Mica Galvão became the youngest male black belt, and just the fourth male black belt in history, to complete a yearly Grand Slam, winning an IBJJF World title at the 2024 IBJJF World Championships in Long Beach California on Sunday, June 2.

What is a yearly Grand Slam? Find out here!

Galvão, who had five matches on the weekend, submitted all three of his opponents Saturday, before defeating 2024 Brasileiro champ Pedro Maia in the semifinal, and 2024 Euros and Pans silver medalist Andy Murasaki in the final.

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Worlds was Galvão's first foray at lightweight in the 2024 season after winning each of the first three majors of the season at middleweight to round off his Grand Slam campaign. Across the four Grand Slam tournaments this season, Galvão had 16 matches. He won by submission in 13 of them, giving him an 81-percent submission rate in IBJJF tournaments this year.

Andy Murasaki gave him the toughest match of the season in the Worlds final, holding Galvão to a one advantage victory, where, in most instances this season, the Manauara won by submission or by a substantial points margin. In the middleweight division this year, Galvão had two submissions wins over Murasaki — once at Euros to begin the season and again at Pans.

Galvão, 20, is now one of the youngest IBJJF World Champions in history, and the youngest male to complete an IBJJF Grand Slam. In 2022, he won a world title at lightweight, becoming the youngest world champ in history. But when he was stripped of the title for a USADA sanction, his title, and his record for youngest-ever to do it, were awarded to Tye Ruotolo, who was 18 at the time.

Galvão maintains the record of youngest competitor ever to win the UAEJJF World Pro title.

Adam Wardzinski becomes first European black belt male IBJJF world champ

Adam Wardzinski also made history at the 2024 IBJJF World Championships, becoming the first European male — and the first-ever Polish athlete — to win an IBJJF World Championships title.

Wardzinski, already a two-time European champion and the 2023 IBJJF Pan champion, had never reached the podium at the World Championships, often falling in the quarterfinals in his seven-year effort at black belt.

Renowned as one of the foremost butterfly guard experts in jiu-jitsu, Wardzinski submitted each of his four opponents on the weekend, using the butterfly guard to achieve mount on multiple opponents, where he secured a choke.

That made Wardzinski, 33, the only non-Brazilian champion at Worlds in 2024. 2024 had the lowest frequency of non-Brazilian athletes atop the podium since 2021, when Mikey Musumeci was the only non-Brazilian champion. Wardzinski was one of just 10 non-Brazilian athletes to earn any medal at the 2024 World Championships. That's the fewest non-Brazilian champions since 2012, when 10 non-Brazilian athletes hit the podium.

Meyram Maquiné stole the show at IBJJF Worlds

Meyram Maquiné also earned his place in history, becoming the eight different champion of the lightweight division in eight consecutive years of the IBJJF World Championships. Maquiné, the 2022 light featherweight champ and two-time silver medalist in the light featherweight division, moved up to the stacked featherweight division in 2024, where he impressed with his aggressive passing style and his proficient takedown game.

In the final, Maquiné submitted Ademir Barreto. In the semifinal, he beat the frequent medalist Diego Sodré. In the quarterfinal, he defeated 2022 featherweight World Champion Isaac Doederlein.

However, Maquiné's most impressive work may have come in the open weight class, where he defeated two formidable heavyweights, and took a match with medium-heavyweight Jansen Gomes to the wire.

Maquiné beat Angelo Claiborne in his opening bout, out-wrestling the heavier man and winning by advantage. In the quarterfinal, he defeated heavyweight sensation Roberto Jimenez, again relying on his wrestling technique, and proving himself one of the best takedown artists in jiu-jitsu. 

Maquiné is now a two-time world champion in two different divisions.

Gustavo Batista submitted all opponents in 3rd title run

Gustavo Batista is now a three-time medium heavyweight World Champion after in impressive performance, where he submitted five opponents in five matches. In the final, he tapped the red hot Jansen Gomes via footlock early in the match. In the semifinal, he tapped longtime division rival Isaque Bahiense with a toe hold.

Although he lost in the final, Jansen had a tremendous weekend, making the final in both his weight category and the absolute division. Gomes racked up submissions in both divisions, before beating Ronaldo Junior in the medium heavyweight semifinal on day two. In the absolute division he defeated the favorite, Gutemberg Pereira in the quarters, and Maquiné in the final. He was unable to contest for the absolute title, as he suffered an injury against Batista in the weight class final.

