The inaugural day of black belt competition at the 2026 Pans delivered relentless action. The open class finals for both male and female divisions are established, along with all female black belt gold medal bouts. The male weight division brackets will resume with the quarterfinal rounds to determine the 2026 Pan Champions. Notably, the male super-heavyweight and ultra-heavyweight classes will commence their initial matchups on finals day. Elite athletes demonstrated masterful technique and profound determination, successfully earning their chance at grand slam event glory tomorrow.

 

Male Roosterweight

The male roosterweight division featured four opening-round bouts, each providing thrilling action. Marcos Gomes distinguished himself with a phenomenal lapel choke submission in just over one minute. The AOJ athlete is scheduled to clash with reigning Pans, Euros, and World Champion Jalen Fonacier in one of the event’s most anticipated quarterfinal matchups. Bruno Sena also executed a spectacular finish in his sole match of the day, leading to a confrontation against Carlos ‘Bebeto’ Oliveira tomorrow. The roosterweight division entered the tournament with one of the most compelling brackets in recent memory, as the jiu-jitsu world anticipates astounding action on the second day of black belt competition.

 

Male Light-Featherweight

The twenty-one competitor light-featherweight division initiated competition today, featuring highlight performances from notable athletes. Malachi Edmond secured his quarterfinal placement with a masterful punch-choke submission launched from his dangerous guard. The division’s top-seed, Diego Pato, advanced with a decisive points victory, while Mourece Ramirez also claimed a pair of victories via points. The opposite side of the bracket showcases two incredible quarterfinal matchups: Gustavo Ogawa versus Rerisson Gabriel and Cleber Sousa versus Shoya Ishiguro. The light-featherweight brackets will resume tomorrow, promising remarkable action from these top 141-pound competitors.

 

Male Featherweight

The featherweight division was anticipated to feature a convergence of world-class athletes vying for the season's second major title. Rookie black belt Thiago Ortiz garnered significant acclaim on day one of black belt competition for achieving two submission victories. Thiago secured a quarterfinal placement where he will face the division’s top-seed, João ‘Bisnaga’ Mendes. Sebastian Serpa and Cole Abate are scheduled to meet tomorrow for a rematch, with a semifinal opportunity at stake. Samuel Nagai demonstrated his submission prowess in the second round with a resounding armbar finish and is poised to collide with Wire Jiu-Jitsu’s Jun Yong Cho. Ademir Barreto and Kennedy Maciel will face off tomorrow after both competitors secured a points victory in the second round. Emerging talents will contend with proven stars to vie for the featherweight Pans title tomorrow.

 

Male Lightweight

A formidable lightweight bracket seized the Pans spotlight with intense action on the opening day of black belt competition. Jackson Nagai, the division’s top-seed, affirmed his world-class skill with a submission victory in the second round. Pablo Lavaselli and Tarcisio Santos engaged in a tightly contested match that was decided in the final seconds, culminating in a points victory for Pablo. Will Wilson and Mateo Cardona each secured hard-fought victories by points to advance into their respective quarterfinal matches. Mateo will face Gabriel Cardoso, who claimed both triangle and straight ankle lock submission wins, for a semifinal opportunity. Mateus Moraes is scheduled to clash with Will Wilson in what is predicted to be a highly competitive quarterfinal bout. Fabyury Khrysthyan and Kevin Mahecha complete the roster of elite lightweights preparing to advance their Pans title contention.

 

Male Middleweight

Tainan Dalpra stands as the premier athlete in the middleweight division. Tainan secured his place in day two black belt competition with a second-round armbar submission executed from the rear triangle position. Pablo Oliveira is poised to duel with Thiago Saboia in an intriguing quarterfinal matchup. Elijah Dorsey anchors the opposing side of the bracket, having claimed a submission victory via choke in a superb performance. Elijah will confront Rafael Silveria in the quarterfinals tomorrow, while Leo Souza pursues his Pans title bid against Matheus Luna. The middleweight division guarantees world-class talent and explosive matchups on black belt finals day.

