Referee Muzio at the Pan. Whose arm will be raised this Sunday in Long Beach? Photo: Dan Rod/GRACIEMAG.
With the absolute finalists having been determined this Saturday in Long Beach, we now know we’ll have a first-time winner of the absolute this year.
The quarterfinals were decisive in that happening. On one side of the bracket, current champ Rodolfo Vieira lost by 8-7 in a barn burner against Marcus Bochecha. In the other bracket, Xande Ribeiro lost 4-0 to Leonardo Nogueira.
What about now, who wins it? Who will be the new champ, the beast from CheckMat or the monster from Alliance? The brown belt champ from 2010, Marcus, or the one from 2009, Léo?
What about in the female division, who wins at open weight? Gabi Garcia (Alliance) or Luiza Monteiro (CheckMat)?
Reflect and place your bets: What will be the decisive score or hold in the finals? Post your pick below. The prize is eternal kudos from GRACIEMAG.com readers.
ABSOLUTE CHAMPIONS OF IBJJF JIU-JITSU WORLDS (MEN):
1996 – Amaury Bitetti
1997 – Amaury Bitetti
1998 – José Mario Sperry
1999 – Rodrigo Comprido
2000 – Rodrigo Comprido
2001 – Fernando Margarida
2002 – Márcio Pé de Pano
2003 – Márcio Pé de Pano
2004 – Ronaldo Jacaré
2005 – Ronaldo Jacaré
2006 – Xande Ribeiro
2007 – Roger Gracie
2008 – Xande Ribeiro
2009 – Roger Gracie
2010 – Roger Gracie
2011 – Rodolfo Vieira
2012 – Leonardo Nogueira or Marcus Vinicius “Bochecha” Almeida