Non-stop action here on day 1 of the 2021 IBJJF Pan Championships – the first major gi event of the IBJJF calendar came later in the year than expected and you can see that the competitors were eager to let it rip. 

If the black belts are chess masters then the blue belts are playing speed checkers. Their enthusiasm and energy make for entertaining bouts, and the sheer number of participants means competing as a blue belt is equal part endurance event and contest of skill. 

Medium-Heavyweight & Openweight: Danylo Wruck

Blue belt medium-heavyweight champ Danylo Wruck of Alliance won five matches in his weight division and beat Jason Hackett of Six Blades in the medium-heavyweight final, putting 22 points on his opponent before winning via armbar. Wruck won another three matches to claim absolute gold, meeting Hackett again in the openweight final. Wruck won again via armbar although their second meeting was far more competitive. 

El1: Danylo Ferreira Wruck vs Daniel Fredrick Rivera Lll 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

El2: Han Byol Kim vs Danylo Ferreira Wruck 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

QF: Gabriel Heise Vivan vs Danylo Ferreira Wruck 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

SF: Danylo Ferreira Wruck vs Jared Lee Shafer 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

Final: Danylo Ferreira Wruck vs Jason O'neal Hackett 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

Lightweight: Lisander Lopez

Lisander Lopez of Unity emerged the winner in the biggest division of the day, which was the blue belt lightweight absolute division with 71 registered competitors. Lopez had six matches throughout the day to become champion. 

El1: Lisander Lopez vs Alexander Joseph Nieman 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

El2: Jared Alec Wade vs Lisander Lopez 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

El3: Ty Sequoia Wallace vs Lisander Lopez 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

QF: Lisander Lopez vs Brandon Richard Hartley 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

SF: Johnathan Scott Waid vs Lisander Lopez 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

Final: Lisander Lopez vs Qiao Yang Han 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

Featherweight: Jason Calvario

Joining him in taking gold was Unity teammate Jason Calvario, who won the equally-competitive featherweight division (52 competitors) with five consecutive wins. 

El1: Jason Adrian Calvario vs Andres Eduardo G. Rondon 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

El2: Jason Adrian Calvario vs Tyler Ray Mckay 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

QF: Jason Adrian Calvario vs Aidan Daniel Dobbins 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

SF: Lennon Gabriel Gonzalez Lopez vs Jason Adrian Calvario 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

Final: Jason Adrian Calvario vs Jonathan Efrain Hart 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

Heavyweight: Jordan Butler

Jordan Butler of Pedigo Submission Fighting won four matches, all via submission. He tapped his first two opponents out in the opening minute of both matches and finished the last two in the final minute of each match. In the semifinal, Butler was down 5-2 and finished an armbar with just 13 seconds left on the clock. 

El1: Jordan Michael Butler vs Noah Evan Walker 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

QF: Jordan Michael Butler vs Collin Grey Quarles 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

SF: Jordan Michael Butler vs Justin Donald Wade 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

Final: Jordan Michael Butler vs Brandon James Hill 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

WATCH: Jordan Butler Lands Four Submissions In Gold Medal Run At Pan

Middleweight: Carlos Heredia

The winner of the blue belt middleweight division was Carlos Heredia of Team Lloyd Irvin, who beat out a total of 61 entrants to take gold. He submitted two of his four opponents catching an armbar and a RNC en route to the final before earning a close win via advantage against Joseph Mora of Gracie Barra in the final. 

El1: Carlos Oscar Heredia vs Matias Wajner 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

QF: Ian Thomas Mclain vs Carlos Oscar Heredia 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

SF: Carlos Oscar Heredia vs Thomas Steven 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

Final: Carlos Oscar Heredia vs Joseph Alfred De La Mora 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

Roosterweight: Quinton Dixon

Quinton Dixon of Team Lloyd Irvin won four matches (with two submissions) and beat Kobe Litov in the roosterweight final to become champ. 

El1: Quinton Isaiah Dixon vs Manuel Israel Lopez 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

QF: Quinton Isaiah Dixon vs Jorge Luis Arispe Guzman 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

SF: Quinton Isaiah Dixon vs Vance Peyton Ward 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship

Final: Quinton Isaiah Dixon vs Kobe L. Litov 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship