Though it's hard to believe, exactly one year ago from today we were inside of Walter Pyramid, covering the final day of the IBJJF 2019 World Championships. 

The black belt finals at the 2019 IBJJF World Championships saw a surge in submissions compared to recent years, resulting in one of the all-time most exciting Sundays at Worlds.

There were nine male black belts who claimed the title of World Champion at the 2019 IBJJF Worlds. We devised an objective system to rank their performances based on how they won each match on their way to gold. 

The sporting arena offers fans an opportunity to see athletes achieve incredible feats when faced with insurmountable odds. 

Many of the sport's top colored belts have earned well-deserved promotions following standout performances at Worlds. Here's a rundown of the biggest names: 

Already one of the best competitors of her generation, Nathiely de Jesus took crucial steps forward to entering the conversation of the greatest of all-time after taking top honors at the 2019 IBJJF World Championships.

After a two-year hiatus, Alliance returned to the top of the podium at the 2019 IBJJF World Championship. This was the 12th team title for Alliance in the men’s division at Worlds. They came back in a big way with 120 points, 35 points ahead of second place Atos.

Beatriz Mesquita is the best women's jiu-jitsu competitor of all-time. 

The dividing line between elite brown and black belts is next to nothing, and this year at the 2019 IBJJF World Championships, we saw familiar faces and emerging stars showcase their phenomenal skills as they made their way to the top of the podium.  

Kaynan Duarte just had the best rookie year as a black belt the sport has ever seen.