From April 6th to April 10th, Kissimmee, Florida, USA played host to the 2022 IBJJF Pan American Championship. Traditionally the second biggest tournament of the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu organization (after Worlds) this year the Pan Ams missed the attendance of some of the sport’s major stars.
Despite their absence, the Pans still provided good Jiu Jitsu with some of the rising athletes putting on a show.
As always the most awaited moment of the event was the Adult Black Belt division. This competition saw numerous close outs and forfeits as teammates came up against each other in the division – allowing much anticipated match-ups to play out in the later rounds of the competition.
Here are some of the most interesting moments from the Adult Black Belt Division:
First Black Belt Pan American Champion from Costa Rica
The medium-heavy division had a historical moment when Sebastian Rodriguez became the first ever Adult Black Belt IBJJF Pan American Champion to hail from Costa Rica.
On his way to the gold, Rodriguez defeated two of the most talented upcoming athletes from Brazil in the division: Guthierry Barbosa and Alex Muniz. With those two victories, the Costa Ricen prodigy qualified for the semifinals, where he closed out with Jiu Jitsu Legend Leandro Lo and later in the Final closed out again with Manuel Ribamar. Both Lo and Ribamar were former teammates from Unity Jiu Jitsu in New York.
Tainan Dalpra defends the Title
In many people’s eyes, AOJ superstar Tainan Dalpra is the most dominant Gi player in the world right now.
Competing in one of the most hotly contested divisions in the sport, Dalpra had four matches, winning two submission victories against Roberto Jimenez and Eduardo Averal and two victories by points in the finals against Ronaldo Jr. and Jeferson Guaresi.
These wins allowed Dalpra to claim his second IBJJF Pan American Black Belt title and gave him his 29th victory in the Black Belt division – 21 of them by submission.
Erich Munis claims the Absolute title
One of the most talented and exciting prospects in the sport, Erich Munis from Dream Art, won his first Black Belt Absolute title in a Major tournament and also made the final in the super heavyweight division where he closed out with Marcus Ribeiro.
With his six victories in the 2022 Pan Ams Munis now has an impressive 31 straight victories in his year and a half of competing at black belt.
Anna Rodrigues move up a weight class
Chasing the female Pound 4 Pound crown, Dream Art’s Anna Rodrigues moved up from roosterweight to light feather weight.
Usually known for her excellent guard playing, Rodrigues changed tactics in her two matches by playing an aggressive passing game that led to her submitting both of her opponents, Sophia Dalpra and Amanda Monteiro Canuto.
Adult Black Belt Results
Men’s Rooster weight
Quarter Finals
Estevan Martinez defeats Kevin Marticowski by armbar
Thalison Soares defeats Matheuse Rossi by foot lock
Frank Cespendes defeats Italo Bofim by choke
Carlos Oliveira defeats Osamah Almarwai by points
Semi Finals
Carlos Oliveira defeats Frank Cespendes by points
Thalison Soares defeats Estevan Martinez by advantage
Final
Carlos Oliveira defeats Thalison Soares by advantage
Men’s Light Feather weight
Quarter Finals
Meyram Maquine defeats Kevin Carrasco by choke
Tomoyuki Hashimoto defeats Pedro Dias by advantage
Hiago Gorge defeats Huthayfah Penney by points
Lucas Pinheiro defeats Malachi Edmond by choke
Semi Finals
Meyram Maquine defeats Tomoyuki Hashimoto by advantage
Lucas Pinheiro defeats Hiago Gorge by footlock
Final
Meyram Maquiné defeats Lucas Pinheiro by points
Men’s Featherweight division
Quarter Finals
Alex Sodre defeats Isaac Doederlein by points
Thiago Macedo defeats Nick Salles by points
Diego Sodre defeats Daniel Maira by choke
Richar Nogueira defeats Jamil Hill Taylor by decision
Semi Finals
Alex Soder defeats Thiago Macedo by points
Diego Soder defeats Richar Nogueira by decision
Final
Alex Soder and Diego Soder close out the division
Men’s Lightweight division
Quarter Finals
Andy Murasaki defeats Sergio Soares by arm triangle
Igor Feliz defeats Hugo Marques by decision
Johnathan Alves defeats Daniel Deniz by toe hold
Natan Cueng defeats Rodrigo Freitas by advantage
Semi FInals
Andy Murasaki defeats Igor Feliz by points
Johnathan Alves defeats Natan Cueng by choke
Final
Jonathan Alves defeats Andy mutasaki by points
Men’s Middleweight division
Quarter Finals
Mathias Luna defeats Leonardo Lara by points
Jeferson Guaresi advanced as team-mate Levi Jones- Leary forfeited by gentlemen’s agreement
Ronaldo Junior defeats Felipe Cesar by adv.
