Leandro Lo and João Gabriel in the 2017 absolute final. Beatriz Lina/GRACIEMAG
This Thursday, March 21st, marks the kickoff to another explosive edition of the Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship. Four action-packed days will unfold at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif. — and there’s no shortage of strong black-belts.
World champions like Leandro Lo, Gabi Garcia, Paulo Miyao, Isaque Bahiense, Mahamed Aly, Shane Hill-Taylor, Michael Musumeci, Claudio Calasans, Otávio Sousa, Tarsis Humphreys, Léo Nogueira, Antônio Braga Neto, Luiza Nogueira, Talita Treta, Lucas Hulk, Gustavo Batista, Luiza Monteiro, Karen Antunes, Talita Alencar, Ana Carolina Vieira, Amanda Monteiro and Nathiely de Jesus will be vying for glory with new talents hungry to leave their mark.
Guilherme Iunes, Vinicius Gimenes, Alberto Ramos and Arthur Gogó, partners of Graciemag, are also enrolled in the adult and masters age groups and ready to fight for the top spots.
Find out below who are the big names likely to rock the arena later this week.
MEN
Rooster
| Alliance | Hiago Gama |
| Atos Jiu-Jitsu | Cleber Clandestino |
| Brasa CTA | Michael Musumeci |
| GF Team | Bebeto Oliveira |
| Soul Fighters BJJ | David Herrera Junior |
| Tri-Force Jiu-Jitsu Academy | Koji Shibamoto |
| Tri-Force Jiu-Jitsu Academy | Nobuhiro Sawada |
Light feather
| Atos Jiu-Jitsu | Lucas Pinheiro |
| Cicero Costha Internacional | João Miyao |
| Cicero Costha Internacional | Paulo Miyao |
| GF Team | Fernando de Jesus |
| PSLPB Cicero Costha | Hiago George |
Feather
| Alliance | Isaac Doederlein |
| Alliance | Kennedy Maciel |
| Ares BJJ | Samir Chantre |
| Atos Jiu-Jitsu | Rafael Mansur |
| Brazilian Top Team | Leonardo “Cascão” Saggioro |
| Team Lloyd Irvin | Shane Hill-Taylor |
Light
| Alliance | Johnny Tama |
| Ares BJJ | Breno Bittencourt |
| Ares BJJ | Osvaldo “Queixinho” Moizinho |
| CheckMat | Gabriel “Palito” Rollo |
| CheckMat | Renato Canuto |
| CT MR | Ygor Rodrigues |
| Easton BJJ | John Combs |
| Unity Jiu-jitsu | Levi Jones-Leary |
Middle
| Alliance | Isaque Bahiense |
| Atos Jiu-Jitsu | Claudio Calasans |
| Atos Jiu-Jitsu | Leonardo Lara |
| Atos JJ International | Michael Liera Jr. |
| GF Team | Dante Leon |
| GF Team | Jaime Canuto |
| Gracie Barra | Otavio Sousa |
| Gracie Barra | Victor Silverio |
| Rodrigo Pinheiro BJJ | Manuel Ribamar |
| Soul Fighters BJJ | Hugo Marques |
| Start Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | Lucas Valle |
| Unity Jiu-jitsu | Felipinho Cesar |
| ZR Team Association | Lucas Rocha |
Medium heavy
| Alliance | Matheus Diniz |
| Alliance | Matheus Spirandeli Souza |
| Alliance International | Tarsis Humphreys |
| Atos Jiu-Jitsu | Gustavo Batista |
| Atos Jiu-Jitsu | Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa |
| Brasa CTA | Rudson Mateus |
| Soul Fighters BJJ | Ruan Oliveira |
| Unity Jiu-jitsu | Devhonte Johnson |
| Unity Jiu-jitsu | Murilo Santana |
Heavy
| Atos Jiu-Jitsu | Kaynan Duarte |
| CheckMat | Adam Wardzinski |
| CheckMat | Arnaldo Maidana |
| GF Team | Patrick Gaudio |
| Gracie Barra | Fellipe Trovo |
| Kronos BJJ | Vinicius Gimenes |
| Ns Brotherhood | Leandro Lo |
| Team Lloyd Irvin | Tim Spriggs |
Super-heavy
| Alliance | Fernando Reis |
| Alliance | Leo Nogueira |
| Atos Jiu-Jitsu | Helton Junior |
| Atos Jiu-Jitsu | Rafael Lima |
| GF Team | Gutemberg Pereira |
| Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu | James Puopolo |
| Soul Fighters BJJ | Tanner Rice |
| Team Lloyd Irvin | Mahamed Aly |
| Zenith BJJ | Fellipe Andrew |
Ultra-heavy
| GF Team | Max Gimenis |
| GF Team | Ricardo Evangelista |
| Gordo Jiu-Jitsu USA | Antonio Braga Neto |
WOMEN
Rooster
| Flow | Serena Gabrielli |
| GF Team | Mayssa Caldas |
Light feather
| Alliance | Talita Alencar |
| Brasa CTA | Kristina Barlaan |
| CheckMat | Gabriela Fechter |
| GF Team | Amanda Monteiro |
Feather
| CheckMat | Karen Antunes |
| ECJJA | Ffion Davies |
Light
| Atos Jiu-Jitsu | Bia Basilio |
| Gracie Humaita | Gabrielle McComb |
Middle
| Alliance | Renata Marinho |
| CheckMat | Raquel Canuto |
| GF Team | Ana Carolina Vieira |
| Soul Fighters BJJ | Jessica Swanson |
Medium heavy
| Alliance | Monique Elias |
| Atos Jiu-Jitsu | Luiza Monteiro |
| Gracie Barra | Andressa Cintra |
Heavy
| Ns Brotherhood | Talita “Treta” Nogueira |
| Rodrigo Pinheiro BJJ | Nathiely de Jesus |
Super-heavy
| Alliance | Gabi Garcia |
| G13 BJJ | Carina Santi |
| Gracie Barra | Jessica Flowers |
