Sérgio Moraes stays afloat at the Worlds. Photo: Dan Rod.
At the 2011 World Championship in Long Beach, Saturday saw the finalists for the absolute black belt division emerge, with Rodolfo Vieira and Bernardo Faria winning all their matches so far, which may end up happening in the heavyweight division as well. But Saturday was also when the weight divisions progressed as far as the quarterfinals and the female divisions made it all the way to the finals (check out the matchups here).
Thrilling matches are a guarantee for Sunday, the final day of the Worlds, which kicks off with the men’s quarterfinals. At light featherweight, for example, 2010’s champion Pablo Silva faces Ary Farias, this year’s champion of Europe and Brazil. Another one promising fireworks is between Kron Gracie and Leandro Lo, in the lightweight division.
The ladies didn’t have it easy. To paint the picture, absolute finalist Beatriz Mesquita lost her first match, against Luiza Monteiro, who has been on a roll. Gabi Garcia will also battle for gold in her division, and has a chance at winning weight and open weight.
Besides the aforementioned matches between Kron and Lo and Pablo and Aryzinho, there’s also Bruno Frazatto vs. Augusto Tanquinho, Kyra Gracie vs. Michelle Nicolini, Lucas Lepri vs. Gilbert Durinho, Celso Venícius vs. Jonathan Torres, and Rômulo Barral vs. Eduardo Telles… It’ll take a lot of heart.
So stay tuned to GRACIEMAG.com and the GRACIEMAG at the Worlds Blog to get the inside story on the 2011 Worlds.