The 2026 Brasileiro marked the 32nd edition of the prestigious event. Beyond the ruckus crowd and intense battles that characterize the tournament, it also signified the end of an incredible season. With the 2025-2026 season coming to an end, two athletes completed the final feat to become Grand Slam Champions.

Gabi Pessanha

Gabi Pessanha has displayed dominance across both the super-heavyweight and open class divisions since joining the black belt level in 2021. The InFight athlete has rapidly asserted herself as one of the most dominant jiu-jitsu competitors in history. The 2025-2026 campaign was no exception to her stellar career, as Gabi captured the super-heavyweight Grand Slam title in spectacular fashion. In her short five-year tenure at the highest echelon, Gabi has recorded five consecutive Grand Slam campaigns. Astonishingly, each of her first three seasons culminated with Double Grand Slam titles tallying twenty-four major gold medals across the span. 

Gabi’s 2026 Grand Slam title commenced with a dominant double-gold performance at the 2025 World Championships. The InFight star secured a pair of finals victories over her high-level foe, Tayane Porfirio, before transitioning into a spectacular no-gi campaign. Returning to the gi in 2026 at the European Championships, Gabi again secured double-gold honors with a super-heavyweight finals victory over Marina Penedo and absolute triumph over Sarah Galvão. Pans represented an intriguing storyline, as Gabi continued her weight class dominance but fell just short in the open class division with a silver medal. The standout athlete descended into São Paulo, Brazil with a Grand Slam opportunity in the super-heavyweight division, resulting in a pair of submission victories to claim her fifth consecutive Grand Slam title. Across the last four major events, Gabi recorded four weight class titles and three absolute titles with a single loss on her record. For an athlete whose dominance can seemingly be expected, Gabi mesmerized the jiu-jitsu community with another remarkable campaign.

The twenty-five year-old sensation already boasts a legendary career with ten World Championship titles at the black belt level, tying her with the iconic Bia Mesquita for the most all-time in the female divisions. The countdown to the 2026 Worlds has commenced, with just days remaining before Gabi is projected to stand alone as the winningest female black belt in IBJJF World Championship history. 

Tainan Dalpra

An AOJ icon made history at the 2026 Brasileiro. Tainan Dalpra became the first male athlete in IBJJF history to become a two-time Grand Slam Champion. Tainan’s dominance in the middleweight division has culminated in seven straight major event triumphs. The standout athlete captured his first Grand Slam title in 2023, when he earned the first Brasileiro gold of his promising career. Three years later he capped off the 2025-2026 season in similar fashion, ending what was certainly a special campaign for the generational talent.

Tainan’s Grand Slam title began with a 2025 World Championship triumph through four matches in the middleweight division. He entered 2026 at the European championships, where three submissions powered him to his fourth Euro title. Tainan proceeded to dominate his Pans competition with another stellar gold medal performance. With three consecutive submission finishes, Tainan bested Elijah Dorsey via points to secure his fifth Pan title. The AOJ star entered Brasileiro title contention with distinct recognition and intensity. Tainan immediately asserted his dominance with a Day 1 submission victory, before entering the black belt finals day to face three more high-level competitors. Tainan captured three additional submissions and his third Brasileiro title, signifying the second Grand Slam title of his career. His overwhelming success throughout the 2025-2026 season places Tainan in a category of his own. Two Grand Slam titles exist as a shining example of the AOJ icon’s illustrious career. 

The most dominant middleweight of the current generation, Tainan Dalpra has positioned himself to chase records and solidify his name in the history books. The legend Marcelo Garcia holds the middleweight World Championship record with five titles, while Tainan is prepared to contend for his fourth World title next week. Most impressively, Tainan has stacked accolades and victories in commanding fashion throughout his career. Through 100 matches at the black belt level, Tainan has a 98% winning rate and a 71% submission rate. He remains one of the most technically exciting fighters in the sport. Coming off arguably his most dominant season of his career, Tainan appears poised to begin the 2026-2027 season with his fourth World Championship title and a resounding statement.