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Roger Gracie wins 3rd Open Weight Title
Long Beach, California - 2010 marked the 15th year that the World Brazilian Jiujitsu Championships were held. In 2007 they were took place for the first time in the U.S. This year, they went for four days, from June 3 to June 6, at the Cal. State Long Beach campus in the pyramid building. Nearly 2,000 competitors fought in all belt divisions, children as well as adults. This article will focus on the heavier weight divisions of the black belt men and brown/black belt women. 
The star of the show was current MMA fighter Roger Gracie of the Gracie Barra school. Although Roger is now more focused on his MMA career, he still had time to compete once again at the Worlds. Here, he fought in the Super Heavyweight division (221 lbs.). Roger faced Ricardo Abreu Pinto (Nova Uniao). This was a one sided match. Super skilled Roger started the fight in Pinto's guard. He later took his back, holding a 6-2 lead. Roger then gained the full mount, as he hunted for a submission chokehold. The match went the full 10 minutes, with Roger winning on points, 13-2.
Roger also fought in the Open weight division. Here he faced Romulo Barral, also of Gracie Barra. Unfortunately for Barral, he had been injured in a previous match. Fighting earlier in the Medium Heavyweight division (194.5 lbs.), Barral was submitted by a leg lock against Tarsis Humphreys, causing him to suffer a severe limp. He therefore, forfeited his Open weight fight against R. Gracie, handing Roger a record third World Open weight title. 
The women's Brown/Black belt Heavyweight division was dominated by the Brazilian giant Gabrielle Garcia of Alliance club. The platinum haired Garcia held a huge size advantage over her teammate and opponent Katrina Weilbacher. Both players were cheered on by a huge gathering of Alliance club members in the audience. Chants were heard regularly during the course of the tournament from Allaince and Gracie Barra members. Here, Garcia took the top position on the ground against Weilbacher. She eventually gained a side pin, winning the match on points, 7-0. In the Open Weight division, Garcia was to fight another teammate Luanna Alzuguir. However, Garcia forfeited the match to here teammate, giving Alzuguir the Gold.
2010 Pan-American JiuJitsu
Championships
World Champ G. Garcia Wins. R. Lovato Loses. K. Gracie Reaches the Top
Irvine, CA - Over 2,850 contestants competed in the 2010 BJJ Pan-Am Championships at the UC Irvine Bren Events Center. A record crowd came out to watch the four day event that started April 8th. The highlight of the entire tournament was the black belt middleweight match between Kayron Gracie (Gracie Barra) and Abmar Barbosa (Drysdale JJ). Gracie grabbed 2 points with an opening move, but Barbosa quickly evened the score with a tomoe-nage throw. Barbosa pulled ahead with another 2 points with an ankle lock, but Gracie caught up to bring the score to 4-4. With only 50 seconds left, Barbosa attacked from on top, but Gracie reversed the offensive from the bottom for a crucial 2 point lead. When time ran out, Gracie upset Barbosa with a 6-4 win to capture the Pan-am middleweight title.
Another exciting final match was in the men's heavyweight category between 2007 World Champion Rafael Lovato of San Diego and Bernardo Farias of Alliance. Faria slid from underneath into the top position to score a 2 point lead, but Lovato came back quickly with the same move to tie the score. Faria controlled Lovato's leg from the bottom to gain another 2 points, and continued to pass Lovato's guard to widen his lead to 8-2. When time ran out, Faria upset a world champion on his way to capturing the Pan Am heavyweight title.
In the women's heavyweight division, 2008 World BJJ champion Gabrielle Garcia from Brazil faced Tammy Griego of New Mexico. Garcia used her judo skills to do a single leg take down throw to lead by 2 points. Garcia took advantage of her weight and height advantage to keep passing Griego's guard to earn another 3 points. Garcia continued to keep pressure on Griego for rest of the match to win the Pan Am Heavyweight title. (Irvine Ca 4/8-12/ 2010)
(Complete results at: www.ibjjf.org)
2009 Jiujitsu World Championship
Roger Gracie Dominates Open and Super Heavy Weight
Long Beach, CA- The 2009 World Brazilian Jiujitsu Championships were held at Long Beach State University's Pyramid. On Sunday, June 7th, thousands of spectators heated up the the atmosphere as they watched the finals of the black belts divisions. The 2007 open weight champion, Roger Gracie, returned this year for revenge. Last year, Alex Rebeiro from San Diego, CA, counter Gracie's judo osoto-gari throw to steal away the title. This year, Gracie dominated both the open weight and super heavyweight divisions to win both titles.
In the open weight final, Gracie faced Romulo Barral, this year’s medium heavyweight champion from Texas. Barral tried to block Gracie’s favorite takedown techniques by sliding down to guide the fight to the ground. The taller Gracie accepted this challenge by pressuing both of Barral's legs to control him. Barral finally tired after 7 minutes of and Gracie folded his legs down and passed his guard. Gracie positioned himself in a mount to choke Barral with a nami-juji-jime (cross arm choke). Barral tapped out, and Gracie captured another World title. Gracie's rival Alex Rebeiro did not compete this year. Kron Gracie, Rickson Gracie's son, was eliminated in the quarterfinals by rival Lucas Leite. Leite, the Pan Am champion, placed 3rd, and the middleweight title went to Marcelo Garcia.
Lana Stefanac captured the women’s open weight title by forcing Kyra Gracie (Renzo Gracie) to tap out from a ude-garami (Kimura) arm bar.(6/08/09)
More Phots -2009 BJJ World...
2009 Pan-American JiuJitsu
Championships (Ca, 3/29)
 
 
2008 Brazilian Jiujitsu Champion Debuts In MMA At Sengoku
Tokyo: At the 5th Sengoku MMA championships, Brazilian Jiujitsu World Champion Rebeiro (27yrs) fought in his first MMA championships on September 28th in Tokyo's Yoyogi Gym. He defeated GHC Jr. heavyweight champion Takashi Sugiura (38yrs) by KO. Rebeiro held Sugiura's head and landed a knee kick to his face, splitting the skin near Sugiura's eye brow. The referee stopped the match and awarded Rebeiro a KO victory. After the fight, Rebeiro challenged Olympic champ Hidehiko Yoshida, possibly leading to a Judo vs Jiujitsu match on Jan. 4th, 2009. (9/29)
2008 World Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Champiuonships
Last Year's Absolute Champion Roger Gracie Upset
R.Gracie vs L.Leite in the S.S.Heavy weight final.(Right Picture)
This year's Brazilian Jiu-jitsu World Championships
were held at the Cal State Long Beach Pyramid on May 6-8th. On the last day of competition all attention converged on the finals of the black belt divisions. In the super super heavyweight division, last year's gold medalist and absolute division champion Roger Gracie from Brazil faced heavyweight winner Alex Rebeiro (San Diego, CA).
R.Louvato vs A.Braga Neto in the S.Heavy weight final.(Left Picture)
Their absolute division final ended up looking more like a judo throwing competition. Rebeiro countered Roger Gracie's right osotogari (Major outside clip throw) attempt to tkae a 2pt lead. Neither player went to the ground, and Gracie's second osotogari attempt was countered by Rebeiro's sukuinage (leg lift throw) to increase his lead to 4-0. Gracie changed tactics to challenge Rebeiro in a ground fight where he captured 2 pts by turning Rebeiro over from the bottom, but time ran out. Gracie could not catch up to Rebeiro's lead, and Rebeiro won this year's absolute division title.
Rafael Lovato (San Diego, CA), last year's only American World Champion, lost in the finals of the super heavyweight division to Antonio Braga Neto.
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