The black belt featherweight division at the IBJJF 2020 Pan Championships was easily one of the best-represented categories of the tournament; many of the division's top-ranked athletes on hand in Kissimmee, Florida, to chase Pan's gold, and there was no shortage of elite talent.

Among the athletes signed up to throw down was 2019 World champ Matheus Gabriel, 2019 European and Pan champion Isaac Doederlein, multiple-time Pan champ Gianni Grippo, and surging new black belt like Samuel Nagai, among many others.

Despite his undeniably solid jiu-jitsu, NOBODY was picking Thiago Macedo as the favorite.

Despite the incredible odds, the RPBJJ representative marched through five incredible matches – including two quick submissions in a row to kick things off – to claim his first major IBJJF gold medal as a black belt.

Watch his entire run below.

Round 1: Thiago Macedo vs Gabriel Ferreira 

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Round 2: Thiago Macedo vs Adam Benayoun

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Quarter-Final: Thiago Macdeo vs Gianni Grippo

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Semi-Final: Thiago Macdeo vs Samuel Nagai

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Final: Thiago Macdeo vs Matheus Gabriel

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