It was an incredibly busy time for jiu-jitsu over the weekend: World Pro came to an end, three jiu-jitsu stars threw down in MMA, and Fight To Win took the biggest party in grappling to Pittsburgh.

World Pro: The Quick Hits

Saturday saw the conclusion of the UAEJJF 2017-18 season at the 2018 Abu Dhabi World Pro. The 10th edition of the prestigious event had some of the top athletes in jiu-jitsu on hand to fight for the title and $15,000.

Next Generation of Women Have Strong Showing

World Pro has the unique distinction of being the only major event that combines adult women's brown and black belts in the same division. One might think this would be leading the lambs to the slaughter, but performances from the weekend indicate this is far from the case. 

In fact, a brown belt who made it to the finals in every bracket.   

Mayssa Bastos, a 49kg brown belt, won the World Pro for the second straight year.  Ffion Davies looked fantastic in her final with Bianca Basilio, and Belgium’s Amal Amjahid came out on fire in the women’s 55kg final, getting a choke from the back on Amanda Monteiro.

Brazilians Still Dominate The Podium 

The black belt level was dominated by Brazilians, with a "Brasileiro" taking home the gold in 10 out of 12 weight classes. Though as somewhat of a welcome surprise, European nations—not the USA—claimed the reaming to first-place positions.

The "Erberth Santos Show": Back In Full Swing

Erberth Santos looked like his old, electrifying self on the mats at World Pro. He submitted five out of six opponents over the entire event, including a submission finish in the final. Altogether, it was a welcome return to form for the reigning prince of terror.

Erberth Santos vs. Lucio Rodrigues – 2018 World Pro

Unlock this video, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In

Big Night For BJJ Players In MMA

Bellator 198 saw three massive names in jiu-jitsu enter the cage on Saturday night in Rosemont, IL: Rafael Lovato Jr., Neiman Gracie, Gracie, and Dillon Danis. All three went home with spectacular submission wins.

Entering Lovato Jr.'s Guard = A Poor Choice.  

Lovato opened his 188lb catchweight match against Gerald Harris with an aggressive flying knee that saw the submission artist land on his back. Instead of forcing the fight back to the feet, Harris opted to enter a world of pain and try to beat Lovato on the ground by sitting in front of Lovato's open guard.

The result? A masterful armbar from Rafael Lovato Jr. just over one minute in the first round.

WOW! @lovatojrbjj is a wizard on the ground!#Bellator198 pic.twitter.com/UBYakSfGkq

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) April 29, 2018

Gracie Hits Text Book Arm Triangle

Following in the footsteps of Royce, Renzo, and Roger, Neiman Gracie has established himself as a contender in Bellator's welterweight division with his beautiful arm triangle submission on Javier Torres. We cannot wait to see what the future holds for the now 8-0 fighter.

GRACIE STYLE!

It was a night full of finishes and @NeimanGracie came through with a solid one! #Bellator198 pic.twitter.com/raBBIZ404a

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) April 29, 2018

Danis Lives Up To The Hype

The highly anticipated MMA debut of Dillon Danis has come and gone! The grappling superstar moved to 1-0 inside the Bellator cage after he submitted Kyle Walker just two minutes into the first round. 

What a finish by @dillondanis! #BJJ was in full effect last night at #Bellator198! pic.twitter.com/vGHzW7qIva

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) April 29, 2018

DeBlass Tears Through Competition At F2W Pro 72

Tom DeBlass' match with Louis Aremenzanni was over before it even really began on Saturday in Pittsburgh. 

DeBlass pulled guard, immediately isolated a leg in ashi garami, and proceeded to finish Armezzanii with an outside heel hook. The whole process took 30 seconds. It was a fantastic win for the Ricardo Almeida black belt, who improves his Fight To Win record to 3-1.