Before action kicks off in the Pyramid next week, lets get up to speed with who some of the best blue belt prospects have been in 2025. With a mix of juveniles and adults, there's a lot of impressive names but we managed to pick out a select few we think fans should know about.

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Blue belt is typically the belt where people first pop up on our radar as fans and media, where those tough kids start to finally have to really prove it against the grind and rigor of elite gi competition. The pressure and level is something that is difficult for many to handle, even just as blue belts. There's a long list of future greats who all started things off strongly with a decorated colored belt campaign.

Before we get too far, we have to understand something about blue belt - there's a difference between juveniles and adults. While anyone who can compete at the world level is tough and worthy of that respect, there's no doubt that the juvenile divisions produce more champions and future elite black belts than the adult divisions. That's where all the teen prodigies who have a decade or more of mat time are. If you want the best action at blue belt, typically those juveniles will give it to you.

For each of the athletes we focus on, we are going to give a stylistic comparison so fans can better understand how these up-and-coming stars fight. These comparisons are not career predictions or saying that one athlete will do what another did, just that their styles of jiu-jitsu have something in common.

The Biggest Story

There is an intense rivalry brewing at juvenile blue belt that I think could eventually mature into a genuine black belt rivalry at the highest levels of jiu-jitsu. At juvenile 2 blue belt, Kalebe Henrique and Fernando Paiva are two special athletes who have had intense matches this year in major competition and have trained extensively together. Both were members of the Melqui Galvão team before Paiva left and joined AOJ in Costa Mesa. Now, they are in each other's way for a world gold medal.

Kalebe started the year really strong, winning double gold at Euros with Paiva losing in the semifinals to Alyson Lima. Then at Pans, Paiva scored a huge win in the finals there by beating Kalebe - who then came back to win the open class. Then, at Brasileiros, Paiva did not travel back to Brazil and Kalebe took double gold again (meaning he is on pace to grand slam the open class).

These are two of the brightest young blue belts in the world and they just happen to be in the same weight class. It MUST be settled at Worlds, ideally in the finals. There is real tension here between these former training partners, both want the same thing and are willing to do whatever it takes to get there. Regardless of who wins, I doubt it's the last time they will face off - in fact they could be potential opponents in the black belt World finals one day, that is the caliber of athlete we have.

Athletes To Watch

Jonathan Anderson

Jonathan Anderson has really had a great year for juvenile 2 blue belt, winning everything at featherweight and doing it with serious style. He's mobile, aggressive, strategic, and very technical. He's especially impressed with his diverse use of arm attacks like the barataplata and tarikoplata. I'd consider him one of the top-3 USA prospects at colored belt (probably the best male). For a stylistic comparison, since I mainly see him do berimbolos and barataplatas, seems pretty clear that he's most similar to the Miyao brothers.

Stylistic Comp - The Miyao Brothers

Livia Barasine

Livia has been a dominant force this year for juvenile 2 blue belt, winning double gold at every single major in 2025 at super heavy and in the open class. She's another student of Melqui Galvão and if she can put on more muscle I think she will be a genuine force at the adult black belt level. Her style is very patient and very strong with the double sleeve open guard, combined with solid pressure on top, so as a comparison I went with the lasso queen herself, Nathiely de Jesus (a world open class champion in her own right).

Stylistic Comp - Nathiely de Jesus

Agatha Nigro

If you're looking for the most impressive year at adult blue belt, I'd say that belongs to Agatha Nigro. After having a lot of up-and-down performances in 2024, she has looked really good here in 2025 with double golds at Pans and Brasileiros (along with super-heavy gold at Euros). Expect a big field to challenge the Fratres blue belt but with her size, pressure, and experience I would favor her in the Pyramid this time.

Stylistic Comp - Tayane Porfírio

Virgile Grandjean

Virgile Grandjean is among my favorite European colored belt prospects, as the French adult blue belt has won the rooster class at Euros and Pans before losing in the semifinals of Brasileiros to eventual champion Gabriel Fonseca. I am really interested in their rematch if they hit again at Worlds, I think like any good blue belt rooster final it'll come down to who can bolo who. That's certainly the best part of Virgile's game, his bolos and inversions are very technical and effective.

Stylistic Comp - Espen Mathiesen/Tommy Langaker

Grand Slam Watch

There are four brown belts heading into Worlds who have won Euros, Pans, and Brasileiros in 2025.

• Jonathan Anderson
• Kalebe Henrique
• Zain Chaudhry
• Agatha Nigro
• Livia Barasine
• Kellyson Carlos

How To Watch IBJJF Worlds 2025

Every match of the 2025 IBJJF Worlds will be streamed live on FloGrappling and the FloSports App.

Archives of each match, highlights, news and more will be available on FloWrestling for all FloSports & FloGrappling subscribers.

Have You Heard Of The IBJJF Grand Slam?

The IBJJF Grand Slam is a collection of four major gi tournaments throughout the season. 

Here’s the schedule for those events:

• The European Championships – Jan. 17-25
• The Pan Championships – March 19-23
• The Brazilian National Championship – April 26-May 4
• The World Championships – May 28-June 2

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