Finally! The Jiu Jitsu gi world championships has returned. The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition is just not the same without this historic event. After missing 2020 and a delay from its typical summer session, California will play host to the world’s best gi jiu jitsu fighters once again. With the black belts hitting the mats over the weekend, there is a lot to look forward to. The IBJJF released the brackets earlier this week. Our team has looked over the brackets and decided to put together a quick preview of what is to come this weekend. Have a look and write to us with your predictions and thoughts on this amazing event.

Check out our Black Belt Adult Male Preview ( our Adult Womens preview will be available in the coming days):

Black Belt Adult Male Roosterweight:

American Jiu Jitsu ace Mikey Musumeci returns to the Roosterweight division, the weight class in which he won his first of three gi jiu jitsu world titles. Mikey is pegged as the favorite to win yet again, if Mikey is to get his hands on yet another gi title he will surely be considered the best gi jiu jitsu American competitor of all time. Mikey winning yet another title is not assured with the likes of jiu jitsu legend Bruno Malficine standing on the other side of the bracket. The two have shared the finals mat before at the world championship, with Mikey taking the win then. Never count out the Alliance fighter however, if Bruno is to reach the finals mat he will need to overcome Thalison Soares of Cicero Costa. A many times world champion at the color belts and a black belt no gi world champion. Soares is yet to test his jiu jitsu against the best in the world at the black belt world championship. The lightest weight class could prove to be one of the most exciting this weekend.

Black Belt Adult Male Light-Featherweight

This division is a bit more open, oftentimes top competitors will move up or down from the weight class. Therefore, it has a more “anything could happen” feel than the weights directly below and above who host two or three favorites. Names to watch for walking away with the title this year are Hiago George, Malachi Edmond, Joao Mendes, Diego Baptista and Yuta Shimada.  With a mix of styles between these athletes, fireworks are sure to come from the division.

Black Belt Adult Male Featherweight

Make sure to tune in for the early rounds of this packed division. An exciting mix of veterans of the black belt division and new arrivals to the elite belt division. Leading the veterans are Isaac Doederlin,  Shane Hill-Taylor, Brian Mahecha, Brandon Welensky, Kennedy Maciel and Osvaldo Moizinho. Many of these names will not need any introduction to those who have been following the bjj scene closely over the years. Doederlin is an active veteran with a back taking oriented style, Hill-Taylor has an amazing attacking guard with Maciel and Moizinho bringing an all around bjj style. To get their hands on the title these veterans will need to make it past two new arrivals to the black belt division. Training together in Philadelphia at the Movement Art gym, Nick Salles and Daniel Maira promise to make a run at gold this year.

Black Belt Adult Male Lightweight

Each year this is one of the best divisions to watch. 2021 will be no exception. With so many great jiu jitsu fighters throwing their name in the mix at the lightweight division, it was a challenge to only name a few. Jonathan Alves of AOJ and Andy Murasaki of Atos mark the favorites from the newer generation of lightweight bjj players. From the veterans' names like Michael Liera, Gui Rocha. Many other names could be included in this list from an incredible division. Could this year be a passing of the guard? It is hard to envision this division being dominated year in and year out like Lucas Lepri once did for some many years with all these great competitors. It will be interesting to see who walks away with the lightweight crown and if its a start to a new reign for the divison

Black Belt Adult Male Middleweight

It seems that most finals at the major tournaments for middleweight have been contested between Isaque Bahiense and the viking Tommy Langaker. Watch any match between these two and try to argue that the gi is “boring”. These guys always put on a show but, this year we may not see a final between the two in such a talented division. Felipe Silva, Lucas Valle, Magid Hage and Jaime Canuto are just some of the established bjj names that could play spoiler.  Italo  Azeverdo of Unity is one of the dark horses who could make a run this weekend.

Black Belt Adult Medium-Heavyweight

With eighteen competitors signed up to contest for this title, the promise is there to see some awesome matches between some of the sport's most well rounded fighters. Atos is represented by some serious competitors in the likes of Gustavo Baptista and Lucas Barbosa, both are world champions who are in the hunt for another title. Fan favorite and all time legend Leandro Lo returns to a division in which has won one of his many world titles in. He will be joined by teammate, friend and coach Murilo Santa. Matheus Diniz, the Marcelo Garcia prodigy will be present in the hunt for his first gi world title after securing an ADCC title this past year. Lots of stories and some serious Jiu Jitsu skill make for an exciting lineup of matches

Black Belt Adult Male Heavyweight

In any combat sport the Heavyweight title is one of the most respected titles, this is no different in the world of Jiu Jitsu. Dimitri Souza will be representing Alliance. Souza is a world champion and veteran who is always in the mix to walk away with gold. Kayan Duarte will return to go after a world title. Duarte brings experience and a physicality to his bjj game that is difficult to match. Poland’s Adam Wardinzki will be hunting after his first world title representing Checkmat ( who is hunting big time for the team jiu jitsu title). Can Adam and his butterfly guard push through and capture a world title? Or will the likes of Duarte and Souza prove too much, and secure another title for their collection.

Black Belt Adult Male Super-Heavyweight

Fellipe Trovo will represent Atos Jiu Jitsu for this world championship hunt.  The Munis brothers, Erich and Anderson will carry the flag for Dream Art. The two young guns have been gaining experience since reaching the black belt and could make a run for gold. Both bring an exciting style of bjj with lots for fans to look forward to. Gerard Piotr is one not to count out either. With Meregali moving up to Ultra and other big names missing, the opportunity is there for some one new to walk away with gold.

Black Belt Adult Male Ultra-Heavyweight

The headlining story of this division is 40 year old Roberto “Cyborg” Abreau going after his first title in the black belt division. The seemingly timeless Cyborg has always been at the top of his division but, yet to reach gold in the most prestigious gi event. Cyborg has had a bit of a resurgence in recent years, showing his ability to adapt his smashing powerful style of jiu jitsu to the modern bjj scene. To finally walk away with gold he will need to defeat Victor Hugo and Nicholas Meregali. Meregali moves up to the division, while not the most active of jiu jitsu fighters, Meregali is one of the most exciting to watch. A final between Meregali and Cyborg could be fireworks. Meregali recently made the move from Alliance to Dream Art and will be representing the new team in the competition.

Hope you enjoyed the preview, our preview for the women's divison will be out in the coming days.

-Team Progress Jiu Jitsu