The 2015 IBJJF World Championships will be taking place this weekend so I just wanted to throw my predictions in for the black belt adult male competition. You can see the brackets here.
Rooster: I think the finals will come down to Bruno Malfacine vs Joao Miyao. You really have Bruno's X guard vs Joao's De la Riva Berimbolo game. I see Bruno's experience shine through and have him coming out on top by advantages.
Light Feather: With Gui Mendes now retired this division should be Paulo Miyao's division to lose. I see Paulo beating Samir Chantre by choke in the finals.
Rooster: I think the finals will come down to Bruno Malfacine vs Joao Miyao. You really have Bruno's X guard vs Joao's De la Riva Berimbolo game. I see Bruno's experience shine through and have him coming out on top by advantages.
Light Feather: With Gui Mendes now retired this division should be Paulo Miyao's division to lose. I see Paulo beating Samir Chantre by choke in the finals.
Feather: Rafa Mendes is the reigning champ and I see him beating a tough Ruben Charles Cobrinha by advantages in the finals.
Light: I think you have a great division here with Lepri, Langhi, JT Torres as the top favorites. Gabriel Rollo also looked sharp in the Abu Dhabi Pro and is someone I faced last year at worlds. Then you also have the black belt debut of Liera Jr. I am picking Lepri or Langhi by back take, but you could see a lot of upsets here.
Middle: Another stacked division, but with Leandro Lo moving up, Otavio Sousa should be the odds on favorite. I think you have a rematch of Calasans and Otavio here with Otavio coming out on top by points, but with Murillo Santana, Vitor Estima, Vitor Oliveria. I have competed against all 4 of those guys and you have tough guys I have trained with like Jamie Canuto and Darragh O Connail who could throw some wrenches in the mix.
Middle Heavy: This is a tough division to call because you have Leandro Lo going up in weight (I assume to give Murillo a chance at Middle). Leandro is so dominant, but it is his first time at Middle Heavy and he had trouble the first time he jumped up to Middle weight. I think you will have a final with him tapping out Campos in the finals.
Heavy: My instructor Xande Ribiero is going for his 5th world title at that weight class. He is probably going to have to get through Jackson Souza and Keenan to do it. War Xande! I see him beating Keenan 4-2 in the finals.
Super Heavy: With Rodolfo out of this division I see Faria winning handily over Yuri Simoes.
Ultra Heavy: Marcus "Buchecha" Almeida is a beast. I hope to see him in the finals against Leo Nogueira. I have faced both of these competitors and see Buchecha pulling it out. Trans and Cavaca could also see Buchecha in the finals as well, but I am rooting against Cavaca just because he is Buchecha's old coach and I hate seeing closeouts.
Absolute: Buchecha should be able to conquer it once again, but he has had close matches with Nogeuria, Trans. Lo has beat him before and was able to put him down for a bit at Pan Ams.
Light: I think you have a great division here with Lepri, Langhi, JT Torres as the top favorites. Gabriel Rollo also looked sharp in the Abu Dhabi Pro and is someone I faced last year at worlds. Then you also have the black belt debut of Liera Jr. I am picking Lepri or Langhi by back take, but you could see a lot of upsets here.
Middle: Another stacked division, but with Leandro Lo moving up, Otavio Sousa should be the odds on favorite. I think you have a rematch of Calasans and Otavio here with Otavio coming out on top by points, but with Murillo Santana, Vitor Estima, Vitor Oliveria. I have competed against all 4 of those guys and you have tough guys I have trained with like Jamie Canuto and Darragh O Connail who could throw some wrenches in the mix.
Middle Heavy: This is a tough division to call because you have Leandro Lo going up in weight (I assume to give Murillo a chance at Middle). Leandro is so dominant, but it is his first time at Middle Heavy and he had trouble the first time he jumped up to Middle weight. I think you will have a final with him tapping out Campos in the finals.
Heavy: My instructor Xande Ribiero is going for his 5th world title at that weight class. He is probably going to have to get through Jackson Souza and Keenan to do it. War Xande! I see him beating Keenan 4-2 in the finals.
Super Heavy: With Rodolfo out of this division I see Faria winning handily over Yuri Simoes.
Ultra Heavy: Marcus "Buchecha" Almeida is a beast. I hope to see him in the finals against Leo Nogueira. I have faced both of these competitors and see Buchecha pulling it out. Trans and Cavaca could also see Buchecha in the finals as well, but I am rooting against Cavaca just because he is Buchecha's old coach and I hate seeing closeouts.
Absolute: Buchecha should be able to conquer it once again, but he has had close matches with Nogeuria, Trans. Lo has beat him before and was able to put him down for a bit at Pan Ams.