3/22/2022 By: Danny O'Donnell

Jiu-Jitsu athletes from all over Brazil gathered in the capital of Parana for the 2022 Curitiba International Open. This gi and no-gi event was held at the Taruma Gym. Many of Brazil’s top black belts competed to sharpen their games ahead of the 2022 grand slam events.

The much-anticipated IBJJF black belt debuts of Mica Galvao and Diogo Reis did not disappoint. In the middleweight division, Mica won four matches, finishing all four of his opponents. At light featherweight, Diogo had two matches and scored two submissions. The Melqui Galvao students from Manaus are showing no signs of slowing down, as they both intend to compete at the 2022 Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Florida in a few short weeks.

Ns Brotherhood’s Rider Zuchi has been on a roll in 2022. After winning gold at Rio Summer Open and the Sul Brasileiro, he entered the heavy and open class divisions in Curitiba. Rider finished three of his four matches on the day by submission, winning the heavy weight division and taking second to Rafael Paganini in the open class. Sabatha Lais of R1NG BJJ won the adult female medium-heavy and the open class divisions with three total victories.

The no-gi divisions took place on Sunday, March 20^th. Pedro Alex of GF Team and Fernanda Mazzelli of Striker JJ both won double gold. After winning the ultra-heavy division in the gi on Saturday, Pedro returned on Sunday and won two matches in his division and four matches in the open class. Mazzelii won one match in her division and two matches in the open class on Sunday, bringing her gold medal count to three for the weekend after she won the super-heavy division in the gi the day before.

2022 Curitiba International Open team results:

1. CheckMat
2. Gracie Barra
3. Dream Art

2022 Curitiba International No-Gi Open team results:

1. CheckMat
2. GF Team
3. Gracie Barra

The next IBJJF events will be the Charleston and Boise International Opens with gi and no-gi divisions taking place on March 26^th and 27^th.

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