The 2023 IBJJF No-Gi World Championship is near completion, showcasing diversification across different weight divisions of the championship. The results of this renowned tournament not only reflected the exceptional performance of black belts but also highlighted the commendable fighting abilities of brown belts on the mats. Among the top-notch BJJ brown belts, UFC Champion Miranda Maverick amazingly played at the brown belt level, earning a silver medal at the end of the bout. Miranda, currently holding a 12-5 professional record, competed in four battles, winning the first three by submission and points. In the first two fights, she attempted the guillotine choke against her opponents while winning the third match based on the final points. Miranda also defeated Leilani Bernales via points in the semi-final stage. Among her victories, Miranda gained immense fame for submitting Peyton Letcher in the second round. Unfortunately, her luck did not work in the final match, where she was defeated by Laura Sileci based on points. Throughout her mixed martial arts journey, Miranda displayed her remarkable submission skills and secured victory in multiple championships. Miranda is hopeful to win her next UFC 298 fight, where she will face Andrea Lee.
Among all the incredible performances in the 2023 IBJJF No-Gi World Championship, Luke Griffth’s accomplishment stunned the entire grappling community, as he attempted submission against each competitor and won the double gold.
Ffion Davies, a Welsh submission grappler, holds the title of the first European who secured the winning title of the absolute division championship, earning the double gold. Although Davies belongs to a region that is devoid of producing historic BJJ champions, Ffion Davies stands out as one of the rare fighters who have achieved victory in both absolute division and weight class in this championship. Davies is categorized among the strongest female grapplers in BJJ history.
After Ffion’s unforgettable success, Tommy Langaker and Adam Wardzinsiki followed in her footsteps and ranked among the top winners in Europe. Davies also showcased her commendable grappling skills in 2021 and became the first European who was the multiple-time winner of that Championship. However, her recent success in the 2023 IBJJF No-Gi World Championship assisted her in effectively shaping her career. Edwin Ocasio was the only winning athlete in this tournament who represented America.
Both the female and male divisions exhibited exceptional results although the outcomes of the women’s divisions were less surprising as compared to the male divisions. Adressa Cintra won the heavyweight division, while the crown of the lightweight division was in the hands of Ffion Davies. Mayssa Bastos was the winner of the rooster weight division, while Kendall Reusing marked her presence by winning the super heavyweight division. Among all the athletes, Alex Enriquez was the one who gave a surprise by winning the featherweight division. Elizabeth Mitrovic and Gabrielle McComb were the gold medalists in both medium heavyweight and middleweight championships.
Among the men’s divisions, Roberto Jimenez was declared as the winner of the absolute division. Similarly, Tommy Langaker won in the middleweight division, while Javier Zaruski won the super heavyweight title. In all weight divisions, different fighters made history by winning at the 2023 No Gi World Championship. Ronaldo Junior won the medium heavyweight division, while Diego Oliveira became a pro featherweight champion. Roosevelt Sousa secured the winning title in the ultra-heavyweight division. However, for the rooster weight and lightweight divisions, Lucas Valente and Everton Teixeira turned the tables with their success.
Although the 2023 IBJJF No-Gi World Championship night was full of stunning performances, Maggie Grindatti, a top American grappler and BJJ black belt announced her retirement from grappling after losing the battle against Elizabeth Mitrovic. She expressed her decision by leaving her rashguard on the bout mats. The announcement of retirements in this manner has become a tradition in the grappling circuit, with various top fighters having already done the same at the end of their careers. The present year was quite productive for Maggie, as she also won the title of inaugural Enypo under 70kg Champion by winning a bronze at the IBJJF No-Gi Pan Championship.
Maggie’s decision to retire from her grappling career is quite surprising and seems unusual, as she is neither weak nor old enough to do so. However, her main purpose in announcing this news is to switch teams and join the ATOS Team.
Photo credit: @ibjjf
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