MAY 04, 2026, SAO PAULO, BRAZIL. The Ginásio Poliesportivo José Correa in Barueri was the venue chosen to showcase the jiu-jitsu elite at the 4th most important Gi event in the sport, the Brasileiro, also known as the Brazilian Nationals, an event organized by the IBJJF’s sister company, the CBJJ (Brazilian Federation).
As per usual, the tournament allowed some of the region’s rising talent to showcase their skills, many of whom are often unable to compete in larger events outside South America due to visa and/or financial constraints.
The event saw many of the sport’s finest achieve their goals, particularly in the female division, where Sarah Galvao, the Funegra Sisters, Gabi Pessanha, Mayssa Bastos, Elisabeth Clay, and Yara Soares, the tournament’s favorites, win their respective categories. The safer bets all won their divisions… In the male division, however, there were plenty of upsets.
In the rooster weight division, it was rookie black belt Italo Almeida who took gold in an extremely balanced category. Italo had won the tournament last year as a brown belt but wasn’t among the favorites as it was his debut at the pro level. He was able to win over veterans and rising prospects alike, cementing his claim as one of the top athletes at 58 kilos.
The light-featherweight division saw the #2 greatest upset of the tournament from the hands and feet of Rerisson Gabriel. Not that the Alliance standout wasn’t seen a key player, being a former Pan American champion, but it is not every day that one gets to beat a 4x world champion, particularly one as dominant as Diego Pato. Rerisson beat AOJ’s Pato by 1 advantage in a very contested match, though well deserved for the Rio de Janeiro native who, in our interpretation, looked more aggressive throughout the clash. Rerisson Gabriel now has wins over both Diogo Reis and Diego Pato, the two most dominant light-featherweights in the sport over the past 5 years.
Further ahead in the weights, we saw what most would call the biggest uset of the Brasileiro. Vinicius Liberati’s win over Erich Munis in the 100-kilo final. No doubt Liberati is one of the top players in the super-heavyweight division; nevertheless, Munis is very much the #1 athlete in the sport, currently, with the Gi and not many expected such a result to take place. With this victory, Vinicius beat Erich’s 48-match winning streak.
Another subject worthy of note was the rise of Alliance Rio de Janeiro as a major player in the black belt division. The team led by Rodrigo Thiago earned 3 gold medals in the adult black belt division, working with home talent, and may very well prove to be a disruptor at the IBJJF World Championships later this month.
2026 Adult Black Belt Brazilian Nationals:
Male 57KG: Ítalo de Almeida (Alliance)
Male 64KG: Rerisson Gabriel (AOJ)
Male 70KG: Meyram Maquiné (Soldiers)
Male 76KG: Andy Murasaki (AOJ)
Male 82KG: Tainan Dalpra (AOJ)
Male 88KG: Alex Munis (Soldiers)
Male 94KG: Leonardo Ferreira (Alliance)
Male 100KG: Vinicius Liberati (Soldiers JJ)
Male +100KG: Gutemberg Pereira (Checkmat)
Male Open: Erich Munis (Soldiers)
Female 48KG: Mayssa Bastos (AOJ)
Female 53KG: Ashlee Funegra (AOJ)
Female 58KG: Mia Funegra (AOJ)
Female 63KG: Sarah Galvao (Atos)
Female 69KG: Elisabeth Clay (Six Blades)
Female 74KG: Maca Vicentini (AOJ)
Female 79KG: Yara Soares (Fratres)
Female +79KG: Gabrieli Pessanha (InFight)
Female Open: Gabrieli Pessanha (InFight)
TOURNAMENT NUMBERS (Adult black belt division):
Total Matches: 241
Total Submissions: 99 (41%)
Male Matches: 165
Female Matches: 76
Below are the main matches of the 2026 Brazilian Nationals Championship, of the Adult Black Belt Division.