Tainan Dalpra defeats Eduardo Averal by choke
Semi Finals
Jeferson Guaresi defeats Mathias Luna by decision
Tainan Dalpra defeats Ronaldo Junior by points
Finals
Tainan Dalpra defeats Jeferson Guaresi by points
Men’s Medium Heavyweight division
Quarter Finals
Leandro Lo defeats Gansen Gomez by points
Sebastian Rodriguez defeats Alex Munis by decision
Manuel Ribamar defeats Rafael Paganini by armbar
Yan Lucas defeats Matheus Luna by advantage
Semi Final
Sebastian Rodriguez advanced as team-mate Leandro Lo forfeited by gentlemen’s agreement
Manuel Ribamar defeats Yan Lucas by points
Final
Sebastian Rodriguez closes out with Manuel Ribamar
Men’s Heavyweight Division
Quarter Finals
Pedro Machado defeats Rider Zuchi by points
Matheus Diniz defeats Adam Wardzinski by points
Dimitrius Souza defeats Pedro Elias by choke
Pedro Marinho defeats Andre Porfirio by points
Semi Finals
Matheus Diniz defeats Pedro Machado by advantage
Dimitrius Souza defeats Pedro Marinho by armbar
Final
Dimitrius Souza closes out the division with teammate Matheus Diniz
Men’s Super heavyweight division
Quarter Finals
Erich Munis defeats Wilson Almeida by armbar
Felipe Andrew defeats Anderson Munis by footlock
Marcos “Scooby” Ribeiro defeats Devhonte Johnson by choke
Vinicius “Trator” Ferreira advanced to the semi-final unopposed as his opponent missed weight
Semi Finals
Erich Munis defeats Vinicius “Trator” Ferreira by armbar
Marcos “Scooby” Ribeiro advanced as his teammate Felipe Andrew forfeited by gentlemen’s agreement
Finals
Marcos “Scooby” Ribeiro won the division after Erich Munis forfeited by gentlemen’s agreement
Men’s Ultra Heavyweight division
Quarter Finals
Roosevelt Sousa defeats Igro Schneider by points
Gutemberg Pereira defeats Orlando Baccino by armlock
Roberto Abreu defeats Wallace Costa by points
Davi Cabral advanced to the semi-final unopposed as his opponent missed weight
Semi Finals
Gutemberg Pereira defeats Roosevelt Sousa by choke
Roberto Abreu defeats Davi Cabral by advantage
Final
Roberto Abreu defeats Gutemberg Pereira by points
Men’s Absolute division
Semi Finals
Felipe Andrew defeats Wallace Costa by decision
Erich Munis defeats Roosevelt Sousa by advantage
Final
Erich Munis defeats Felipe Andrew by points
Women’s Rooster weight division
Final
Mayssa Bastos defeats Lavinia Barbosa by points
Women’s Light Featherweight division
Final
Jessa Khan defeats Thamires Aquino by points
Women’s Featherweight division
Final
Anna Rodrigues defeats Amanda Monteiro Canuto by choke
Women’s Lightweight division
Final
Nathalie Ribeiro defeats Ffion Davies by points
Women’s Middleweight division
Final
Thamara Ferreira defeats Chloe McNally by penalty
Women’s Medium Heavy weight division
Final
Maria Malyjasiak defeats Izadora Cristina by omoplata/choke
Women’s Heavyweight division
Final
Melissa Cueto defeats Maggie Grindatti by choke
Women’s Super Heavyweight
Final
Gabrieli Pessanha defeats Yara Soares by points
Women’s Absolute division
Semi Finals
Gabrieli Pessanha defeats Melissa Cueto by decision
Yara Soares defeats Maria Malyjasiak by Choke
Finals
Gabrieli Pessanha defeats Yara Soares by advantage
I am black belt under Bruno Bastos and I am very passionate about Jiu Jitsu. I do the sport for 13 years. Now I am an owner and head coach at one of the biggest Jiu Jitsu academies in Bulgaria and still an active competitor.