A rundown of the biggest headlines and news from the world of competitive grappling.
Ffion Davies just might be the pound-for-pound best female grappler in the world right now.
If winning the Polaris title last week wasn’t enough, Davies donned the gi this past weekend and defeated some of the best gi players in the world. The Pan American championships is one of the most prestigious tournaments on the Brazilian jiu jitsu calendar, so for Davies to add this to her European and World titles puts her as perhaps the best grappler to ever come out of the UK.
Elsewhere, there were golds for other big names including MMA star Gabi Garcia and Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa, who took down the great Leandro Lo to become the Pan Am champion in the absolute division.
Check out the full black belt division results below: (h/t grapplinginsider.com)
Women’s Black Belt by Division:
Roosterweight final: Mayssa Bastos def Serena Gabrielli via choke
Light-featherweight final: Amanda Monteiro def Talita Alencar via points (0-0, 1-0 adv.)
Featherweight final: Ffion Davies def Karen Antunes via points (4-2)
Lightweight final: Gabi Mccomb def Nikki Sullivan via choke
Middleweight final: Ana Carolina Vieira def Laura Hallock via points (12-0)
Medium-heavyweight final: Luiza Monteiro def Monique Elias via points (2-2, 2-1 adv.)
Female heavyweight final: Nathiely de Jesus def Talita Nogueira via armbar
Super-heavyweight final: Gabi Garcia def Carina Santi via choke
Absolute final: Gabi Garcia def. Nathiely de Jesus via points (0-0, 1-0 adv.)
Men’s Black Belts by Division:
Roosterweight: Cleber Sousa def. Hiago Gama via referee’s decision
Light-featherweight: Closeout between Joao Miyao and Hiago George
Featherweight: Matheus Gabriel def. Jamil Hill-Taylor via points (4-4, 2-2 adv, 2-3 pen)
Lightweight: Levi Jones-Leary def. Renato Canuto via points 6-4
Middleweight: Isaque Bahiense def. Otavio Sousa via points 2-0
Medium-heavyweight: Closeout between Lucas Hulk and Gustavo Batista
Heavyweight: Kaynan Duarte def. Adam Wardzinski via points (2-2, 1-0 adv.)
Super-heavyweight: Mahamed Aly vs Fellipe Andrew
Ultra-heavyweight: Closeout between Ricardo Evangelista and Max Gimenis
Absolute final: Lucas Barbosa def. Leandro Lo via split referee’s decision
GRAPPLING FEATURES
9 year-old girl A recent video has surfaced showing a young girl beating a boy in a BJJ match. Apolonia “Mayan Warrior” Nuncio defeated a boy much larger than her and did an amazing job, but unfortunately the referee overseeing the match allowed a lot of fouls that could have lead to injury.
Demi Lovato got another stripe on her blue belt this past week and it’s pretty cool to see. Lovato, who suffered a near-fatal overdose in August, has spoken about how Brazilian jiu jitsu has helped her through her mental health struggles. Lovato trains at Unbreakable Performance Centre, where she earned her blue belt in 2017, but interestingly, she received her first stripe from former ADCC champ Orlando Sanchez.
Warrior Jiu Jitsu This article details the rise of Brazilian jiu jitsu from its earliest roots. Giles Alexander chronicles the rise of grappling from India to the battle fields of Japan.
Black belt plans murder Nathan Homme, was arrested in Wisconsin after police found detailed plans detailing how he was going to kidnap and murder his ex wife. According to Jiu Jitsu times, after a search of Homme’s house, police found $5000 in hundred-dollar bills, as well as a black case with vials of medication, inside his Kia Optima, according to the police report. The “kidnapping kit” comprised of the handcuffs, gloves, duct tape, and maps were found inside his home, along with the two shotguns and a stun gun.
VIDEO CONTENT
Judo works in BJJ
Rolling with Gabi Garcia doesn’t look fun
What a way to take the back