Yuri Simões vs. Augusto Tanquinho. Leo Bandeira

The first day of the No-Gi Worlds, which is taking place in Daly City, Calif., saw great moments in contests in the weight classes and in the absolute. In the adults’ open class, Yuri Simões and Murilo Santana will face off to decide who will make history as the first-ever two-time absolute no-gi world champion. In the women’s open, two-time world champion Andresa Correa will do battle with Nathiely Jesus, who got double gold last year as a brown-belt.

Yuri Simões, double gold in 2014, got to the final after beating three foes. First he overcame Marcus Wilson via kata-gatame. In a quarterfinal he beat Tiago Sá by two advantages and, in a semi, he defeated Augusto Tanquinho by decision following a fight with a completely dry score.

In the other bracket, 2013 absolute champ Murilo Santana beat Marcel Gonçalves on points and then armbarred the U.S.’s Jared Dopp, who had eliminated Gilbert Durinho 4-0.

Two-time champ Andresa Correa will try for her first absolute title. Last year she was the runner-up, losing the final to Mackenzie Dern. The Alliance fighter beat Sofia Amarante and Ida Floisivk on her way to the final. Meanwhile, Nathiely Jesus, the 2015 brown-belt absolute winner, beat Talita Alencar 2-0 with a sweep and then RNC’d Amanda Loewen.

Male adult black belt semifinals:

Rooster:
Washington Lima vs. Caio Terra
José Santos vs. Thiago Narciso

Light feather:
João Miyao vs. Rene Lopez
Michael Musumeci vs. Thomas Lisboa

Featherweight:
Osvaldo Moizinho vs. Kim Terra
Samir Chantre vs. Gabriel Morangoni

Lightweight:
Marcio André vs. AJ Agazarm
Rodrigo Freitas vs. Mansher Khera

Middleweight:
Jonathan Satava vs. Francisco “Sinistro” Iturralde
Marcos Tinoco vs. Marcelo Mafra

Medium heavyweight:
Valdir Junior vs. Charles Negromonte
Matheus Diniz vs. Josh Hinger

Heavyweight:
Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa vs. Nick Schrock
William Bush vs. Vitor Oliveira

Super-heavyweight:
Jared Dopp vs. Muslim Patsarigov
Paul Ibarra vs.Luiz Panza

Ultra-heavyweight:
Aaron Johnson vs. Yuri Simões
Mahamed Aly vs. Gustavo Dias

Female adult black belt finals:

Light feather – Pati Fontes vs. Fiona Watson
Featherweight – Talita Alencar vs. Maxiiine Thylin
Lightweight – Tammi Musumeci vs. Jaqueline Amorim
Middleweight – Ida Floisvik vs. Amanda Alequin
Medium-Heavyweight – Megan Nevill vs. Nathiely Jesus
Heavyweight – Andresa Correa vs. Charlene Coats

Mackenzie Dern, 2015 black belt open class no-gi world champion

After nine years holding the World No-Gi in southern California, the IBJJF announced this week a change of venue. Scheduled for Nov. 5th and 6th, the World No-Gi moves north within the state, to San Francisco, at the Cow Palace Indoor Arena. The organization broke the news on its official Facebook page. Sign-ups for the championship will open soon.