Blog editor turns in Worlds predictions tally

The GRACIEMAG at the Worlds Blog went into hibernation this Friday, but there was one unresolved issue.

It’s time to present the accounts pertaining to the forecasts made for the black belt categories.

Did blog editor Ivan Trindade have more misses than bull’s eyes, or was it the other way around?

On the Worlds Blog he placed his bets on the semifinalists, finalists and winners of each weight group from rooster to heavyweight.

What follows is the final tally of his hits and misses.

Here they go:

Correct semifinals: 10 points

Correct final: 30 points

Correct champion: 50 points

Total possible points for each division: 100 points

After adding up the points Ivan has the right to a whine, explaining what he got right and wrong.

Roosterweight

Predictions

Semifinals
Bruno Malfacine vs. Felipe Costa
Caio Terra vs. Rafael de Freitas

Final
Bruno Malfacine vs. Caio Terra

Champion
Caio Terra

Results

Semifinals
Bruno Malfacine vs. Josef Manuel
Caio Terra vs. Yusuke Honma

Final
Bruno Malfacine vs. Caio Terra

Champion
Bruno Malfacine

Score: 30pts

Editor’s whine: Of the four semifinalists I got two right, but they were no-brainers and I messed up on the two semifinals, since the opponents changed. I nailed the final, which was a sure thing, and I blew it on the champion. In good cheer, Malfacine told me my bet on the final was extra added motivation to get his fourth world title. I had a poor start.

Light Featherweight

Predictions

Semifinals
Gui Mendes vs. Samuel Braga
Samir Chantre vs. Pablo Silva

Final
Gui Mendes vs. Pablo Silva

Champion
Gui Mendes

Results

Semifinals
Gui Mendes vs. Samuel Braga
Samir Chantre vs. Ary de Farias

Final
Gui Mendes vs. Ary de Farias

Champion
Gui Mendes

Score: 60pts

Editor’s whine: Here my big mistake was not betting on Ary! The newly-promoted Atos black belt was a perfect counterpart for Gui Mendes and made it to the final, laying waste to my semifinal and final predictions. At least I got it right that Mendes would come back balls to the wall following his disappointment in 2010.

Featherweight

Predictions

Semifinals
Cobrinha vs. Tanquinho
Rafa Mendes vs. Mário Reis

Final
Tanquinho vs. Rafa Mendes

Champion
Rafael Mendes

Results

Semifinals
Cobrinha vs. Tanquinho
Rafa Mendes vs. Mário Reis

Final
Tanquinho vs. Rafa Mendes

Champion
Rafael Mendes

Score: 100pts

Editor’s whine: I nailed featherweight! I bet on Tanquinho against Cobrinha and that was one of the picks that got me the most criticism. A journalist with years of Worlds coverage experience guaranteed me that Cobrinha would submit the Soul Fighters rep. My bet on a second world title going to Rafael stemmed from the belief that it was highly unlikely Mendes would fall for the same trap from his like-last-named rival Augusto. Tanquinho told me just before the final: “I won you your bet for the semifinal, but I’ll have to break you in the decider.” Almost.

Lightweight

Predictions

Semifinals
Michael Langhi vs. Leandro Lo
Lucas Lepri vs. Celsinho

Final
Michael Langhi vs. Celso Venícius

Champion
Michael Langi

Results

Semifinals
Michael Langi vs. Kron Gracie
Gilbert Durinho vs. Jonathan Torres

Final
Kron Gracie vs. Durinho

Champion
Gilbert ”Durinho” Burns

Score: 0pts

Editor’s whine: While featherweight was my big success, lightweight was a disaster. My only consolation was that there were a lot of others who messed up along with me. Who’d have put their chips on Durinho in a division stacked with Langhi, Celso, Lepri, Kron and latest sensation Leandro Lo? Well, Gilberto did and took gold. Indeed, betting on Langhi to beat Lo in the semifinal was another that garnered me a lot of criticism, and in fact Leandro didn’t even make it to the semis, having submitted to Kron in the quarterfinals.

