JT uses his guard to overcome heavyweight Salazar at Houston Open. Photo by Mike Calimbas.
This past weekend was replete with Jiu-Jitsu of the highest quality in Texas, at the IBJJF Houston Open that took place at the Jerabeck Activity and Athletic Center, with the likes of the Mendes brothers, André Galvão, Marcello Salazar, Stephen Hall, Diego Gamonal, James Harbison, Pablo Santos, Ryan Hall, and a lightweight who ended up with two gold medals and the status of big standout of the event.
(Watch the medium heavyweight final, between Galvão and Gamonal, below.)
That lightweight is none other than Lloyd Irvin academy’s Jonathan Torres, Houston Open champion of the lightweight and absolute divisions. To win at weight. he overcame Bruno Amorim in the division final, while to take top spot in the absolute, he had to face his training partner James Harbison in the absolute final.
EARLY-SEASON TOURNEY, IN-FORM JIU-JITSU
At featherweight, Gui Mendes placed first, with his brother, Rafael, in second. At medium heavyweight, André Galvão defeated Diego Gamonal in winning the gold. And Marcello Salazar won in the heavyweight division.
Another little guy to outdo the big guys was Gracie Elite’s Gianni Grippo, who won the brown belt absolute. As well as the featherweight division. In the team contest, Gracie Barra was rampant in the overall team competition, winning both the trophies: the kids, as well as the adult/masters categories.
Check out the full results at the IBJJF website.
Watch JT in action against Harbison and comment below: who was the big standout of the Houston Open to you, if you happened to be there?
