The 2025 Brasileiro is here, and with it, the final Grand Slam event of the 2024/2025 IBJJF ranking season. Held in São Paulo, the tournament marks the third major of the year and serves as a crucial arena for athletes chasing jiu-jitsu history. With legacy and a major title on the line, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

The Grand Slam Race: Three Contenders, One Final Test

Leading the charge is Gabrieli Pessanha, the reigning queen of jiu-jitsu. Undefeated in IBJJF competition since late 2021, Gabrieli has claimed double gold at every major gi tournament since the 2021 World Championships. Now, with double gold at both the 2025 Europeans and Pans, she’s in position to complete her fourth consecutive double Grand Slam season, a feat never before accomplished. 2025 has been her best year yet, as she's finished all nine of her matches by submission. The question in São Paulo isn’t what we can expect from Gabrieli but instead whether or not anyone can stop her.

Another Grand Slam candidate is Diego “Pato” Oliveira, who made waves by moving up to featherweight and securing gold at both the Europeans and Pans. For the Brasileiro, however, Pato returns to light featherweight, the division where he captured World titles in 2021, 2023, and 2024. His path to gold won’t be easy. 2025 Pan Champion Rerisson Gabriel and 2025 European Champion Diogo “Baby Shark” Reis both stand in his way. Pato has yet to have a match with Rerisson, but he and Baby Shark have clashed three times in IBJJF competition, with Pato holding a 2-1 edge. Potential matches with both Rerisson and Baby Shark are some of the most anticipated bouts of the tournament.

Rounding out the Grand Slam race is Adam Wardzinski, a perennial fan favorite and one of Europe’s most successful competitors. With major titles already earned this season, Wardzinski will look to cap off his Grand Slam campaign with a Brasileiro title.

Featherweight Fireworks

One of the most stacked divisions of the tournament is featherweight. Isaac Doederlein, a two-time Brasileiro champion (2019, 2023), returns to Brazil looking for his third title. But he’ll face stiff competition in a division loaded with talent: Cole Abate, Diego Sodré, Alex Sodré, João Mendes, and Meyram Alves are all capable of making a deep run and delivering must-watch performances.

Tainan Returns to Brazil

Two-time World Champion Tainan Dalpra is back competing in Brazil for the first time since 2023. After dominant performances at the Europeans and Pans, where he submitted four of seven opponents, Dalpra enters the middleweight division in peak form. But as always, the middleweight bracket promises elite competition and a true test for the Art of Jiu-Jitsu representative.

Big Names Make Their 2025 Major Debuts

The 2025 Brasileiro will also serve as the first major of the year for several top-tier black belts:

• Jansen Gomes of CheckMat, the 2023 World Champion, returns to IBJJF competition for the first time since earning double silver at the 2024 Worlds. It will be his Brasileiro black belt debut, and expectations are high.
• Erich Munis, the reigning absolute World Champion, will represent Soldiers Jiu-Jitsu at super heavyweight.
• Brianna Ste-Marie, the two-time World No-Gi Champion (2022, 2024), will return to the Brasileiros after taking second in 2024.
• Tayane Profirio will return to major championship competition at the 2025 Brasileiro. The 2X World Champion took double gold at the Brasileiros in 2017.
• Anderson Munis, the 2024 super heavyweight World Champion, will compete in the ultra heavyweight division.
• Meyram Alves, a two-time black belt World Champion, steps into a loaded featherweight division after a dominant performance at the Rio Open.
• Thalyta Silva, who won gold at the Europeans, Pans, and Brasileiros in 2024, returns to competition after injury aiming for her second straight Brasileiro title. 
• Margot Ciccarelli won gold at the Europeans in 2024 and will compete at her first Brasileiro as a black belt.

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