Nicholas Meregali won double gold in Purple and Brown in 2015 and 2016, but the first-year Black Belt couldn't win at the highest level in his initial attempt, could he? Doing so would mean besting a monster field, at one of the toughest weights. And it would mean beating 5-time World Champion and 2017 Absolute finalist Leandro Lo.

But that's just what he did, and he did it in style.

En route to the finals, Meregali tapped his way through the bracket. First it was Helton Junior. He followed that up by submitting former World Champion Lucas Leite with a collar choke from the back. The semifinals brought him Dimitrius Soares Souza whom he stopped via triangle choke.

And then it was showdown time. Win or lose against the legendary Leandro Lo in the finals, Meregali's first Black Belt tourney would have been considered a success. But he wasn't done.

Meregali pulled guard early and often and then capitalized on it by getting to his feet with standing single leg which he converted for the takedown. Though Lo's pace picked up thereafter, he could only score advantages, and Meregali completed his ascent: three years, three belt divisions, three titles.