This weekend’s Third Coast Grappling event will feature some of the most prominent women in jiu-jitsu.

Eight competitors will take their shots at $10,000 at Third Coast Grappling: Kumite VII on Saturday, September 26. The popular Kumite series has already awarded $60,000 in prizes in a variety of weight divisions. The seventh installment will be the first to feature a female tournament, and the bracket is star-studded.

In the opening bout, the No. 2-ranked pound-for-pound Nathiely de Jesus will take on No. 5-ranked lightweight Jena Bishop. Nathiely is a multiple-time gi and no-gi world champion, and will outweigh Bishop. Bishop, a no-gi world champ, has a recent victory against the heavier Chloe McNally at Subversiv 3, but McNally is a brown belt, and Nathiely is one of the best in the world in any division. This will be a huge test for Bishop, who often struggles against top talent.

In the second match, Jessica Swanson will have an equally challenging matchup against the No. 2-ranked medium heavyweight Luiza Monteiro. Luiza has been active of late, competing twice at Fight to Win this summer, with her most recent victory coming over Bishop.

If both favorites advance on this side of the bracket, we could see a recycling of the 2019 IBJJF European Open Weight finals, a back-and-forth affair in which Nathiely scored the deciding points against Luiza in the last 20 seconds of the match.

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On the other side of the bracket, Ana Carolina Vieira, the No. 1-ranked middleweight, will take on relatively unknown Yani Reyes. Reyes will have a tough task ahead of her, as Viera has won Worlds three years straight, and shows no signs of slowing down.

In the last quarterfinal matchup, No. 1-ranked medium heavyweight Andressa Cintra will take on No. 4-ranked featherweight Nathalie Ribeiro. Cintra has had a quiet 2020, but was featured in a superfight at Third Coast Grappling: Kumite III against Maggie Grindatti, a match which she won in the last minute with an armbar. 

Despite the size difference, it’s impossible to count out Nathalie Ribeiro. She has impressed in several instances on the Fight to Win stage this year, including a recent victory over Talita Alencar, and will likely be looking for a breakout performance in this bracket full of champions.

Andressa Cintra

If Cintra does advance, she’ll have her opportunity to move up in the pound-for-pound rankings, as two of the top seeds sit just above her. Cintra won her first black belt world title last year, submitting Monteiro in the final, but hasn’t had much opportunity to cement her place among the best. A strong outing in this bracket could be her coming out party.

Superfights

This event will also include two superfights. Third Coast Grappling: Kumite I champion Gustavo Batista will make his return to take on Vinicius “Trator” Ferreira. And the always explosive Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa will square off against Guilherme Augusto.

Gustavo Batista vs Vinicius "Trator" Ferreira

Gustavo Batista

Batista and Trator have similar styles. Both competitors like to grind their opponents down with pressure, so this may end up a battle for takedowns. If this does become a takedown battle, it will be about managing the scoreboard, as the Third Coast Grappling rule set could be a deciding factor in this matchup.

In this format, the only way to win in the regulation period is to finish with a submission or to score 11 points. If the entire regulation period plays out without a finish, the match will go to a five minute overtime, where the first person to score wins.

Guilherme Augusto vs Lucas 'Hulk' Barbosa

Lucas "Hulk" Barbosa

Guilherme Augusto will face a tough challenge in his no-gi superfight against Hulk. While the super heavyweight Augusto has a substantial weight advantage, Hulk has amassed a collection of absolute titles, and has taken out some of the largest athletes. The No. 5-ranked 99 kg competitor, Hulk has an above-average submission rate of 40 percent. He’ll look to build on that in this matchup.