Last week, the IBJJF and USADA announced that Felipe Pena had tested positive for PEDs and, as a result, was stripped of his 2021 IBJJF Worlds absolute title. On Tuesday, the IBJJF announced that Fellipe Andrew — who had tied for third in the absolute division — has now been named the 2021 Worlds absolute champion.
Pena initially won the 2021 Worlds absolute title under unique circumstances. Pena defeated Andrew in the semifinals of the absolute division, and on the other side of the bracket, rival Nicholas Meregali won his way to the absolute finals. But during the semifinal match of his weight division, Meregali was disqualified from the competition for making a lewd gesture. Rather than having Pena face a replacement for Meregali in the absolute final (like Andrew, for example), Pena was awarded the gold by default.
With Pena now stripped of his gold medal (which was awarded by default), Andrew has now been retroactively awarded a gold medal (again by default).
Fellipe Andrew is one of the most active and successful competitors on the IBJJF circuit. The super heavyweight competitor represents Alliance, and was a 2021 Pans double gold medalist and a 2022 European Open double gold medalist. This is his first IBJJF Worlds gold medal.
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