 

Male Medium-Heavyweight

The medium-heavyweight division showcased phenomenal action, establishing the field for a compelling Pans title contention on Sunday. Tommy Langaker seized the spotlight with a first-round submission, followed by a decisive points victory. Tommy’s return to major competition has already captivated the jiu-jitsu world as he continues his quest for gold against Alex Muniz. The division’s top-seed, Gabriel Costa, will clash with Pedro Silva on Sunday, following an armbar submission from the Guigo JJ athlete. Luiz Victor, Vital Neto, Enderson Dias, and Gavin Sonnier complete the formidable assembly of medium-heavyweight contenders.

 

Male Heavyweight

Rider Zuchi, the top-seed heavyweight, secured a quarterfinal placement against Gabriel Almeida. João Victor and Alex Liscano are scheduled to clash in what promises to be a highly competitive match. Lucas Norat and Igor Ribeiro are among the talented quarterfinalists who are sustaining their title contention. Joab Oliveira and Felipe Assis complete the initial day-two matchups, as world-class heavyweights recommence their major title bids. Regardless of the outcome, one of these elite competitors will claim their first Pans title, ensuring intensely exciting action.

 

Male Open Class

Two Soldier’s Jiu-Jitsu athletes delivered impressive performances in the open division, securing their respective finals placement among twenty-nine talented competitors. Gabriel Veloso returned to the division, following his recent European Championship absolute title. Veloso initiated his campaign with a lethal bow-and-arrow choke, subsequently securing two additional victories to advance to the finals. Gabriel Galvão concluded a remarkable run to the gold-medal match, achieving four victories throughout. Notably, all four of his victories were against opponents from heavier weight classes, highlighting Galvão’s technical superiority and tenacious spirit.

 

Female Roosterweight

Mariana Rolszt and Ana Lima triumphed on their respective sides of the competitive roosterweight division. Both competitors secured two victories to solidify their supreme standing in the bracket. Ana Lima began her day in astonishing fashion, registering a ten-second triangle-armbar finish. The Fight Sports athlete clinched her finals placement utilizing the same finishing technique, confirming her world-class submission capability. Mariana Rolszt earned her initial victory via armbar, before concluding her day with a semifinal win by points. The finals matchup is anticipated to be a rigorous display of strategy, skill, and heart from the two elite competitors.

 

Female Light-Featherweight

Two standout AOJ athletes dominated the light-featherweight division. The reigning roosterweight World Champion, Mayssa Bastos, secured a submission victory in her only match against Andressa Guirau. Mayssa showcased her world-class technical skill, accumulating six points before securing a lapel choke submission from the back. The division’s 2026 European Champion, Ashlee Funegra, has maintained her success upon returning to major competition. Ashlee leveraged her balanced offense to defeat two opponents, accruing a total of six points. The rising star has undeniably made a resounding statement across two grand slam events in her rookie gi season. Ashlee and Mayssa commanded a significant portion of the Pans spotlight, generating immense anticipation for the remainder of their grand slam gi season.

 

Female Featherweight

The featherweight division featured a series of thrilling duels between high-level female athletes. Reigning World Champion Larissa Campos secured two victories, once again demonstrating her superior skillset under intense pressure. Her decisive points victory in the second round set the stage for a semifinal showdown with Keanna Klay. Larissa encountered skillful resistance, until nearly six minutes into the bout when she secured a powerful lapel choke from the back, achieving a submission finish and her finals placement. Margot Ciccarelli of AOJ triumphed on the opposite side of the bracket. Margot notably impressed throughout her two matches on the first day of black belt competition, claiming two submission finishes. Her second-round matchup concluded via armbar from the rear triangle position, before she defeated Eonju Im with the identical finishing sequence. The featherweight final is projected to be a fiercely contested duel between two elite athletes.

