The absolute division exists only in jiu-jitsu. Wrestlers, boxers and MMA fighter stick to weight classes. Athletes may change their division, but we rarely see competitors go up against somebody from a division two, three or even four categories higher than their own. 

Openweight matches are responsible for some of the most dramatic and memorable moments in jiu-jitsu history. At the 2016 IBJJF Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Bernardo Faria made history when he became the first three-time Pan Absolute champion. 

Here we present links to all of the matches from the Absolute division at the 2016 Pans. Watch the entire category from start to finish and enjoy!

IBJJF 216 Pan black belt Absolute division

First Round

Ezra Lennon vs Caio Almeida
Arnaldo Oliveira vs William Shannon
Igor Schneider vs Rodrigo Freitas 

Carlos Farias vs Marcus Wilson
Alessandro Ferreira vs Javier Arroyo
Dany Guy vs Steve Patterson
Luiz Panza vs Kitner Moura 

(there are more matches in the second round as due to the irregular numbers many athletes were given a by)

Second Round 

Bernardo Faria vs Ezra Lennon
Victor Silverio vs Nathan Mendelsohn
Gabriel Arges vs Arnaldo Oliveira 

Pedro Moura vs Shawn Key 

Joao Gabriel Rocha vs Igor Schneider

Marcos Tinoco vs Murilo Santana

Tim Spriggs vs Carlos Farias

Otavio Nalati vs Joseph Moku

Leo Nogueira vs Alessandro Silva
Abraham Marte vs Manuel Ribamar

Andre Galvao vs Aaron Johnson

Alexando Ceconi vs Diego Herzog

Leandro Lo vs Dany Gerard
Guilherme Santos vs Elliot Kelly 

Luiz Panza vs Mahamed Aly

James Puopolo vs Manuel Diaz

Third Round

Bernardo Faria vs Victor Silverio
Gabriel Arges vs Pedro Moura
Joao Gabriel Rocha vs Murilo Santana 
Tim Spriggs vs Otavio Nalati
Leo Nogueira vs Abraham Marte

Andre Galvao vs Alexandro Ceconi

Leandro Lo vs Guilherme Santos
Luiz Panza vs James Puopolo 

Quarter Finals 

Bernardo Faria vs Gabriel Arges
Tim Spriggs vs Joao Gabriel Rocha

Andre Galvao vs Leo Nogueira

Leandro Lo and Luiza Panza (did not fight, Panza let him pass) 

Semi Finals 

Bernardo Faria vs Tim Spriggs
Leandro Lo vs Andre Galvao

Finals 

Bernardo Faria vs Leandro Lo