OPEN WEIGHT, MALE
4F – Gabriel Veloso def. Manoel Porto via 15×2
4F – Pedro Alex def. Erick Diovano via Advantages (0x0 pts)
4F – Erich Munis def. Robson Praia via Armbar
4F – Harryson Pereira def. Igor Ribeiro via Armbar
SF – Gabriel Veloso def. Pedro Alex via Decision (0x0 pts)
SF – Erich Munis def. Harryson Pereira via 4×0
F – Erich Munis def. Gabriel Veloso via Armbar
ROOSTERWEIGHT, MALE
4F – Italo Almeida def. Yuri Silva via Advantages (6×6 pts)
4F – Andrew Soares def. Caua Leonor via 4×2
4F – Welerson Goncalves def. Osamah Almarwai via Decision
4F – Oziel Santos def. Josue Braga via Decision (4×4 pts)
SF – Italo Almeida def. Andrew Soares via 2×0
SF – Welerson Goncalves def. Oziel Santos via 2×0
F – Italo Almeida def. Welerson Goncalves via 10×6
LIGHT FEATHERWEIGHT, MALE
4F – Shoya Ishiguro def. Jonathan Santos via Advantages (2×2 pts)
4F – Rerisson Gabriel def. Gustavo Ogawa via Decision (2×2 pts)
4F – Junior Righetti def. Bernardo Mastrangelo via 8×4
4F – Diego Oliveira def. Sueru Okaizumi via 6×0
SF – Rerisson Gabriel def. Shoya Ishiguro via Advantages (0x0 pts)
SF – Diego Oliveira def. Junior Righetti via 17×2
F – Rerisson Gabriel def. Diego “Pato” Oliveira via Advantages (6×6 pts)
FEATHERWEIGHT, MALE
4F – Cleison Gabriel def. Joao Mendes via Decision (0x0 pts)
4F – Giuliano Spera def. Thiago Ortiz via Advantages (4×4 pts)
4F – Diego Sodre def. Sebastian Serpa via 6×4
4F – Meyram Maquine def. Leo Santos via 2×0
SF – Cleison Gabriel def. Giuliano Spera via Advantages (0x0 pts)
SF – Meyram Maquine def. Diego Sodre via 2×0
F – Meyram Maquine def. Cleison Gabriel via 5×2
LIGHTWEIGHT, MALE
4F – Andy Murasaki def. Gabriel Grinjo via Arm in Ezekiel
4F – Ethan Major def. Guilherme Silva via Decision (0x0 pts)
4F – Sandrey Silva def. Lucas Bernert via 8×4
4F – Luis Ribas def. Guilherme Rocha via Armbar
SF – Andy Murasaki def. Ethan Major via Choke from the back
SF – Luis Ribas def. Sandrey Silva via RNC.
F – Andy Murasaki def. Luis Ribas via Armbar
MIDDLEWEIGHT, MALE
4F – Tainan Dalpra def. Erick Nunes via Choke from the back
4F – Gabriel Machado def. Michael Medeiros via Submission
4F – Jose Steve def. Lucas Foguinho via Decision (0x0 pts)
4F – Matheus Luna def. Yuri Rodrigues via Choke from the back
SF – Tainan Dalpra def. Gabriel Machado def. Cross choke
SF – Jose Steve def. Matheus Luna via Decision (0x0 pts)
F – Tainan Dalpra def. Jose Steve via Toe hold
MEDIUM-HEAVYWEIGHT, MALE
4F – Rui Neto def. Eduardo Alves via 4×0
4F – Alex Munis def. Vital Neto via 4×2
4F – Gabriel Galvao def. Mikael Rhaillander via 2×0
4F – Lucas Gualberto def. Manoel Porto via Loop choke
SF – Alex Munis def. Rui Neto via Choke from the back
SF – Gabriel Galvao def. Lucas Gualberto via Advantages (0x0 pts)
F – Alex Munis def. Gabriel Galvao via 2×0
HEAVYWEIGHT, MALE
4F – Leonardo Ferreira def. Julio Gabriel via 7×2
4F – Davi Vetoraci advanced over Pedro Machado via WO (possible injury in 8F)
4F – Fellipe Andrew def. Mathias Luna via Advantages (2×2 pts)
4F – Rider Zuchi def. Wesley Felix via 3×0
SF – Leonardo Ferreira def. Davi Vetoraci via Armbar
SF – Rider Zuchi def. Fellipe Andrew via Back injury
F – Leonardo Ferreira def. Rider Zuchi via Advantages (2×2 pts)
SUPER-HEAVYWEIGHT, MALE
4F – Harryson Pereira def. Caio Goncalves via 4×0
4F – Erich Munis def. Erick Diovano via Armbar
4F – Vinicius Liberati def. Hygor Brito via 8×0
4F – Nolan Stuart def. Lucas Alves via 2×0
SF – Erich Munis def. Harryson Pereira via Armbar
SF – Vinicius Liberati def. Nolan Stuart via 6×2
F – Vinicius Liberati def. Erich Munis via Advantages (6×6 pts)
ULTRA-HEAVYWEIGHT, MALE
