Charlotte International Open Results: Jamil and Dudu Win Gold With Highlight Reel Submissions
Black belt veterans and newcomers shine in North Carolina.
The 2023 Charlotte Open, which took place over the weekend of October 7th and 8th, marked the 7th edition of this highly anticipated IBJJF tournament. The event showcased the incredible talent in the region and a continued demonstration of dominance by the 13X World Champion Alliance team, who won both gi and no-gi titles. With standout performances from seasoned champions and emerging talents, this year's Charlotte Open proved to be a very memorable event.
The standout performances of the day included those of newly minted black belt Eduardo "Dudu" Granzotto and 2018 World Champion Shane Jamil Hill-Taylor. Though his black belt debut came in the form of an Absolute GP super fight, the Charlotte Open was Dudu's first tournament as a black belt, and he did not disappoint. He commented on his performance, stating "Charlotte Open was my first competition as a black belt and I felt very comfortable! I fought as myself on the mats, taking difficult risks and I was happy to catch an incredible flying triangle in my final against the Pan No-Gi silver medalist of this year."
"This is the style I want to show to everyone who watches my fights, with many different attacks, always looking to put points on the scoreboard and attack many finishing variations! My next competition will be Orange County and I’m really excited to fight again.”
Shane Jamil Hill-Taylor returned to competition following an injury and competed in the lightweight division. His road to gold included two impressive wins, the first by points and the final via an amazing flying triangle submission. Though he’s still working to be back to full health, his performance showed that even without being 100% healthy, Shane is one of the most technical and talented black belts on the planet.
In the open class division, Enderson Dias of R1NG BJJ emerged as the champion. He secured victory in the heavyweight division with a single win and then continued his winning streak by conquering two more matches in the open class, putting his record for the weekend at 3-0. Suellen Lima stood out as the female open class champion, clinching victory in her sole match of the day. Inacio Santos was the standout competitor of the no-gi divisions, as he won ultra heavy and open class gold with three victories between the two divisions.
2023 Charlotte Open team results:
1. Alliance
2. CheckMat
3. R1NG BJJ
2023 Charlotte No-Gi Open team results:
1. Alliance
2. CheckMat
3. TAC Team BJJ
