IBJJF 2017 World No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Championships

10 Brown Belts To Watch At 2017 No-Gi Worlds

Read on to find out about the 10 brown belts we think will steal the show at 2017 No-Gi Worlds.

Dec 12, 2017 by Chase Smith

10 Brown Belts To Watch At 2017 No-Gi Worlds

The 2017 edition of IBJJF No-Gi Worlds is just a few short days away, and while we're all pining to watch elite black belts do their thing, we wanted to shed some light on the brown belts that are hungry to make a name for themselves.

Read on to find out about the 10 brown belts we think will steal the show.

Alex Hodi doesn’t get a ton of press – partially due to the fact he’s based in Detroit, but he’s good. Actually, he’s excellent. Just this past October Hodi beat Alex Sodre (brown belt world champion) and the well-known Cole Franson on his way to gold at No-Gi Pans. Keep an eye out for this savage as he’s sure to be making waves.

WATCH: Alex Hodi vs Alex Sodre

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Ethan Crelinsten went viral last April after he snapped another competitors arm with a kimura lock on his way to gold at ADCC trials. Crelinsten had an admirable performance at the ADCC World Championships before being out-pointed by the eventual silver medalist AJ Agazarm. We’re looking forward to watching his extremely active guard in action.

Elivira Karppinen is a 10th Planet representative from Finland. Karppinen shocked the world when she took out Mackenzie Dern in the first round at ADCC in September and will be looking to expand her resume this weekend at No-Gi Worlds. Karppinen is the owner of a crafty guard and loves to attack the lower limbs. Keep an eye on out for her toehold attacks.

Gabrielle McComb trains out of Gracie South Bay under Leticia Ribeiro and is an absolute monster on the mats. 2017 Pans champion and a silver medalist at No-Gi Pans in October, McComb has proven that she consistently has what it takes to reach the podium.

WATCH: Gabrielle McComb vs Jessica Lynne

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Despite his young age, Oliver Taza is an ADCC veteran and has been making waves in professional grappling for the past two years. A key member of the Danaher Death Squad but primarily based at Tri-Star, (Fiiras Zahabi’s gym in Montreal), Taza is privy to the teachings of two of the best minds in combat sports. He'll be competing in the lightweight division this year at the 2017 worlds and is a solid candidate for a first place finish.

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Jonnatas Gracie had his coming-out party this past June at the 2017 World Championships, winning double gold in the adult purple belt division. Promoted on the podium to brown belt, the rest of 2017 has been quiet for Gracie, until now. Look for the Atos rep to bring his heavy pressure and blistering attacks to the Anaheim convention center on Saturday.

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Tarik Hopstock hails from Norway and is the dark horse in the middleweight division. Creator of the fearsome 'Tarikoplata', a shoulder-lock that needs to be seen (and probably felt) to be fully understood, Hopstock is looking to shake things up in his first major competition at brown belt. Don't sleep on Hopstock because he's ready to shock the world.

Atos brown belt Dominique ‘Dom’ Bell is one of the brightest prospects out of the powerhouse San Diego gym. Frequently collecting quadruple gold wherever he competes, Bell is a beast both in and out of the gi and has competitive prowess that can only come as a result of being one of Andre Galvao's main training partners. BONUS: Bell is also creator of some of the best technique videos out there.

Tara White has unparalleled energy on the mat. Unafraid to bring physicality to the women's division, White's passing is brutal as they come and can wear down the most resilient of opponents. We expect nothing less this weekend at No-Gi worlds and are seriously looking forward to some fun matches.

WATCH: Tara White vs Samantha Cook

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The secret’s out: Devhonte Johnson is a force to be reckoned with. The seemingly perennial purple belt from Unity got his brown belt after winning worlds and hasn’t slowed down since. Earning double gold at No-Go pans in October, Devhonte is in prime position to solodify his percense at brown belt and enter the new year going strong.