The crop of 2004 at Tijuca Tennis Club. Gustavo Aragão.
A few years ago on the pages of Graciemag, our team called upon the readers to elect the best crop of world champions in history, from the inaugural World Championship, in 1996.
The 2004 group was voted the strongest: it had Ronaldo Jacaré as absolute champion, as well as Fabricio Werdum, Roger Gracie, Xande Ribeiro, Bráulio Estima, Marcelinho Garcia, Daniel Moraes, Mário Reis, Fernando Vieira and Gabriel Moraes.
The 1996 group took second place, with the 1999 group placing third. But take a look at the 2012 list, and the 2013 one, and the 2000 one! Any of those is a worthy contender for best crop ever.
So vote: Which do you think is the best crop of world champions ever? Let us know why in the comments.
1996: Amaury Bitetti, Zé Mario Sperry, Ricardo Libório, Fabio Gurgel, Roberto Roleta, Roberto Gordo, Paulo Barroso, Royler Gracie, Helio Sonequinha e Marcos Barreto;
1997: Amaury Bitetti, Luiz Guilherme Guigo, Zé Mario Sperry, Fabio Gurgel, Roberto Roleta, Saulo Ribeiro, Marcio Feitosa, Royler Gracie, João Roque e Robson Moura;
1998: Zé Mario Sperry, Roberto Traven, Roberto Roleta, Saulo Ribeiro, Rafael Gordinho, Fernando Vasconcelos, Leonardo Vieira, Royler Gracie, Robson Moura e Marcelo Pereira;
1999: Rodrigo Comprido, Roberto Traven, Leonardo Leite, Murilo Bustamante, Saulo Ribeiro, Alexandre Paiva, Vitor Shaolin, Royler Gracie, Robson Moura e Omar Salum;
2000: Rodrigo Comprido, Leonardo Leite, Saulo Ribeiro, Fabio Gurgel, Roberto Roleta, Fernando Tererê, Vitor Shaolin, BJ Penn, Robson Moura e Omar Salum;
2001: Fernando Margarida, Márcio Corleta, Fernando Boi, Fabio Gurgel, Vitor Shaolin, Marcio Feitosa, Frédson Paixão, Ricardo Vieira e Bernardo Pitel;
2002: Marcio Pé de Pano, Gabriel Vella, Fabio Leopoldo, Saulo Ribeiro, Delson Pé de Chumbo, Marcio Feitosa, Frédson Paixão, Carlos Escorrega e Marcos Norat;
2003: Marcio Pé de Pano, Fabricio Werdum, Eric Wanderley, Jefferson Moura, Cassio Werneck, Fernando Tererê, Daniel Moraes, Mário Reis, Carlos Escorrega, Bibiano Fernandes e Felipe Costa;
2004: Ronaldo Jacaré, Fabricio Werdum, Roger Gracie, Xande Ribeiro, Bráulio Estima, Marcelo Garcia, Daniel Moraes, Mário Reis, Fernando Vieira e Gabriel Moraes;
2005: Ronaldo Jacaré, Chiquinho de Cuiabá, Roger Gracie, Robert Drysdale, André Galvão, Celsinho Venícius, Frédson Paixão, Bibiano Fernandes e Samuel Braga;
2006: Xande Ribeiro, Gabriel Napão, Roger Gracie, Bráulio Estima, Marcelo Garcia, Celsinho Venícius, Rubens Cobrinha, Bibiano Fernandes e Daniel Otero;
2007: Roger Gracie, Rafael Lovato Jr, Xande Ribeiro, Romulo Barral, Lucas Leite, Lucas Lepri, Rubens Cobrinha, Robson Moura e Bruno Malfacine;
2008: Xande Ribeiro, Roger Gracie, Braga Neto, André Galvão, Sergio Moraes, Celsinho Venícius, Rubens Cobrinha, Samuel Braga e Caio Terra;
2009: Roger Gracie, Gabriel Vella, Bráulio Estima, Romulo Barral, Marcelo Garcia, Michael Langhi, Rubens Cobrinha, Guilherme Mendes e Bruno Malfacine;
2010: Roger Gracie, Rodrigo Cavaca, Bernardo Faria, Tarsis Humphreys, Marcelo Garcia, Michael Langhi, Rafael Mendes, Pablo Silva e Bruno Malfacine;
2011: Rodolfo Vieira, Braga Neto, Leonardo Nogueira, Sergio Moraes, Marcelo Garcia, Gilbert Durinho, Rafael Mendes, Gui Mendes e Bruno Malfacine;
2012: Marcus Vinicius Buchecha, Leonardo Nogueira, Rodolfo Vieira, Romulo Barral, Otávio Sousa, Leandro Lo, Rafael Mendes, Gui Mendes e Bruno Malfacine;
2013: Marcus Vinicius Buchecha, Bernardo Faria, Rodolfo Vieira, Romulo Barral, Otávio Sousa, Leandro Lo, Augusto Tanquinho, Gabriel Moraes e Caio Terra;
2014: Marcus Vinicius Buchecha, Rodolfo Vieira, André Galvão, Romulo Barral, Leandro Lo, Lucas Lepri, Rafael Mendes, Guilherme Mendes e Bruno Malfacine;
2015: Bernardo Faria, Gabriel Fedor, Xande Ribeiro, Leandro Lo, Claudio Calasans, Michael Langhi, Rafael Mendes, Paulo Miyao e Bruno Malfacine;
2016: Marcus Vinicius Buchecha, Leonardo Nogueira, André Galvão, Leandro Lo, Otávio Sousa, Lucas Lepri, Rafael Mendes, Paulo Miyao e Bruno Malfacine.
2017: ???