Middleweight

Predictions

Semifinals
Marcelinho vs. Guto Campos
Calasans vs. Lucas Leite

Final
Marcelinho vs. Calasans

Champion
Marcelinho

Results

Semifinals
Marcelinho vs. Guto Campos
Lucas Leite vs. Clark Gracie

Final
Marcelinho vs. Lucas Leite

Champion
Marcelinho

Score: 60pts

Editor’s whine: At middleweight, Claudio Calasans Jr.’s injury in the absolute on Saturday threw a wrench in my plans. Thus I got the semifinals and final wrong, which I still believe would have been the same as from 2010 had Calasans been ok. At least getting Marcelo Garcia’s fifth world title right scored me some points.

Medium Heavyweight

Predictions

Semifinals
Rominho vs. Eduardo Santoro
Serginho Moraes vs. Otávio Souza

Final
Rominho vs. Serginho

Champion
Rominho

Results

Semifinals
Rominho vs. Eduardo Santoro
Serginho Moraes vs. Rogel Monsalve

Final
Rominho vs. Serginho

Champion
Serginho

Score: 40pts

Editor’s whine: I started out well getting three of the four semifinalists right and nailing the final. In the decider, I knew it would be a tough battle but I had the feeling Rômulo ride in roughshod to bid farewell to competition with a gold. The Minas Gerais native did his all, but Sérgio did a swell job and landed a takedown in the final.

Heavyweight

Predictions

Semifinals
Bernardo Faria vs. Roberto Tussa
Rodolfo Vieira vs. Rafael Lovato Jr

Final
Bernardo vs. Rodolfo

Champion
Rodolfo Vieira

Results

Semifinals
Bernardo Faria vs. Antônio Barbosa
Rodolfo Vieira vs. Rafael Lovato Jr

Final
Bernardo vs. Rodolfo

Champion
Rodolfo Vieira

Score: 90pts

Editor’s whine: A near perfect division. I bet on the favorites and didn’t miss one. Only black belt newbie Antônio “Cara de Sapato” rained on my parade in the semifinals.

Super Heavyweight

Predictions

Semifinals
Marcus Bochecha vs. Antônio Peinado
Leo Nogueira vs. Ricardo Henrique

Final
Bochecha vs. Leo Nogueira

Champion
Bochecha

Results

Semifinals
Marcus Bochecha vs. Antônio Peinado
Leo Nogueira vs. João Assis

Final
Bochecha vs. Leo Nogueira

Champion
Leo Nogueira

Score: 40pts

Editor’s whine: With Roger Gracie not taking part in the division, I figured I’d bet on youth. I started out well with three of the four semifinalists and getting the final right. However, it was my faith in Bochech’s youth over the somewhat more experienced Leo that was my downfall. At least the winner was only decided by referees’ decision.

Ultraheavyweight

Predictions

Semifinals
Roberto Cyborg vs. Antônio Braga Neto
Rodrigo Cavaca vs. Fabiano Scherner

Final
Roberto Cyborg vs. Rodrigo Cavaca

Champion
Roberto Cyborg

Results

Semifinals
Roberto Cyborg vs. Antônio Braga Neto
Rodrigo Cavaca vs. Marcio Cruz

Final
Braga Neto vs. Cavaca

Champion
Braga Neto

Score: 10pts

Editor’s whine: To wrap up, I didn’t do so hot at ultraheavyweight. I didn’t believe in Braga Neto and paid for it. The Manaus native had his revenge on Cyborg for his loss to him in 2010 and didn’t give Cavaca a chance in the decider, stripping the São Paulo native of a second title. Serves me right.

Overall score: 430pts of 900 possible points

Final whine: I scored less than half the points possible, but I was only 20 points (or two semifinals) under 50%. I was on the mark for four of the nine champions but didn’t nail a single surprise, only getting it right on the shoo-ins. A number of Worlds Blog readers got their predictions right as well. The comments section is open for you to post your scores. Best wishes and see you next time!