The IBJJF Grand Prix event included a thrilling card of eleven supporting superfights, featuring talent from juvenile blue belts up to established black belt world champions. The superfight showcase delivered a host of memorable moments and high-intensity action. Color belt prospects launched their 2026 season with powerful statements, while black belt stars fortified their world-class status beneath the Grand Prix spotlight.

 

Mick Whelan vs Isaac Huertas

Juvenile Blue Belt Catchweight: 135 lb

Highly touted juveniles Mick Whelan and Isaac Huertas initiated the 2026 IBJJF Absolute No-Gi Grand Prix with a captivating superfight catchweight bout. Mick, representing AOJ, executed a flawless performance. Demonstrating the breadth of his high-level arsenal, Mick successfully navigated Isaac’s guard to secure the back position, culminating in a beautiful rear triangle submission.  In his young career, Mick has displayed high-level attacks from various positions, proving his talent is well beyond his years. This promising AOJ talent commences his 2026 campaign having already secured a European Championship and a Grand Prix superfight victory, setting the stage for a monumental juvenile year.

 

JP Tran vs Asafe Alves 

Juvenile Blue Belt Featherweight: 141lb

The evening’s juvenile contests were underscored by a dramatic rematch of the 2025 World Championship final between JP Tran and Asafe Alves. These two premier juvenile competitors exchanged aggressive attacks throughout the five-minute match, tallying a combined twelve points. Both JP and Asafe exhibited sophisticated guard mechanics, initiating sweeps from the outset. Asafe Alves showcased the strategic and technical ability required to maintain a narrow lead. While JP’s skill and resilience were again on full display, Asafe ultimately achieved his redemption victory via decision. Asafe revealed in his post-match interview that he had taken a competitive hiatus to address personal matters, only resuming training at Marcio Andre Jiu-Jitsu a month prior to the superfight. Asafe confirmed his status as one of the juvenile division's elite prospects, garnering significant recognition before the remaining major competitions of 2026. Fans can anticipate more spectacular matches and dominant podium appearances, as Asafe confirmed his competitive drive has been fully rekindled.

 

Johnny Anderson vs Julio Cesar

Featherweight Blue Belt: 141lb

A pair of 2026 blue belt European Champions collided in a featherweight showdown. Widely regarded as two of the world's finest blue belts, Johnny Anderson and Julio Cesar engaged in an extraordinary six-minute contest. As anticipated, the match commenced with Johnny choosing to operate from his guard while Julio immediately applied relentless top pressure. By quickly connecting with early leg entanglements, Johnny managed to sweep Julio and establish a commanding top position with an early lead. Reflecting his superb form during his European title run, Johnny’s passing and top control proved superior as he maintained a two-point margin over his CheckMat adversary. Post-match, Johnny acknowledged the expansion of his passing repertoire and his ability to seamlessly integrate high-level techniques from both bottom and top positions. The evolution in Johnny’s game is undeniable, as the Gracie Barra competitor has proven through his 2026 performances that his capabilities extend well beyond his dangerous guard. Launching his adult career with a major championship and a high-profile superfight win, Johnny advances to the Pans with considerable momentum, aiming for his second adult major title.

 

Natalee Funegra vs Kaitlyn Schmidt

Light-Featherweight Purple Belt: 118lbs

Two supremely skilled female purple belts demonstrated their prowess in a light-featherweight clash. AOJ’s Natalee Funegra continued her run of exhilarating performances, characterized by perpetual submission threats and dominant positional control. Natalee locked in a triangle attempt just six seconds into the contest, maintaining the formidable hold for the duration of the match. Kaitlyn Schmidt of Marcio Andre’s team exhibited commendable submission defense but was unable to free herself from the position to display her offensive capabilities. Natalee ultimately secured the advantage victory, sustaining her impressive start to the 2026 season. With heightened recognition from her superfight win, expectations are once again elevated for the young AOJ prospect. Natalee enters March with an opportunity to seize another major title at the Pans tournament later this month.

 

Kellyson Carlos vs Evan Duncan

Lightweight Purple Belt: 168lbs

Kellyson Carlos and Evan Duncan delivered a highly technical confrontation in the purple belt lightweight division. In a compelling contrast of styles, Evan promptly settled into his powerful guard positions, while Kellyson showcased his sophisticated top control. Both competitors executed skillful attacks; however, Kellyson’s superior positional awareness emerged as the deciding factor. Kellyson effectively neutralized Evan’s assaults and methodically imposed top pressure utilizing side-to-side Toreando passing. Both athletes reaffirmed their elite skillset, culminating in a tight advantage victory for CheckMat's Kellyson Carlos. His tactical and technical mastery establishes him as a formidable contender throughout the 2026 Grand Slam circuit. Fans should anticipate sustained success on the biggest platforms from this young purple belt star.

 

Dominic Manno vs Luan Veras 

Lightweight Brown Belt: 168lbs

Two of the brown belt division's most luminous talents converged in a contest for lightweight supremacy. Dominic Manno of AOJ and Luan Veras representing Veras Academy displayed both technical expertise and strategic finesse in a closely fought duel. Dom initiated the match by pulling guard, immediately destabilizing and disrupting Luan. The young AOJ prospect took the lead with a sweep roughly ninety seconds into the match, establishing top position with a two-point advantage. As numerous AOJ athletes demonstrated throughout the evening, once Dom secured top position with the lead, he maintained control, leveraging pressure and attacking angles to subdue Luan. Dom achieved the two-point victory, validating the immense excitement surrounding the newly promoted brown belt. As Dom prepares for his lightweight run at Pans, he will undoubtedly draw confidence from his Grand Prix superfight triumph.