4F – Seif Houmine def. Cleyton Flores via Decision (0x0 pts)
4F – Gabriel Veloso def. Pedro Lucas via 2×0
4F – Pedro Alex advanced over def. Luis Oliveira via WO (possible injury in 8F)
4F – Gutemberg Pereira def. Guilherme Avelino via Wristlock
SF – Pedro Alex def. Seif Houmine via 7×2
SF – Gutemberg Pereira def. Gabriel Veloso via Choke from the back
F – Gutemberg Pereira def. Pedro Alex via Decision (0x0 pts)
OPEN WEIGHT, FEMALE
4F – Gabrieli Pessanha def. Lillian Marchand via 9×0
4F – Giovanah Oliveira def. Simone Abreu via 2×0
4F – Sarah Galvao def. Gabriela Miranda via Armbar
4F – Ana Santos def. Barbara Santos via 2×0
SF – Sarah Galvao def. Ana Santos via Armbar
SF – Gabrieli Pessanha def. Giovanah Oliveira via Triangle
F – Gabrieli Pessanha def. Sarah Galvao via 12×0
ROOSTERWEIGHT, FEMALE
4F – Gabrielle Etzel def. Ana Samara via Armbar
4F – Jessica Caroline def. Roberta Medeiros via 2×0
SF – Mayssa Bastos def. Gabrielle Etzel def. Tarikoplata
SF – Jessica Caroline def. Thais Loureiro via Advantages (0x0 pts)
F – Mayssa Bastos def. Jessica Caroline def. Cross choke
LIGHT FEATHERWEIGHT, FEMALE
4F – Ashlee Funegra def. Camila Caroline via Choke from the back
4F – Vitoria Assis def. Grasielle Brandao via Decision (0x0 pts)
4F – Maria Luiza def. Claudiane Costa def. Kimura
4F – Andressa Guirau def. Naomi Anaiansi via Advantages (0x0 pts)
SF – Ashlee Funegra def. Vitoria Assis via Triangle
SF – Maria Luiza def. Andressa Guirau via 2×0
F – Ashlee Funegra def. Maria Luiza via Decision
FEATHERWEIGHT, FEMALE
4F – Mia Funegra def. Anabelle Dominico via Cross choke
4F – Giovanah Oliveira def. Mikaele Damaceno via Armbar
4F – Gabriela Pereira def. Kaynara Christina via Triangle armlock
4F – Keanna Klay def. Ana Pantoja via 2×0
SF – Gabriela Pereira def. Keanna Klay via 4×2
SF – Mia Funegra def. Giovanah Oliveira via Choke from the back
F – Mia Funegra def. Gabriela Pereira via Armbar
LIGHTWEIGHT, FEMALE
4F – Randryely Souza def. Samayra Zaura via Triangle
4F – Sarah Galvao def. Julia Matos via Choke from the back
4F – Vitoria Vieira def. Ivhalaynie Meira via Armbar
4F – Stephanie Faure def. Giovanna Leite def. Submission
SF – Vitoria Vieira def. Stephanie Faure via Armbar
SF – Sarah Galvao def. Randryely Souza via 2×0
F – Sarah Galvao def. Vitoria Vieira via Advantages (0x0 pts)
MIDDLEWEIGHT, FEMALE
4F – Lillian Marchand def. Kamilla Kelly via Choke from the back
4F – Gisele Menezes def. Victoria Ulrich via 6×0
4F – Elisabeth Clay def. Amanda Hening def. Omoplata
4F – Larissa Martins def. Ana Santos def. Ezekiel
SF – Lillian Marchand def. Larissa Martins via Choke from the back
SF – Elisabeth Clay def. Gisele Menezes via Toe hold
F – Elisabeth Clay def. Lillian Marchand def. Kneebar
MEDIUM-HEAVYWEIGHT, FEMALE
4F – Maria Vicentini def. Eduarda Karoline via Choke from the back
4F – Giovanna Carneiro def. Natalicia Josefa via Armbar
4F – Ingridd Alves def. Thaynara Conceicao via Triangle
4F – Sabatha Lais def. Gabriela Miranda via 4×2
SF – Ingridd Alves def. Sabatha Lais via Advantages (0x0 pts)
SF – Maria Vicentini def. Giovanna Carneiro via Advantages (2×2 pts)
F – Maria Vicentini def. Ingridd Alves via 2×0
HEAVYWEIGHT, FEMALE
4F – Natacha Ribeiro def. Barbara Santos via Triangle
SF – Tamiris Silva def. Isabely Ribeiro via 3×2
SF – Yara Soares def. Natacha Ribeiro via Choke
F – Yara Soares def. Tamiris Silva via 11×0
SUPER-HEAVYWEIGHT, FEMALE
4F – Luane Correia def. Kauany Queiroz via Smother tap
4F – Mikaela Lima def. Simone Abreu via 2×0
SF – Gabrieli Pessanha def. Luane Correia via Straight ankle lock
SF – Mikaela Lima def. Marina Penedo via 2×0
F – Gabrieli Pessanha def. Mikaela Lima via RNC
