Megaton, Mackenzie, Kristina Barlaan and Gustavo Dantas. Photo: AZSBJJF.com

The four-man (two of them ladies) troop from the American state of Arizona that ventured into the Rio Open and International Master and Senior 2010 championships this past weekend made a mighty bang. The tiny delegation (in numbers and in size, as they are all featherweights) achieved a monstrous seven-medal tally and made a major contribution to their respective teams’ overall success.

While the male half of the outfit was represented by seasoned veterans Wellington “Megaton” Dias and Gustavo Dantas, president and vice-president of the Arizona State Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, respectively, competing in the International Master and Senior old-timers’ tournament, the female contingent featured two fresh-faced rising stars in the Rio Open adult competition.

Dias’s daughter Mackenzie Dern couldn’t have had a better competition debut as a purple belt. The 17-year-old, who was finally promoted after winning a second adult world title in her weight group and taking runner-up in the absolute at the 2010 World Championship, kicked off her fledgling purple belt career with gold medals in her weight and the open weight classes.

Now Kristina Barlaan, a fixture on the winners’ podium at all the major competitions across the United States, helped her team, Nova União, take second in the overall team contest, scoring valuable points with her gold and silver medals at weight and open weight in the blue belt division, respectively.

Gustavo Dantas and Wellington Dias came up spades too, with Gustavo taking gold in the senior 1 featherweight group and Megaton in the senior 2 featherweight and absolute weight groups. If Megaton winning the senior 2 division is little surprise, as it’s never any surprise when he places in the adult division he customarily enters, the achievement becomes all the greater when considering how the Gracie Humaitá team he represents managed to recover the International Master and Senior team title they lost to Gracie Barra last year, Wellington’s points playing an important part in their return to glory.

Saulo gets the submission in the heavyweight division. Photo: Gustavo Aragão

The presence of Saulo Ribeiro at the International Master and Senior tournament bolstered the team of accomplished veterans in the competition. Saulo lived up to the expectations of the crowd in the Tijuca Tennis Club and satisfied the curiosity of the younger practitioners, who hadn’t had the opportunity to see him before. The black belt managed tapouts in all four matches he partook in in his weight group, which he won, and the absolute, which was dominated by him and his Gracie Humaitá teammate Rodrigo Munduruca, and where he only didn’t get the tapout on one occasion. After receiving his absolute gold medal, Saulo had a chat with GRACIEMAG.com.

International Masters

“I feel this championship needs to be given its due importance because this is where everyone reaches maturity as a fighter, teacher and good person. We came here without concern for winning, but for competing. I feel that that is where one begins to demonstrate excellent Jiu-Jitsu, without worrying about self-affirmation, which is the case with a lot of folks in the adult division. We compete carefree and don’t pull the handbrake.”

The arena

“The Tijuca Tennis Club is a place that should be preserved. It’s where it all started. It’s a place without classes, it’s the Brazilian people’s. This is where Jiu-Jitsu was born to the world and to me it is a great pleasure and feeling to be back here and see a crowd that has never seen me compete. I’m happy about being a good role model to this group that’s coming up and that loves this sport.”

Alongside Rodrigo, complete domination. Photo: Gustavo Aragão

Ideology

“I’m a Jiu-Jitsu employee and my greater mission now is to spread it throughout the world. The Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu Association is conquering Europe. We’ve produced several champions in Germany, we’re heading to France, Australia, New Zealand… These days I serve a more ideological function. I want to pass on to the world a bit of what I’ve learnt and give back to Jiu-Jitsu for what Jiu-Jitsu has given me. University of Jiu-Jitsu is there as a place of the people, an institution of martial arts teaching that is open to teams from around the world. Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu is doing fine, with 20 affiliates across the planet. The team I brought with me from the United States, for example, had an excellent performance. Wherever Jiu-Jitsu needs me, I’ll be there. But these days I would rather focus on my students and the projects I have going with my academy than to compete.”

Worlds

“All I can do is thank the Confederations, my friends from training and Gracie Humaitá, which made it to the top of the podium again this year. I thank God for the efforts of the press, like GRACIEMAG. It was one big Jiu-Jitsu party.”

Beyond Rodolfo Vieira, the big star of the show winning his weight group and the absolute, there were Mário Reis, Saulo Ribeiro, Felipe Cranivata and Admilson Juquinha, among others, who showed how their Jiu-Jitsu is in constant evolution, be it a young athlete who shines in the adult division or a veteran  competing in the Master and Senior tournament.

The taker of these pictures was Gustavo Aragão. Check them out:

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The only one Saulo Ribeiro didn't submit the whole tournament was Gabriel Willcox. Photo: Gustavo Aragão

The festive mood on the first day of black belt disputes at the International Masters and Seniors carried through to Sunday, when the veterans disputed the absolute at the traditional Jiu-Jitsu venue that is the Tijuca Tennis Club. The laid-back atmosphere didn’t spill onto the mat, though. In the competition area things were very serious.