 

Leo Souza vs Mateo Cardona

Lightweight Black Belt: 168lbs

Six Blades standout Leo Souza faced AOJ's rising star, Mateo Cardona, in a spectacular lightweight showcase. The match initiated the formidable black belt superfight card with captivating activity, as two elite title contenders displayed their abilities. The action was instantaneous, with Mateo pulling guard and Leo responding with explosive pressure. Mateo executed a sweep approximately two minutes into the bout, before Leo countered with his own offense from a butterfly guard position to equalize the score at two. Mateo responded with an X-Guard style sweep to reclaim the lead with less than three minutes remaining. Despite Leo’s late-match efforts, Mateo maintained impressive guard retention and the two-point lead to clinch the win. Since earning his promotion last season, Mateo has garnered extensive experience against top-tier black belts, as he targets his inaugural major title at Pans later this month.

 

Ashlee Funegra vs Yasmyn Castro 

Light-Featherweight Black Belt: 118lbs

Two of the world’s foremost female light-featherweights clashed for premier status on the Grand Prix stage. Ashlee affirmed her profound talent in this bout, first establishing a significant points lead before submitting Yasmyn with a precise armbar. Following an immediate double guard pull, Ashlee sat Yasmyn down and promptly came up for the sweep, swiftly transitioning into her guard passing to accumulate an additional three points. Yasmyn showed her fighting spirit by retaining her guard and launching several attacks, before Ashlee once more asserted her passing mastery by securing the north-south position. Solidifying her control, Ashlee methodically isolated Yasmyn’s arm and spun for a beautifully executed armbar finish. Ashlee remains undefeated at the black belt level, holding two major titles and an impressive superfight victory at the Grand Prix. Ashlee is now concentrating on her Pans title pursuit, determined to extend her early dominance over the light-featherweight black belt division.

 

Sarah Galvao vs Maria Vicentini

Medium-Heavyweight Black Belt: 163lbs

Two young female stars clashed in the medium-heavyweight black belt division. Atos phenomenon, Sarah Galvao, faced Maria ‘Maca’ Vicentini in a highly anticipated contest under the Grand Prix lights. Maca pulled guard early, but was instantly met with Sarah’s relentless passing pressure. As she has consistently demonstrated early in her black belt tenure, Sarah’s guard passing ability is world-class. The Atos athlete forced Maca to turtle and isolated her arm, hunting for a belly-down armbar submission. Despite Maca's initial armbar defense, Sarah expertly rolled Maca through and extended the arm, securing the submission victory. Sarah’s characteristic high-octane energy and passion for competition were evident as she claimed another high-profile win on a major platform. Sarah is rapidly making her case to be recognized as a top pound-for-pound female athlete in the sport, despite her rookie status at the highest level. Now a Crown, European, and Grand Prix superfight champion, Sarah is poised to continue her remarkable ascent with a Pans title in the coming weeks.

 

Helena Crevar vs Aghata Rabelo 

Medium-Heavyweight No-Gi Black Belt: 158lbs

The eagerly awaited no-gi matchup between Helena Crevar and Aghata Rabelo delivered memorable action. As expected, Aghata initiated the match with intense energy and dangerous attacks. After nearly securing a guard pass, forcing Helena to turtle, the two athletes exchanged leglock submission attempts. Helena then secured the first scoring opportunity with a wrestle-up, taking a points lead. Aghata retaliated with a threatening toe hold submission that forced Helena to spin into a cross-ashi entanglement. The position appeared to favor Aghata until Helena expertly forced herself into the top position and clamped down on a front-headlock attack. With one leg still trapped, Helena skillfully locked in a deep Darce choke, ultimately achieving the submission victory. Notably, Helena confirmed that the Darce finish was the first of her competitive career, signaling that the evolution of the young Kingsway star is still accelerating. Following her exceptional No-Gi World title performance, Helena returned for a superfight win against a dangerous opponent. One of the world’s premier female grapplers appears committed to sustaining her success at the highest echelon while simultaneously elevating her technical game.

 

Cole Abate vs Will Wilson

Lightweight Black Belt: 168lbs

Cole Abate, a seasoned veteran and World Champion, met Will Wilson, an emerging talent and European Champion. The lightweight showdown was a demonstration of high-level action and strategic mastery between two elite athletes. The match was tightly contested throughout, ultimately decided by a single advantage across ten minutes of intense grappling. Cole showcased the intricate balance of his passing and guard techniques, maintaining consistent control over Will. Will countered Cole’s pressure with strong positional awareness and well-timed attacks. In the end, Cole Abate secured the advantage victory over the reigning lightweight European Champion. Cole demonstrated that his tactical awareness and strategic intelligence are world-class, proving his approach is layered and sophisticated beyond his elite technique. Cole is projected to be a major contender for a Pans title later in March, aiming to build on his early success in the 2026 season.

 

For full-match replays of all the superfight action, visit FloGrappling.  With many of the Grand Prix superfight victors confirming their Pans contention, the spotlight adjusts to the next Grand Slam event of the 2026 season.