Bruno Malfacine. Ivan Trindade/GRACIEMAG
It’s time for the Walter Pyramid to shake! The 2019 IBJJF World Championship, set to take place between May 30 and June 2, is a historic one even before the first pair of fighters steps on the mat. For the first time since the inception of the federation, the biggest BJJ event worldwide will be offering cash prizes to its main stars.
And, as expected, all of the strongest fighters of the current generation, plus some relentless veterans, will be in the running for prizes up to ten thousand dollars. Men’s and women’s divisions have never been this packed with talent, so we gave the sign-up sheets a good look to bring you the names to watch.
Our opinion is that the men’s roosterweight division will be exceptionally competitive, with Bruno Malfacine, a ten-time world champion, having chosen to unretire, and Michael Musumeci, a two-time light featherweight champion, crashing Bruno’s division at the last minute. And that’s before we mention two-time champions Caio Terra and Omar Salum, and Felipe Costa, who is also a world champion. Whew.
Elsewhere, world champions like Paulo Miyao, Shane Hill-Taylor, Lucas Lepri, Michael Langhi, Isaque Bahiense, Claudio Calasans, Gabriel Arges, Otávio Sousa, Felipe Preguiça, Leandro Lo, Nicholas Meregali, Mahamed Aly, Rodrigo Cavaca and Marcus Buchecha, as well as Rikako Yuasa, Talita Alencar, Gezary Matuda, Amanda Monteiro, Karen Antunes, Ana Carolina Schmitt, Bia Mesquita, Ana Carolina Vieira, Luanna Alzuguir, Talita Treta, Nathiely de Jesus Fernanda Mazzelli and Claudia Do Val, will be vying for more gold in California. And, of course, there are throngs of brilliant athletes seeking to claim the biggest glory in BJJ for the first time in their lives.
Below is our complete list of standouts. Be sure to let us know who you think can win in the weight divisions and in the absolute.
Coverage of the 2019 Worlds is brought to you by our partners
@kamikaze.sports and @keiko_sports
MEN
ROOSTER
Alliance |
Bruno Malfacine |
Atos Jiu-Jitsu |
Cleber “Clandestino” |
Brasa |
Felipe Costa |
Brasa CTA |
Caio Terra |
Brasa CTA |
Tomoyuki Hashimoto |
Caio Terra Association |
Michael Musumeci |
GF Team |
Bebeto Oliveira |
Gracie Humaita |
Omar Salum |
Qatar BJJ |
Rodnei Junior |
Soul Fighters BJJ |
David Herrera Junior |
Tri-Force Jiu-Jitsu |
Koji Shibamoto |
Tri-Force Jiu-Jitsu |
Nobuhiro Sawada |
LIGHT FEATHER
Atos Jiu-Jitsu |
Pablo Mantovani Dutra |
Cicero Costha Internacional |
Hiago George |
Cicero Costha Internacional |
João Miyao |
Cicero Costha Internacional |
José Tiago |
Cicero Costha Internacional |
Paulo Miyao |
GF Team |
Fernando de Jesus |
Nova União |
Alexssandro Sodré |
ZR Team Association |
Gabriel Sousa |
FEATHER
Alliance |
Gianni Grippo |
Alliance |
Isaac Doederlein |
Alliance International |
João Paulo Neto |
Alliance Los Angeles |
Kennedy Maciel |
Ares BJJ |
Osvaldo “Quexinho” Moizinho |
Ares BJJ |
Samir Chantre |
Atos Jiu-Jitsu |
Rafael Mansur |
Brazilian Top Team Int. |
Leonardo “Cascão” Saggioro |
CheckMat |
Matheus Gabriel |
Nova União |
Marcio Andre |
Qatar BJJ Brasil |
Luciano Queiroz |
Team Lloyd Irvin |
Shane Jamil Hill-Taylor |
LIGHT
Alliance |
Lucas Lepri |
Alliance |
Michael Langhi |
Alliance International |
Jhonny Loureiro |
Alliance Jiu-Jitsu |
Victor Genovesi |
Atos Jiu-Jitsu |
Leonardo Lara |
CheckMat |
Renato Canuto |
CT MR |
Ygor Rodrigues |
Easton BJJ |
John Combs |
GF Team |
Jacob Williams Mackenzie |
Gracie Barra |
Victor Silverio Santos |
Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu |
Yan “Pica-Pau” |
Unity Jiu-jitsu |
Levi Jones-Leary |
