Josh Hinger (Atos) has won No-Gi Worlds two years in a row, last year at middle and in 2016 at medium-heavyweight. Hinger is currently sitting third overall in the IBJJF black belt no-gi rankings and is looking for a “three-peat” this weekend in Anaheim. 

Watch the IBJJF 2018 No-Gi World Championships LIVE Dec. 14-16 Live on FloGrappling 

Hinger and his teammates have ruled medium-heavy for four years, with Keenan Cornelius  taking gold in 2014 and 2017, Lucas Barbosa in 2015 and Hinger’s own medal in 2016. “Atos has controlled the medium-heavy division since 2014, and I don’t see that ending anytime soon,” he says. 

There is a total of 25 athletes registered at medium-heavyweight who stand in the way of Hinger’s plans, perhaps most notably two-time World champ Gabriel Arges (Gracie Barra). Arges has been primarily a gi competitor at black belt but won this event at both brown and purple, and holds a 1-0 career record against Hinger. 

Alliance Marcelo Garcia teammates Matheus Diniz and Marcos Tinoco have both been on the podium multiple times as black belts at No-Gi Worlds but have yet to take home the gold. Diniz is a two-time third place winner at this weight, and in 2015 finished as runner-up in the open class. Tinoco has finished in second and third down a weight at middle, and recently won the medium-heavyweight division at No-Gi Pans in September.

Veteran Murilo Santana (Unity) has been on the podium several times at No-Gi Worlds, including a 2013 gold medal in the open class. A year ago Murilo lost to Keenan Cornelius 2-0 in the final of this division. Cornelius isn’t around this year, and it’s worth remembering Santana won via guillotine over Hinger the last time they met at the 2016 No-Gi Worlds.

Some other names to keep an eye on are 2018 No-Gi Pans silver medalist Nick Calvanese (TAC Team), Kit Dale (Maromba), Servio Tulio (Gracie Barra), Dan Borovic (Brasa) and Mauricio Oliveira (GFTeam). The 20-year-old new black belt Oliveira has been one of the top prospects in recent years, after winning blue, purple and brown belt worlds in three consecutive years.

IBJJF World No-Gi Championship 

Dec 14-16 | 9:00am PST start time each day | Click for more