Brackets Are Out: Explosive First Round Matches At IBJJF 2017 Pans

The adult black belts go into action at the IBJJF 2017 Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship on Saturday (absolute) and Sunday (weight divisions), but the brackets are out now and we've identified some of the explosive first round matches to expect!

Mar 13, 2017 by Hywel Teague

Brackets Are Out: Explosive First Round Matches At IBJJF 2017 Pans

The adult black belts go into action at the IBJJF 2017 Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship on Saturday (absolute) and Sunday (weight divisions), but the brackets are out now and we've identified some of the explosive first round matches to expect!

Gianni Grippo. Photo: Nico Ball

Shane Jamil Hill Taylor vs Gianni Grippo, featherweight

Team Lloyd Irvin's Shane Jami Hill-Taylor is a relatively new face on the black belt scene bu the's young, talented and hungry. Promoted to black belt last summer, the Team Lloyd Irvin rep will meet Alliance's Gianni Grippo in the first round of the featherweight division. Grippo is a strong candidate to make it to the podium, meaning you can expect a tough battle in this first round match-up.

Watch it on Sunday Mat 4, Fight 3 (starts at 9:24 AM)

Marcos Tinoco. Photo: Hywel Teague / FloGrappling

Marcos Tinoco vs John Combs, middleweight

Tinoco is a well-known face in the middleweight division and and we've picked him as one of Alliance's strongest candidates for a gold medal. The 2017 European champion won't have an easy first round as he goes up against the very dangerous John Combs.

The Colorado-based grappler won Pans last year as a brown belt in super quick fashion, finishing all of his opponents with submissions. Though he has yet to taste the same level of success at black belt, he did make it through to the finals of the Five Grappling middleweight Super League in December. Tinoco will need to be careful of Combs' kamikaze style. An interesting note to this matter is that the winner will likely get Clark Gracie in the next round.

Watch it on Saturday Mat 5, Fight 10 (starts at 10:30 AM)

Lucas 'Hulk' Barbosa

Manuel Ribamar vs Lucas 'Hulk' Barbosa, medium heavyweight

Sometimes the brackets give us matches which could easily be semifinal or even finals in their own right! In the opening round of the medium heavyweight division we're going to see the very tough Manuel Ribamar of NS Brotherhood go up against Lucas 'Hulk' Barbosa of Atos.

Barbosa is coming off a win at the Five Grappling light heavyweight Super League and carries a lot of momentum from this tough event. Ribamar is a young guy with a lot to prove, and both of these men could make it through to the later rounds of the tournament -- providing they also get past their next match, which looks like it'll be a showdown with Dillon Danis.

Watch it on Sunday Mat 4, Fight 23 (starts at 1:24 PM)

Dany Gerard. Photo: Chase Smith / FloGrappling

Dany Gerard vs Jared Dopp, super heavyweight

When you put two super heavyweights like Dany Gerard and Jared Dopp, there's only one result: fireworks! Tahiatian Top Team's Gerard is a powerful grappler but then so is 'MegaloDopp'. Coming from Lovato Jr's school in Oklahoma, he brings solid wrestling and a gritty style that pushes opponents to their limits.

Watch it on Sunday Mat 7, Fight 19 (starts at 12:36 PM)

*** All times subject to change -- brackets can be found here. ***

How to Watch the IBJJF 2017 Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship

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