Here at FloGrappling we tend not to focus too much on blue and purple belt practitioners, unless they really stand out by doing something special. 

We feel that this is a stage in their careers where too much attention can actually harm their progress and so prefer to keep the focus on the higher ranks, such as the black and brown belt divisions. 

However, much like in the cases of Thalison Soares on Day 1 and Brad Johnston on Day 2, there were a few colored belts who really stood out for us during Day 3 of the action at the IBJJF European Championships. 

Let's take a look… 

Nicole Evangelista 

17 year old Nicole Evangelista (pictured above) is a phenom in many ways. The five submissions she racked up to become European lightweight champion might be impressive enough, but when you stack it up next to her other achievements, it's even more so! 

For example, she completed a college course while still in high school and graduated with an associate's degree at 17 and is planning on going to Stanford to study law. 

This is her first year competing among the adult divisions, and she made it look easy as she tore through her division. Plus, she's a champion in Fight To Win Pro. Is there anything this girl can't do? 

Click here for Nicole Evangelista's matches

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Sophia Flores being coached by Rafael Mendes 

Sophia Flores 

Flores joined AoJ as a green belt and just won her first IBJJF Europeans as an adult when she took the blue belt light featherweight gold medal. Sophia and her two sisters, Isabella and Madalena, all train at the Mendes brothers' Art of Jiu-Jitsu academy in Costa Mesa, California having relocated there to focus fully on jiu-jitsu. 

Sofia is an assistant coach at the gym, helping up and comers move through the same program that led to her success. She had four fights in a tough division, beating out a number of international opponents to become champion. 

Click here for Sophia Flores's matches

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Devhonte Johnson on top of the podium after winning purple belt absolute. 

Devhonte Johnson 

Representing Unity Jiu-Jitsu out of New York City, Devhonte Johnson is a prolific competitor and a familiar face on the scene. The 2016 World Pro champion is a perennial podium finisher but it was something of a surprise to see him miss out on a gold medal in the final of the super heavyweight division when he lost to Eric Bergmann of Gracie Barra via points (4-2). 

Johnson rallied later in the same day to take gold in the super competitive purple belt absolute division, beating the super tough ultra heavyweight 2017 Euro champ Victor Marques in the final 2-0. 

Click here for Devhonte Johnson's matches

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