Who’s the most exciting fighter in Jiu-Jitsu today? Who’s that guy or girl that people stop to watch? We have selected four names for your appreciation, but feel free to add any other name you like. We focused on the people that are active today, leaving out currently injured athletes.
Leandro Lo
The leader of NS Brotherhood has said many times that fighting larger and tougher opponents is what keeps him going. Four times world champion in three different weight classes, he is still pursuing his first open class world title as a black belt. Here’s Lo against Keenan Cornelius at the 2015 Worlds, the best match of last year’s edition.
Felipe Pena
The Gracie Barra black belt under Rominho Barral really matured after a shaky start in the ranking. He did awesome at the 2015 ADCC, won double gold at the Worlds No-Gi with six submissions in seven matches and recently closed the open class at the European open class with his professor. Pena’s matches are always nail-biting battles. Here’s his latest war against Erberth Santos in Lisbon.
Mackenzie Dern
Fearless, Mackenzie Dern is today the most popular female Jiu-Jitsu fighter. His all or nothing style that relies in lighting fast attacks to the opponent’s limbs has conquered audiences all over the world. As she transitions to MMA, she is still after a open class title in a major gi tournament. Being a featherweight, you know how big the challenge is. Here’s her battle against Michelle Nicolini at the 2015 Worlds.
Garry Tonon
The heel hook king of today’s no-gi competition, Garry Tonon thrills the crowd wherever he competes. Owner of a style that does not hold back and gives all in, Tonon is a fan favorite. He’s still missing a major title at the ADCC or Worlds No-Gi, but that does not shadow his impressive record even a bit. Here’s Tonon against Stephen Martinez at EBI 5.
So, who’s your favorite?