 

Female Lightweight

Upon entering the event, fans eagerly anticipated a rematch of the Crown finals between Janaina Lebre and Sarah Galvão. Janaina performed phenomenally in her two matches on the day, securing a pair of submissions. A one-minute armbar victory initiated her Pans run, which she followed with a stunning lapel choke finish in the semifinals. Sarah also secured an opening-round finish via kneebar, before engaging in a pivotal clash with Sabrina Gondim for a spot in the finals. Sarah claimed a hard-fought, six-point victory to pave the way for an extremely exciting gold medal match. Janaina boasts a dominant resume, having captured all four major titles in 2025, while Sarah carries remarkable momentum heading into the finals.  Sarah clinched the Crown finals victory over Janaina, yet the match showcased the seemingly parallel skill-level of the two phenoms.

 

Female Middleweight

The middleweight final presents another compelling matchup between an established champion and a rising star. Elisabeth Clay sustained an unfortunate injury early in the day before beginning her weight division campaign. Despite this physical setback, Elisabeth secured two submission victories before earning a finals placement via points in the semifinals. Lillian Marchand of Atos began her middleweight run with a hard-fought decision win, followed by a pair of submissions in the quarter and semifinals. Lillian appears to be in top form leading up to the gold medal match, presenting a significant challenge to her experienced opponent. Spectators should pay close attention to Elisabeth’s devastating leg lock systems, as she claimed two toe hold victories in the middleweight bracket, which could prove to be a deciding factor. Nevertheless, Lillian possesses a well-rounded game that is certain to test Elisabeth in every aspect.

 

Female Medium-Heavyweight

A comparatively small medium-heavyweight bracket meant only a single match for both finalists. Maria ‘Maca’ Vicentini was rigorously tested in the semifinals, ultimately securing a hard-fought advantage victory before her finals confrontation on Sunday. The opposing side of the bracket saw Elizabeth Mitrovic secure a victory by points over the reigning European Champion, Denise Krahn. The medium-heavyweight final is poised to deliver explosive action from two masterful athletes.

 

Female Heavyweight

Larissa Dias of Elementum Jiu-Jitsu and Maria Malyjasiak of Abmar Barbosa are set to collide in the heavyweight finals. Maria commenced her day with an impressive armbar from the triangle position, clearly showcasing her submission prowess. She secured her finals placement by defeating Letícia Teixeira in a tightly contested semifinal clash. Reigning World Champion Larissa Dias entered the bracket as the top-seed and delivered an undeniably strong performance. Larissa secured a submission victory in under ninety seconds via toe hold to advance to the black belt finals day on Sunday. The gold medal match is anticipated to be an intense duel, given that both competitors have demonstrated their submission capacity and tactical expertise.

 

Female Super-Heavyweight

Gabi Pessanha, the world’s #1 ranked female athlete, spearheaded the super-heavyweight division upon entering the tournament. Gabi encountered minimal resistance in her sole weight class matchup, defeating her opponent in under thirty seconds via smother choke. Gabi’s proficiency emphasizes her supreme submission ability, as the 10-time World Champion aims to secure her tenth and eleventh Pan titles on Sunday. Contesting her dominance is a formidable young talent from Atos Jiu-Jitsu. Maria Alencar delivered a dominant performance in the semifinals, securing an armbar in approximately sixty seconds. The rookie black belt harbors ambitious goals of halting Gabi’s astounding five-year winning streak at the Pans.

 

Female Open Class

One of the most highly anticipated confrontations of the black belt finals day is set for the female open class. Sarah Galvão and Gabi Pessanha are scheduled to clash in the absolute gold medal match, reprising their duel from the 2026 European Championships in January. That prior meeting showcased remarkable, back-and-forth action between two of the sport’s greatest female competitors. Gabi ultimately claimed the victory in Europe; however, Sarah demonstrated her capacity to ascend to the top. Fans will witness this astonishing rematch under the bright lights of the 2026 Pans female open class finals.
 

Tune in to FloGrappling to witness all the astounding action from the 2026 Pan black belt finals day.