That was the case with Saulo Ribeiro. After submitting four opponents in his weight group, Saulo went straight through to the second stage of the master absolute to face Gabriel Willcox. The match against the featherweight was the only one he had that didn’t end in a submission (guard pass and mount). Now against Eduardo Milioli (Rilion Gracie), the black belt passed guard and mounted, to finish up with an armbar. At the other end of the bracket came Rodrigo Munduruca, Ribeiro’s teammate, who tapped out three opponents and took the gold. With Gracie Humaitá dominating the division, the party was good to go. “Where’s my cold one?” asked Saulo in front of the winners’ podium.

Another who wasn’t there to fool around was Nova União’s André Marola. After shutting out the ultraheavyweight division with teammate Rafael Carino, Marola took gold in the senior 1 absolute division after beating Rodrigo Otávio (Brazilian Fight) in the decider.

Juquinha on his way to another absolute title. Photo: Gustavo Aragão

In the senior 2 class, Gracie Humaitá scored another double. Wellington Megaton defeated the much heavier Osíris Maia (Brazilian Fight) by an advantage point in the final. Now Admilson Brites Juquinha beat three opponents and he was the one to snatch the gold medal.

The relentless Helvécio Penna (De La Riva) once again was the best of the senior 3 division. Stephen Kamphuis (Fabrício) took the senior 4 and Edelmans Pereira (João Roque) won the senior 5.

In the team tally, Gracie Humaitá won again, followed by Gracie Barra and Nova União.

This Saturday decided the champions of the black belt weight classes for the 2010 International Masters and Seniors and the finalists for the absolute division of the Rio Open. Our black belt photographer Gustavo Aragão snapped the finest shots of a day replete with Jiu-Jitsu and jubilation.

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Megaton in the final against Welton Ribeiro. Photo: Gustavo Aragão

Wellington Dias, better known as Megaton, is one of the all-time biggest names of the International Master and Senior Championship. The fighter had won the competition every year since 2006, and he did so again this Saturday at the Tijuca Tennis Club.

“It’s a really great event that musters the old guard back on the mats and gives a chance to the athletes who have a harder time with the demands of the ten-minute fights of the adult division,” he tells GRACIEMAG.com, soon after receiving his gold medal.

However, a limited tank of gas is not a problem for this black belt, who this season took third in the European Championship.

“I’ll keep fighting in the adult division!” he guarantees.

“This is the only championship where I fight in my own division, because Royler (Gracie) asks me to. Gracie Humaitá has won the International five times. Last year we let it escape us, but now we want to get it back, so we have to always be at full strength,” he explains.

The fighter and teacher never takes a break. Teamed up with his daughter Mackenzie, who made her purple-belt debut at the Rio Open winning her weight group and the absolute after getting the submission in seven matches, Megaton has much competition road ahead of him.

“I fly out to the United States on Monday because I have to do a seminar in Colorado next week. Then I’ll compete at the American Nationals and then a competition in Sweden, the Scandinavian Open,” he says in finishing.

Adriano at the top of the 2009 podium. Photo: Carlos Ozório

Before the International Masters had begun, GRACIEMAG.com spoke with Adriano Silva, who was in pursuit of his third competition title. Once again the beast from Barbosa Jiu-Jitsu made it to the top of the podium, this Saturday at the Tijuca Tennis Club. Mission accomplished!

“It was a great feeling yet again. As I’d told you before, one always expects the championship to be tough and that’s just how it was. I had four tough matches and thank God I managed to get the finish in all of them,” says the athlete in celebration.

“I’m going to think about whether I’ll stick around for the absolute or if I’ll go home and enjoy my family,” he adds.

Now the black belt will return to training in São Paulo. There more work to come in 2010.

“I’m going to carry on competing and keeping up the pace in training, and this year I’ll head into the Brazilian Team Nationals strong. We’ll focus on that event as well,” he says in finishing.

It was a Saturday of excitement at the Tijuca Tennis CLub, where the International Master & Senior championship took place. But it was mainly a spectacle in technique from established masters who normally only display their moves to the students and closest friends.

Check out some of the champions and await complete coverage on the event.

MASTERS

Pena: Gabriel Willcox

Light featherweight: Felipe Costa (Brasa)

Lightweight: Frédson Alves (Gracie Humaitá)

Middleweight: Adriano Silva (Barbosa)

Medium heavyweight: Eduardo Telles (Nine Nine)

Heavyweight: Saulo Ribeiro (Gracie Humaitá)

Super heavyweight: Bruno Bastos

SENIOR

Senior 1 pesado: Roberto Gordo (Evolve/Gordo)

Senior 2 pena: Wellington Megaton (Gracie Humaitá)

Senior 2 médio: Alexandre “Gigi” Paiva (Alliance)