Caio Terra vs. Laercio Fernandes. Photo: Ivan Trindade
The thirteenth reasons for supporting the 2013 World Championships is mostly for the spectators. Of course we can always learn from watching, the matches can also be pure entertainment. In this case, athletes shifting weight classes has something to do with that.
Reason #13: See new or rare match-ups from top athletes as they move weight classes.
Most of the time, competitors stay at the same weight class. Occasionally you will see athletes moving one or two or even a few as if to say they want a new challenge. But the top champions in one weight class tend to stay within their conquered divisions year after year.
This year one of the bigger moves by a champion is that of Caio Terra. We’ve seen the rooster weight compete as light feather many times before and we’ve seen him win in that category as well. He even competes in open classes and wins as the lightest guy to enter. But at the prestigious world championships he stays in his rooster division where his main opponent has always been Bruno Malfacine. Caio Terra has so far signed up as a light feather and although he mentioned that he could potentially still go back down to his home at rooster, he is competing in the higher division.
In this article he coaxes Bruno Malfacine to follow his footsteps and join the light feather division as well. There hasn’t been any confirmations, but we very well could see Malfacine in the mix as well leaving rooster weight so that others like Fabbio Passos, Felipe Costa, Rafael Freitas, Brandon Mullins and other natives can take their place in the finals. Malfacine is also one to move up to light feather at times, such as Pan Ams 2012 when he won the division.
Light feather has competitors like Guilherme Mendes who has been champion there three times as a black belt in 2009, 2011 and 2012. But he’s not the only threat in the division. Laercio Fernandes, Samuel Braga, Carlos Holanda Vieira, Samir Chantre just to name a few reside in the light feather category who can give both Caio and Bruno a good fight. Although these match-ups have happened before such as Laercio and Caio, Bruno and Guilherme and in both cases the rooster weights have won.
It will be interesting to see the light featherweight division and and what type of wrench this throws in the plans of some of the most dedicated and professional athletes. What do you think about the changes? Let us know!