The first IBJJF tournament of 2023, the Rio Summer International Open, took place on Saturday January 14th and Sunday January 15th. This event was held at the Arena Cel Wenceslau Malta in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and included gi and no-gi divisions for juvenile, adult, and masters competitors. We saw many great performances with some elite black belts jumping into the event to gain valuable competition experience to start the year.

Two Melqui Galvão Jiu-Jitsu athletes, who will both be competing at Europeans, competed in Rio this past weekend. The first was 2021 World Champion Fabricio Andrey, who went up to the lightweight division. In his first match, Fabricio hit an ankle pick and went straight into a guard pass. He then finished the match with a triangle from side control. The semifinal was another triangle finish, this time from the guard. He met teammate Alessandro Botelho in the final.

The second Melqui Galvão Jiu-Jitsu athlete who competed in Rio that will also compete in Paris was Brenda Larissa. In the light featherweight category, she won two matches to take home gold, finishing her final with a bow n’ arrow choke from the back. Brenda will enter a tough light featherweight category in Paris that includes Mayssa Bastos, who Brenda fought in the final of the 2022 World Championships.

Pedro Alex, one of the most consistent competitors on the scene in Brazil, won gold medals in the ultra heavy and open class divisions. His ultra heavy division included five competitors. With two victories in the weight class, Pedro claimed his first gold medal of the day. He won another two matches in the open class to advance to the final against Wallison Oliveira of Guigo JJ, finishing the match with a clock choke submission.

The female double gold medalist was Dream Art’s Izadora Cristina. To advance to the final of the open class, Izadora won two matches and then faced Geovana Freitas. She finished the open class final with an armbar.

No-Gi divisions took place on Sunday January 15th. World, Pan, and Brazilian National Champion Bianca Basilio took gold in the lightweight and open class divisions. She defeated Isabel Seki via points in the lightweight final and won two matches in the open class, finishing an armbar submission in the open class final.

Guilherme Lambertucci was the black belt male open class no-gi champion. The Gracie Barra ultra heavyweight went 4-0 on the weekend between his division and the open class. Another standout no-gi competitor was Luiz Paulo. After taking second in the middleweight division in the gi on Saturday, the Melqui Galvão Jiu-Jitsu athlete won three matches in the medium-heavyweight division to take gold.

2023 Rio Summer Open team results:

1. GF Team
2. Nova Uniao
3. Gracie Barra

2023 Rio Summer Open No-Gi team results:

1. GF Team
2. Double Five
3. Gracie Barra