On Sunday, November 19th, all eyes in the jiu-jitsu community will be on the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California, to witness a historic moment in the sport's history. The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) is set to host "The Crown," an event that has been years in the making. With a promise to redefine the landscape of professional jiu-jitsu, The Crown has attracted some of the sport's best talents, including 2X World Champion Diego Pato, who is the latest addition to the highly competitive 70 kg (154.6 lbs.) division. Since receiving his black belt in 2019, Pato has established himself as one of the best competitors in the world. He’ll bring an impressive track record to The Crown, including titles at the World Championships (2021 and 2023), the Pan Championships (2021), World No-Gi Championships (2021), and Pan No-Gi Championships (2021). One of Diego Pato's defining strengths is his exceptional guard game. His ability to control, sweep, and submit from bottom position has made him a very difficult puzzle to solve for his opponents. 2023 has proven to be a momentous one for Diego Pato. Not only did he secure his second World Championship title, but he also made a significant career move by officially joining the Art of Jiu Jitsu (AOJ) team, based in Costa Mesa, California. The AOJ gym is renowned for producing elite jiu-jitsu talent and for its rigorous training regimen, which perfectly complements Pato's aspirations for continuous improvement and additional major titles. With Fabricio Andrey and Isaac Doederlein already confirmed for The Crown’s 70 kg division, there are now three black belt World Champions in the division, any of whom could be crowned. Will Pato add another prestigious title to his collection? We'll find out on Sunday, November 19th at The Crown. See the following link for more information on this historic event.

https://ibjjf.com/news/the-ibjjf-crown-presented-by-flograppling