FEBRUARY 19, 2017 – if this month had been very entertaining up until two days ago, the weekend that just past has doubled up on that sentiment. A true Brazilian jiu jitsu extravaganza, the 18th (Saturday) saw 3 high level tournaments with Copa Podio’s lightweight GP taking on most of the spotlight.

While things were getting heated at Copa Podio, an up and coming brown belt was causing havoc in Buenos Aires, at the UAEJJF Argentina National Pro. That brown belt was Gustavo Batista, commonly known as ‘Braguinha’. Less than two years ago this student of Leandro Lo was winning the IBJJF World Championship as a blue belt, and now he is going toe-to-toe with the best on the planet, absolutely incredible.

Yesterday, after winning his division (brown belt 94 kg), where he submitted everyone, Gustavo made way to the absolute division (77 kg to 110 kg), a mixed category of brown and black belts. Where he was thrown in with big names of our sport such as José Junior, Rodrigo Martins, Alexandre Ribeiro and Gabriel Arges. In the end the young talent came out the victor, beating 4 black belts on his way to the podium, including Jose Jr and Xande Ribeiro (both beat on points).

Below are the results of the black belt divisions:

77KG DIVISION

1st Eduardo Vieyra

2nd Matias Asencio

3rd Matias Simonelli

85KG DIVISION

1st Gabriel Arges

2nd Enrique March

3rd Lucas Perello

94KG DIVISION

1st Alexandre Ribeiro

2nd Giovanne Dellamea

3rd Emiliano Simonelli

110KG DIVISION

1st Rodrigo Martins

2nd José Junior

3rd Luis Irigoitia

MALE ABSOLUTE / BLACK / -77 KG BRACKET

1st Murilo Amaral

2nd Matias Simonelli

3rd Facundo Ciancio

MALE ABSOLUTE / BLACK / -110 KG BRACKET

1st Gustavo Batista

2nd Alexandre Ribeiro

3rd José Junior

FEMALE DIVISION

70KG

1st Luiza Monteiro

2nd Stephanie Bragayrac