Follow along for updates and analysis from the semifinals and finals of the 2022 IBJJF World Championships in Long Beach California

Location: Kennedy Space Center, Fl.

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Photo by: nicholasmeregali

Read how the semifinal matchups settled, and the athletes who made it to the top of the IBJJF World podium. Read along with us here as only a few of the best Gi competitors the world over climb to the no. 1 spot.

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Semifinals

Rooster weight

Thalison Soares defeated Cleber Sousa via points (6-4)

Bebeto Oliveira defeated Rodnei Barbosa via points (4-2)

Bebeto and Thalison rematched in the Worlds after facing off at Pans earlier this year. Bebeto got the better of that one, defeating Soares via points.

Light Featherweight

Meyram Maquine defeated Hiago George via armbar at (2:35)

Meyram Maquine was out of the date with a rampant pace, putting an early scoring frenzy on Hiago George. He managed to gain 10 points before securing a match winning armbar.

Diego “Pato” Oliveira defeated Diogo Reis via points (2-0)

Diogo Reis attempted to put outside pressure on the reigning light featherweight champ, but Pato tied Baby Shark up very well. Reis’ passing gained him an early advantage in the match. In the final minute however, Pato secured a lapel 50-50 and used it to get on top, then proceeded to hold down an aggressively grappling Diogo Reis. Pato also faced off against Dream Art teammate Meyram Maquine in his second consecutive World final.

Featherweight

Isaac Doederlein defeated Samuel Nagai via a brutal foot lock at (6:06)

Nagai pounced early on, earning an advantage with a super tight-looking armbar, then scoring two points for coming up. But Doederlein was not having it, collecting his renowned foot lock, and then shredded the ankle of his Checkmat opponent. This was Doederlein’s first Worlds final as a black belt and he did not disappoint!

Diego Sodre defeated Daniel Maira via advantages (2-0)

Lightweight

Tye Ruotolo defeated Lucas Valente via points (4-0)

Two takedowns by Ruotolo and a heap of pace put him just over Valente.

Mica Galvao defeated Jonnatas Gracie with a bow and arrow choke at (6:29)

Mica Galvao was hungry for points on Gracie, putting up nine points before collecting a bow and arrow choke to seal the match.

Middleweight

Tainan Dalpra defeated Ronaldo Junior by way of points (10-0)

Tainan Dalpra put on a career best performance against Ronaldo Junior in four tries. He earned ten points and was never on the back foot. This makes for Dalpra’s second consecutive Worlds finals.

Andy Murasaki defeated Tommy Langaker by way of points (2-0)

Andy Murasaki gained two points from an early sweep, and traded intense grappling with the Norwegian for the remainder of the match in one of the most exciting matches of the morning. Murasaki was the next middleweight to try to stop Tainan Dalpra.

Medium Heavyweight

Isaque Bahiense defeated Gustavo Batista by way of points (3-0)

Bahiense’s pressure was on point with Batista for the first half of the match, but couldn’t score until the last two minutes, when he collected passing points. Bahiense was now back in the final, after taking second in the middleweight division in 2021.

Leandro Lo defeated Bruno Lima by way of points (2-0)

Leandro Lo scored and early two points to gain the W over Bruno Lim. He’s now on track to become the fourth male athlete to win eight world titles, but he’ll have to get through Bahiense…. Read below to see who made it out on top!

Heavyweight

Kaynan Duarte defeated Rider Zuchi by way of advantages (4-1)

Duarte secured control of the back in the first 90 seconds, and cranked a lateral arm lock with no effect. With a three-advantage lead, Duarte locked up the lapel 50-50 and ran out the clock to secure the match.

Dimitrius Sousa defeated Pedro Machado by way of points (2-0)

Dimitrius Sousa gained an early lead over Machado, then fended him off, who fought brutally  in an attempt to overcome the two-point deficit. Sousa encounted Kaynan Duarte in the final in a rematch from the 2019 Worlds semis…. See below for who won it all!

