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These BJJ Stars Have Never Won An IBJJF World Championship At Black Belt

These BJJ Stars Have Never Won An IBJJF World Championship At Black Belt

They have an impressive track record (World Championships, World Cups, ADCC, …), are known to the jiu-jitsu and MMA scene, but they have never won the World IBJJF Black Belt. Who are they?

  • Demian Maia

Currently considered the best fighter in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in MMA, Demian won the World Championships IBJJF at brown belt, the ADCC in 2007, but he has never won the title in the precious black belt, but finished 3 rd in 2005.

  • Rani Yahya

Rani won the world championship three times (in 1999 in juvenile blue, violet and brown 2002 2003) and after being a finalist in the ADCC in 2005, he won the title in 2007, and decided to go in MMA.

  • Leo Santos

One of the wonders of the Nova Uniao heyday (Shaolin, Robson Moura, BJ Penn …)., World Champion blue belt in 1996, Brown 1998, 3 rd black belt in 2000, 2 nd in 2001. Following the boycott of IBJJF competitions by the Nova Uniao, he no longer participated in the World Championships, but the World Cup (CBJJO) where he won four consecutive years (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005).

  • Vinny Magalhaes

In 2011, Vinny showed the world that he was still a high level grappler winning ADCC in Nottingham. World Champion blue belt in 2002, at brown at his weightclass and absolute in 2005, he did not participate in the world championships black belt to devote himself to MMA.

  • Ricardo Arona

Undefeated in ADCC (won in 2000 and 2001), winner of the World Championships in 1998 purple belt, brown belt in 1999, finalist in the World Championships in black belt in 2000 (beaten by Fabio Gurgel), then Arona began his rise in MMA and put an end to competition in jiu-jitsu (gi).

This list is not exhaustive, but these are five big names that we often think of as IBJJF world champion black belt. And you? Who would add to this list?