Black belt podium, with Cyborg, Abmar, Laércio Fernandes and Nivaldo Lima. Photos: Felipe Pires.
The saga of Jiu-Jitsu in Hawaii would yield a heck of a book, ever since the days such legends as Marcelo Behring, Relson Gracie and Marcelo Biju passed through the archipelago.
This Saturday, a new chapter of the story was written, with the maiden Honolulu Open put on by the IBJJF.
Not sporting his classic waxed hair do in Hawaii, Abmar fought Laércio, light featherweight champion, in the absolute. In the end, Abmar won 2-0.
With a massive number of white and blue belts, a sign Jiu-Jitsu has a future in Hawaii, the championship crowned our GMA Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu, who in the absolute final defeated Abmar Barbosa and lay claim to two gold medals, one at weight and the other open weight.
Besides them, the other black belts to stand out were Jonatas “Tagarela” Gurgel, the lightweight winner after beating Wallace Castro, and our GMA Aldo Januário, the master absolute champion. In the senior division, an “aloha” goes out to our local GMA and now absolute champion Master Luis “Limão” Heredia.
The team podium: trophy to Gracie Barra.
At brown belt, the absolute winner was the hard-nosed Nathan Mendelsohn (Claudio França).
Check out the team results, and see who came up big in Hawaii by clicking here for the complete results from the IBJJF.
1. Gracie Barra
2. Maui Grappling Academy
3. Gracie Humaitá
Tagarela (standing) against Wallace in lightweight final.