring several of his positions to my game, and he has helped me with this. It’s hard for me to completely change my style, but I can add many things to what I do, many details. Not to mention the no-gi Jiu-Jitsu, which I have trained a lot here. I’m feeling a cool evolution.”

Here are the top five female black belts at the moment in Jiu-Jitsu. The next update on the ranking will take place after the New York open, which is scheduled for April 20, in NYC. For the full ranking, go to IBJJF.com.

1^st – Gabrielle Lemos Garcia – 1066.5 pts

Gabi Garcia

Gabi Garcia is no stranger to the IBJJF rankings. After securing double gold once again in her division and the absolute at Pans 2013, she moved herself even further apart from the other females. A seven time world champion, she has been unstoppable. Her ability to place pressure on her opponents gives her a level that so far, no one has been able to strategize. Her mentor Fabio Gurgel and the Alliance team in Sao Paulo, Brazil have supported her endeavors and victories across the globe and she will continue to rule the rankings with that guidance.

2^nd – Luanna Alzuguir Marton Moraes – 732 pts

Luanna Alzuguir

Luanna Alzuguir has been the partner of teammate Gabi Garcia, often closing out the open weight divisions at the most prestigious tournaments over the years. A light weight until moving to middle in 2012, she has conquered every major tournament: Pan American Championship, World Championship and ADCC to name a few. Her ability to win against nearly every type of opponent and do well in the light weight despite being at a smaller weight level, has contributed to her overall ranking score. Even though she was absent from the 2013 Pans, her double gold in the 2013 Europeans allowed her to maintain a nice lead over the other ladies.

3rd – Michelle Zonato Nicolini – 652.5 pts

Michelle Nicolini

Michelle Nicolini was another top black belt absent from the Pans but her double silver in the 2013 Europeans allowed her to maintain in the top rankings. In an unfortunate event in the semi-finals of the Lisbon, Portugal tournament she suffered an injury and we did not see her this past weekend. Her most known talent is her flexible and aggressive spider guard techniques, however she has proven skills from every position. A Checkmat team member, she fluctuates in weight classes but also does well in the opens as she won the open division at the 2007 World Championship which contributed to her total of six world titles. With a recent move to MMA, we hope to see her back in Jiu-Jitsu tournaments soon.

4th – Luiza Monteiro Moura da Costa – 447 pts

Luiza Monteiro

Having only started competing as a black belt in 2011, Luiza Monteiro has managed to rise up the ranks rather quickly. First coming onto the scene after winning at no-gi worlds as a purple belt in 2009 then repeating the performance in 2009 at the same tournament in the brown/black division. She made a move to the Cicero Costa team in 2011 and has since found much success. Her wins at the World Championship and the Pans have secured her spot. Winning the final of the featherweight division at the 2013 Pans against Mackenzie Dern gave her the gold medal and raised her name into the top five of the IBJJF rankings in the process.

5th – Marina Soares de Araujo Ribeiro – 348 pts

Marina Ribeiro

A member of the Checkmat team, Marina Ribeiro was another who was absent from the 2013 Pans but was still able to maintain within the top of the rankings list. She received her black belt from Ricardo Vieira in only four years and has proven her promotion many times in competition. Placing second in the feather weight division after competing in the final against fellow Checkmat member Michelle Nicolini and beating legend Kyra Gracie on the way gave her a more known name. She showed at the 2013 Europeans in January and placed third in the open after defaulting gold in her weight division earning her enough points to secure the fifth spot.