Xande Ribeiro is a legend in jiu-jitsu. The guy has won Worlds five times, Pans four times, and ADCC twice, and that doesn’t include all the times he’s also earned silver and bronze at those competitions. Recently, though, Ribeiro has been absent from the competitive scene. We haven’t seen him reaching for gold since last year, which was largely due to him needing surgery. Many fans wondered if Ribeiro, nearing his forties, would be retiring from competition altogether and instead focusing on other aspects of his BJJ career.
Today, though, Ribeiro announced that he’ll not only be making a return to competition — and he’ll be doing it with a bang. We’ll just have to wait a couple of years.
In a social media post, Ribeiro revealed his upcoming goals, which he calls “Project 2021.” He said that he’ll be aiming to once again compete at both Worlds and ADCC in two years’ time. By that time, Ribeiro will be forty years old, and given how much young talent is out there now, there’s no telling who he’ll be going up against when he tests himself at these elite events.
“At the age of 38 I underwent my first surgery, and after countless injuries, the tool of my craft had to be fixed, and I never thought I would feel inspired and hungry to be back competing and testing my skills against the best. #Project2021 is in effect and I plan at 40 years old stop the main events such as @ibjjf Worlds and ADCC. I am not saying that I will win, but be ready to fight a Man that has no fear.“
We’ll be keeping our eyes out to see what moves this iconic BJJ athlete makes on his way back to the top until 2021 rolls around.
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