Masters Worlds is the premier tournament in the world for grapplers over 30, so it's fitting that a trio of illustrious names from the annals of jiu-jitsu history have decided to return to action this weekend in Las Vegas.

Mario Sperry, Luis "Bebeo" Duarte, and Rodrigo Medeiros -- three products off the notoriously tough Carlson Gracie Team of the 1980s -- are signed up to compete at the event, which runs from Thursday to Saturday.

Sperry is the most well known and accomplished of the three, having amassed many titles in jiu-jitsu and ADCC tournaments while also fighting MMA.


Sperry in action at ADCC 2015. Photo: Hywel Teague

Duarte is a lesser-known figure but won the World and Pan championships in the mid-1990s. He was also a co-founder of the famous Brazilian Top Team.

Medeiros is another product of the golden era of the Carlson Gracie Team and was one of the earliest to relocate to the USA to teach jiu-jitsu after leaving Brazil in 1996. He is well known as both a coach and competitor, having trained notable grapplers such as Clark Gracie.

Sperry will make his debut as a Masters competitor in the gi. He last grappled competitively against former teammate Ricardo Liborio in the ADCC "Legends" superfight in 2015.

When asked, Bebeo could not remember the last time he competed and said he's looking forward to getting back on the mats.

Medeiros took silver in the master 4 lightweight division in 2016.

BLACK / Master 5 / Male / Super-Heavy
José Mario Sperry -- Mario Sperry Jiu-Jitsu

BLACK / Master 5 / Male / Ultra-Heavy
Luis Roberto de Moraes Duarte -- Carlson Gracie Clube

BLACK / Master 4 / Male / Light
Rodrigo Medeiros -- Carlson Gracie Team

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