Nicky Ryan and Roberto Jimenez have often been called prodigies in their budding careers as professional athletes. But their individual ascents to the top of the rankings have been substantially different. 

Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu defeated Tim Spriggs in the main event of Fight to Win 161 tonight. Cyborg won by unanimous decision in the 10-minute no-gi match.

What do you get when you put one of the grittiest no-gi grapplers in America against the 2020 Male Grappler of the Year? Hopefully fireworks! ADCC Trials winner and IBJJF World No-Gi champion Tim Spriggs will go up in weight to challenge the living legend Roberto Cyborg Abreu at Fight to Win 161. 

2020 has come to a close, and the fans have voted for the best moments and athletes of the year. There are hundreds of competitors and thousands of grappling matches every year across an array of formats. Even to be nominated is a major achievement. 

To state the obvious, 2020 was an unusual year for competitive jiu-jitsu. Still, several competitors found ways to set themselves apart, and to impress us in ways few other athletes can.

In many ways, the 2020 edition of the IBJJF Masters World Championships will be like no other. It's in a new arena at a different time of year under different circumstances. But like previous installments, this year's Masters Worlds will feature icons of the sport, including World Champions, Hall of Famers and fan favorites.