Pato is one of the most dominant light featherweights of all-time

Diego Pato joined a short list of three-time IBJJF light featherweight world champions with his submission victory over Jonas Andrade. That puts him alongside Bibiano Fernandes with three, and one behind coach Guilherme Mendes and Robson Moura, who share the record as four-time light featherweight world champs.

Pato, reigning king of the light featherweight division, had a rocky start on the first day of competition, coming up with two narrow-margin victories. But he opened the throttle on day two, winning both the semifinal and final with dominant submissions from back control.

Bebeto Oliveira won his first IBJJF world title in the gi in the roosterweight division, collecting a submission in the final against Zayed Alkatheeri after winning his first three matches on the scoreboard. This marks the third time the roosterweight title has changed hands since 2021, when Mikey Musumeci won his second world title.

More results from the men's IBJJF Worlds 2024 categories

Jackson Nagai defeated his Checkmat teammate Francisco Lo in the middleweight final, earning his first IBJJF world title after coming up with lightweight silver in 2023. He secured a triangle armbar in the final after three scoreboard wins on his road there.

The middleweight division was shaken up after, on day one, heavy favorite Tainan Dalpra was disqualified for a technical violation in his match with Francisco Lo. Lo appeared injured throughout the tournament following that match, but battled his way to the final.

Yatan Bueno defeated Pedro Alex in the ultra heavyweight final, securing his first-ever world title in the division dominated by Victor Hugo since 2021. Bueno won via DQ over Seif Houmine in the semifinal, and had two submissions on the first day to earn his spot in day two. Victor Hugo was absent from the bracket.

Erich Munis won the absolute title be default, as his would-be final opponent, Jansen Gomes, was injured in the medium heavyweight final. This is Munis' first absolute title, after taking open class silver in 2022 and 2023. 

This marks the fourth time in the last six editions of Worlds that the male absolute champion did not win his division. In the previous 22 editions of the World Championships, that only occurred seven times.

Anderson Munis won the super heavyweight division, submitting his brother, Erich Munis, ending Erich's chances at double gold. Erich was the defending three-time super heavyweight champion. The only other athlete who has submitted Erich as a black belt was Victor Hugo in the absolute final in 2023.

Gabi Pessanha continues historic run with 8th world title in 4 years

For the fourth year in a row, Gabrieli Pessanha won double gold at Worlds, conquering the super heavyweight and absolute divisions, submitting Yara Soares via footlock in both finals. Pessanha has now won three consecutive yearly IBJJF double grand slams, has won eight consecutive IBJJF world titles, and has an unbeaten streak on 128 consecutive matches. She is, without a doubt, a future hall of famer.

Luiza Monteiro retired on the mat after her submission win over Brianna Ste-Marie in the lightweight final. Monteiro submitted each of her opponents. Her win marked her third IBJJF world title in the gi, adding to her three no-gi titles. Monteiro saluted Leandro Lo, holding up a t-shirt with his face on it and setting it on the center of the mat along with her belt, indicating her retirement from the sport.

Mayssa Bastos became a five time world champion in the roosterweight division, where she submitted Jhenifer Aquino in the final. Bastos is now the most dominant roosterweight female of all time at Worlds, surpassing Rikako Yuasa who won four world titles from 2015 to 2018, before Bastos usurped her for her first title in 2019.

Bastos spent most of the season in the light featherweight division, taking silver at Euros, then winning the light featherweight title at Pans and Brasileiro. She returned to roosterweight at Worlds to defend her world title.

Andressa Cintra matched Bastos' streak in the middleweight division, also winning her fifth consecutive title with a submission victory over Larissa Martins. That was her third submission in her four matches at Worlds. With her fifth title, Cintra extends her status as the most dominant female middleweight ever. She has won by submission in most of her five black belt title victories.

Nathalie Ribeiro won her first IBJJF gi world title in the featherweight division, defeating two-time light featherweight world champion Ana Rodrigues in the final. Ribeiro won by decision after a 10-minute stalemate. The match began with a coincidental headbutt which left Rodrigues bleeding from above the eye, and perceivably shaken for the duration of the match. Still, throughout the match, Ribeiro looked stone cold, and more determined than ever to win a world title.

Thamires Aquino won her first world title after coming up with the silver in 2023, defeating her teammate Amanda Canuto in the final.

Thamara Ferreira won the medium heavyweight title over Maria Vicentini, securing her first World Championship ever. In the semifinal, she defeated 2023 world champ Amy Campo.

Tamiris Silva also won her first world title, defeating Amanda Magda in the heavyweight division. That makes her the ninth different female heavyweight champion in the last 12 year at IBJJF Worlds.

See the match by match results from the 2024 IBJJF World Championships here!

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