Monday, the 22nd, is the final day to sign up for the Jiu-Jitsu Pan in the grandiose UC Irvine gymnasium paying the least, so don’t miss out. (Sign up paying less here.)
All those to register will have the chance to compete live for the world to see, as the championship with the longest-running tradition in the Americas will be broadcast live over the internet for free and in real time, thanks to the efforts of the savvy crew at BudoVideos.com.
To heat things up even more for this 16th installment of the Pan, GRACIEMAG.com opened its vault to reminisce about some of the most classic moments in the event’s history.
15. Rigan Machado vs Roberto Roleta, 1996
Never had anyone passed Roleta’s guard with such ease, not even in training. But “Rigão”, without an inkling it was impossible, went out there and did it, scoring 3 to 0 and winning his second absolute title at the Pan.
14. Eduardo Jamelão vs Jean Jacques Machado, 1996
After holding out against a deeply sunk kneebar, Jamelão rose to the occasion, making it to Jean Jacques’s half-guard and winning the middleweight division.
13. Marcio Feitosa vs Vítor Shaolin, 1998
At the 4th Pan, Marcio passed the guard of the Nova União revelation twice, running into danger from a snug americana.
12. Saulo Ribeiro is absolute champion, 1998
With a submission over local boy Renato Charuto, Saulo was the big name of the Pan in Hawaii, one of the most entertaining IBJJF events to date.
11. “El Nino” sweeps America, 1998 and 1999
With outlandish finishes like his thigh lock on Zé Marcello, Nino Schembri wowed the crowd and helped popularize Jiu-Jitsu in the USA.
10. Royler Gracie vs Marcos Parrumpinha, 1999
Royler snagged another gold medal for his vast collection, in a lively featherweight final.
9. BJ Penn’s “debut”, 2000
The hard-nosed Hawaiian lost his cool and threw down with opponent Francisco Neto, and was duly disqualified.
8. Fernando Margarida vs Fabio Gurgel, 2001
During a sublime stage in his career, Margarida submitted his former teacher Fabio Gurgel with a choke while the leader of Alliance forced his way to pass guard.
7. Delson Pé de Chumbo vs Fernando Tererê, 2002
Pé de Chumbo put on a show of tact, strategy and Jiu-Jitsu to stop the untamable Tererê.
6. Roger Gracie vs Fabricio Werdum, 2002
In a match for the ages, when neither of the two was famous, Roger swept Fabricio and took the brown belt title.
5. Marcio Pé de Pano vs Fabricio Werdum, 2003
The Southern Brazil native made his debut at black belt and started out beating the much-favored-to-win Marcio “Pe de Pano” Cruz. But Pe got back on track, mounting and catching Werdum by the arm, in the first encounter beween the two, both of whom are now in MMA.
4. Roberto Gordo vs Rener Gracie, 2003
In the first Brazil vs USA challenge, Rener caught Gordo by surprise, holding him in a snug triangle choke for seven minutes. “Had it been in training I’d have tapped,” admitted Roberto, who held out, defended and won the match.
3. Braulio “Carcará” Estima, “The Flash”, 2003
In a hurry to catch the Santa Barbara sunset, Carcará submitted all his opponents in five minutes, winning at weight and open weight in the brown belt division.
2. Ronaldo Jacaré vs Fernando Tererê, 2004
The absolute final in 2004 feature two old friends. Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un67J1fhAd8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtI9QwUye80
1. Rubens Cobrinha vs Rafael Lovato Jr., 2009
One of the Pan’s all-time biggest winners, featherweight Rubens Charles stuck his neck out in the absolute of the 2009 Pan and nearly took it. He brought the gymnasium in Dominguez Hills to its feet with his win over the heavier Rafael Lovato Jr., but let the title slip through his fingers in the very end against Otavio Sousa, missing his chance of making it into the gallery of the Pan’s absolute champions, alongside Xande Ribeiro, Roger Gracie, Marcio Pé de Pano, Fabio Leopoldo, André Galvão and other aces. So who will be the big standout this year?
