In guard: Samir Chantre took top spot at featherweight in San Jose. Photos: John Cooper.
With nearly a thousand signed up, the promoter of the event, Claudio França, who teaches the gentle art in the paradisiacal Santa Cruz, California, gathered some future Jiu-Jitsu champions from around the Pacific Coast and the USA at the 2012 installment of the American Cup.
The big standouts of the championship were: Diego Herzog, the Ralph Gracie academy representative winning gold in the black belt absolute; Matthew Todd of Gracie Fighter, who did likewise in the brown belt absolute; and purple belt Manuel Diaz, also of Gracie Fighter academy.
You can find the complete results at the official website of the event
Check out the finest images from the event, taken by the relentless John Cooper.
5th AMERICAN CUP – SUNDAY
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5th AMERICAN CUP – Saturday
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