Super Heavyweight

Nicholas Meregali defeated Fellipe Andrew by way of a collar choke at (4:24)

Fellipe Andrew scored an early takedown, but didn’t manage to sweep Meregali. Meregali slowly took control, then captured seven more points before submitting Andrew with a collar choke. He maintained a perfect submission rate on the weekend… something only a few have ever been able to achieve

Erich Munis defeated Marcus Scooby by way of triangle at (8:47)

Munis and Scooby started off slowly, but in the final two minutes, Munis countered a shot with a guard pull and locked up a triangle in the fallout. He finished the submission with only 1:13 remaining o the clock. The Dream Art representative faced off twice, once at super heavyweight and again in the absolute final… read below for the results!

Ultra Heavyweight

Gutemberg Pereira defeated Guilherme Augusto by way of decision

A lapel 50-50 battle throughout went down to referee decision in favor of Pereira

Victor Hugo Pereira Wallace Costa by way of kneebar at (5:27)

After duking it out in 50-50, Victor Hugo secured a kneebar, an attack he’s an expert at.

Finals

Male Divisions

Rooster weight: Thalison Soares

Thalison Soares won against Bebeto Oliviera by way of points (2-0) to overcome his recent loss from Pans and earn his first World title in 2022! With this win he has now won Worlds at every belt.

Super Heavyweight: Erich Munis

Erich Munis defeated Dream Art teammate Nicholas Meregali by way of points (2-0) to win his second super heavyweight title! To make it even more special He proposed to his fiancé on his way to the podium… I think we can count this as a double gold. 

Light Featherweight: Meyram Maquine

Meyram Maquine won against teammate and reigning champ Diego Pato to earn his first world title.

Featherweight: Isaac Doederlein

Isaac Doederlein beat out Diego Sodre (2-0) to win his first world title and became the sixth American male world champion in history… an epic accomplishment for the U.S.

Lightweight: Mica Galvao

Mica Galvao made his way into the history books by becoming the youngest world champion in history, outscoring Tye Ruotolo.

Middleweight: Tainan Dalpra

Tainan Dalpra defeated Andy Murasaki with a Collar Choke to Become a two-time World Champion.

Medium Heavyweight: Leandro Lo

Leandro Lo conquered Isaque Bahiense by way of points to become an eight-time world champion; only the fourth male competitor in BJJ history to achieve this status.

Heavyweight: Kaynan Duarte

Kaynan Duarte beat Demetrius Sousa via advantages, earning his second world title.

Ultra-Heavyweight: Victor Hugo

Victor Hugo crawled himself out of a two-point deficit to score a whapping seven points in the final minute, earning his second world title.

Absolute: Nicholas Meregali

Nicholas Meregali beat out Erich Munis by way of just one advantage, claiming his first open class world title and third overall world title.

Female Divisions

Rooster weight: Mayssa Bastos

Mayssa Bastos defeated Brenda Larissa by way of points (6-4) to earn her third world title and complete a grand slam… something we expected she may earn this year.

Light featherweight: Anna Rodrigues

Anna Rodrigues conquered Tammi Musumeci by way of points (4-0)

Featherweight; Bianca Basilio

Bianca Basilio won against Amanda Canuto by way of points

Lightweight: Ffion Davies

Ffion Davies beat out Janaina Maia by way of points and becomes the first-ever UK-born champion, a trye feat!

Middleweight: Andressa Cintra

Andressa Cintra beat Thalyta Lima by decision to gain her third consecutive world title.

Medium Heavyweight: Ana Carolina Vieira

Ana Carolina Vieira defeated Luciana Mota with a katagatame at (9:11) to earn her fifth world title! A brutal submission finish.

Heavyweight: Larissa Dias

Larissa Dias won against Rafaela Guedes by way of advantages to earn her first world title.

Super Heavyweight: Gabi Pessanha

Gabi Pessanha beat out Yara Soares by way of points (6-4) to become a three-time world champion and complete her 2022 grand slam! What a year for her already!

Absolute: Gabi Pessanha

Gabi Pessanha earned a 2-2 decision over Amy Campo, making this her fourth world title and completing a double grand slam.

That’s all for today… Check back here for the latest grappling news/updates!

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