ZR Team |
Lucas Rocha |
MIDDLE
Alliance |
Isaque Bahiense |
Alliance |
Marcos Tinoco |
Atos Jiu-Jitsu |
JT Torres |
Atos Jiu-Jitsu |
Michael Liera Jr. |
Atos JJ International |
Claudio Calasans |
Atos JJ USA |
Rodrigo Caporal |
GF Team |
Dante Leon |
GF Team |
Jaime Canuto |
Gracie Barra |
Gabriel Arges |
Gracie Barra |
Otavio Sousa |
Gracie Barra JJ |
Servio Tulio |
KMR BJJ KIMURA |
Tommy Langaker |
R1NG BJJ |
Lucas Valle |
Rodrigo Pinheiro BJJ |
Manuel Ribamar |
Soul Fighters BJJ |
Hugo Marques |
Team Lloyd Irvin |
DJ Jackson |
Unity Jiu-jitsu |
Felipinho Cesar |
MEDIUM HEAVY
Alliance |
Matheus Diniz |
Alliance |
Renato Cardoso |
Alliance International |
Matheus Spirandeli |
Alliance International |
Tarsis Humphreys |
Alliance Jiu-Jitsu |
Matheus Godoy |
Atos Jiu-Jitsu |
Gustavo Batista |
Atos Jiu-Jitsu |
Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa |
Brasa CTA |
Rudson Mateus |
CheckMat |
Gabriel “Todd” Almeida |
Gracie Barra |
Felipe “Preguiça” Pena |
Soul Fighters BJJ |
Ruan Oliveira |
Unity Jiu-jitsu |
Devhonte Johnson |
Unity Jiu-jitsu |
Murilo Santana |
HEAVY
Alliance |
Dimitrius Souza |
Alliance |
Vinicius “Trator” Ferreira |
Alliance International |
Fernando Reis |
Atos Jiu-Jitsu |
Kaynan Duarte |
BJJ Globetrotters |
Keenan Cornelius |
CheckMat |
Adam Wardzinski |
CheckMat |
Arnaldo Maidana |
CheckMat |
Jackson Sousa |
GF Team |
Patrick Gaudio |
Gracie Barra |
Fellipe Trovo |
Ns Brotherhood |
Gerard Labinski |
Ns Brotherhood |
Leandro Lo |
Team Lloyd Irvin |
Tim Spriggs |
SUPER-HEAVY
Alliance |
Nicholas Meregali |
Atos Jiu-Jitsu |
Helton Jose Junior |
Atos Jiu-Jitsu |
Rafael Vasconcelos |
CheckMat |
Luiz Panza |
GF Team |
Gutemberg Pereira |
Ns Brotherhood |
Igor “Tigrão” Schneider |
Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu |
James Puopolo |
Soul Fighters BJJ |
Tanner Rice |
Team Lloyd Irvin |
Mahamed Aly |
Yemaso JJ |
Eliot Kelly |
Zenith BJJ |
Fellipe Andrew |
Zenith BJJ |
Rodrigo Cavaca |
ULTRA-HEAVY
CheckMat |
Marcus Almeida “Buchecha” |
GF Team |
Max Gimenis |
GF Team |
Ricardo Evangelista |
Qatar BJJ |
Victor Honório |
Soul Fighters BJJ |
João Gabriel Rocha |
Team Lloyd Irvin |
Duzão Lopes |
Team Lloyd Irvin |
Otavio Nalati |
=====
WOMEN
ROOSTER
Flow |
Serena Gabrielli |
GF Team |
Mayssa Bastos |
GF Team |
Thamires Aquino |
Paraestra Shinagawa |
Rikako Yuasa |
LIGHT FEATHER
Alliance |
Talita Alencar |
American Top Team |
Gezary Matuda |
Brasa CTA |
Kristina Barlaan |
Brasa CTA |
Tammi Musumeci |
GF Team |
Amanda Monteiro |
FEATHER
Atos Jiu-Jitsu |
Bia Basilio |
CheckMat |
Karen Antunes |
ECJJA |
Ffion Davies |
Gracie Humaita |
Larissa Campos Carvalho |
Nova União |
Ana Carolina Schmitt |
LIGHT
Alliance International |
Erin Herle |
Alliance International |
Mayra Mazza |
CheckMat |
Catherine Perret |
Gracie Humaita |
Bia Mesquita |
Gracie Humaita |
Gabrielle McComb |
MIDDLE
Alliance |
Renata Marinho |
Brazil 021 |
Hannette Staack |
CheckMat |
Raquel Canuto |
CheckMat |
Samantha Cook |
GF Team |
Ana Carolina Vieira |
Soul Fighters BJJ |
Jessica Swanson |
MEDIUM HEAVY
Alliance |
Luanna Alzuguir |
Atos Jiu-Jitsu |
Luiza Monteiro |
GF Team |
Rafaela Bertolot |
Gracie Barra |
Andressa Cintra |
Ryan Gracie Team |
Sábatha Laís |
HEAVY
Mako Team Paris |
Claire-France Thevenon |
Ns Brotherhood |
Talita “Treta” Nogueira |
Qatar BJJ Brasil |
Izadora Cristina |
Rodrigo Pinheiro BJJ |
Nathiely de Jesus |
Striker JJ |
Fernanda Mazzelli |
SUPER-HEAVY
Atos Jiu-Jitsu |
Nivia Moura |
Brazilian Top Team |
Alison Tremblay |
De La Riva JJ |
Claudia do Val |
Gracie Barra |
Jessica Flowers |
Hilti Akademi Nord |
Venla Luukonen |