It is safe to say that the first edition of the BJJ East European Open held in Zagreb, Croatia last saturday (February 23) at the West Gate shopping Mall was a smashing success. With over 230 registered competitors and 26 teams from Turkey to Poland, it already ranked among the top regional BJJ competitions (Along with Hungarian, Croatia and Serbian Open). Bojan Mirkovic of Werdum Team Croatia did a phenomenal job in bringing in the community to compete all together.
Highlights of the competition:
- Free live streaming so that folks at home could follow the action.
- The setting was also great as it was held in a huge shopping mall in the outskirts of Zagreb. Zagreb has easy access from the whole of Europe.
- Hotel accommodation arranged by the tournament staff for cheap prices. Shuttle buses from hotel to venue.
- Nice opening ceremony with live band, and giving diplomas to team leaders.
- Nice matted areas right on top of a ice skating ring. It wasn’t cold at all though as the ice was covered by a thick surface.
- Roots BJJ Macedonia lead by Ivica Aleksovski and under the guidance of Robert Naumoski brought in a large team of 16 competitors and were impressive at white and blue belts wrapping many of the top 3 places. This is great news for a rather new team in the circuit that is growing stronger each year. Watch out for them in a few years as their current generation of blue belts move up the ranks.
- Akxe BJJ Austria lead by their professor Orlando Neto brought in a small but powerful team that all medaled, sprear-headed by the experienced Michelle Rirsch, Mensur Alic, Liz Olbert etc.. They came second in the medal tally. Professor Orlando Neto is doing good work in Austria.
- Rio Grappling Club Croatia headed by the tireless Zeljko Vukovic under the guidance of Roberto Atalla brought in their army of amazing youngsters that raffled all the medals. It’s a scary thought to imagine these 14-17 year olds in a few years competing at brown and black belt. Possible world champions? Let’s wait and see…
- Leo Neves Osijek was as usual a force to be reckoned with. With such beasts as Ivica Tadijanov, Sasa Milinkovic, Vedran Budetic, Miro Erkapic heading the way, they raffled most of the medals at purple belt.
- Lutador BJJ (Zerjal Team Serbia) young gun Luka Radulovic continued on his good competition run taking gold at purple belt 88,3 and bronze in absolute. Watch out for him in competitions this year.
- It’s a pity that some of the bigger teams such as Zerjal Team, Gracie Barra Hungary, Carlson Gracie Hungary, Jungle BJJ, Gracie Pit Bull Nitra or other teams didn’t send in their troops. This may have been due to the fact that this competition happened on the same weekend as the World pro trials Bucharest, UK World Pro Trials, and Polish No Gi Open.
- It was great seeing teams from Turkey (Balaban BJJ and Corvos) as well as a strong Polish delegation from Drysdale Poznan.
- Seeing 48 year old Zlato “Jacare” Dzaferovic putting on the line with the young guns is always a pleasure. This man should be an inspiration for all of us through his dedication to the sport of BJJ.
- The brown belt absolute was action filled as Radoslaw Senger (Drysdale Poland) beat Guillaume “Gile” Huni (Zerjal Team Serbia) by advantage in a close final.
- The black belt Superfight showcased Damir Salina vs Edson Ricardo Alemao from Fabricio BJJ Montenegro. There was a huge weight difference between the two and Salina finished the fight by submission against a very game Ricardo. Big props to both fighters.We look forward to the 2014 edition!
TEAM RESULTS :
1. ROOTS BJJ MACEDONIA 62 PTS.
2. AKXE BJJ AUSTRIA 54 PTS.
3. RIO GRAPPLING CLUB 38 PTS.
4. LEO NEVES OSIJEK 35 PTS.
5. WERDUM COMBAT CROATIA 33 PTS.
6. GRACIE BARRA HUNGARY 30 PTS.
7. ALLIANCE BLACK DRAGON SPLIT 28 PTS.
8. CARLOS MAIA SLOVENIA 28 PTS.
9. LUTADOR ŽERJAL TEAM SERBIA 27 PTS.
10. CHECKMAT ZADAR 24 PTS.
11. DRYSDALE POLAND 18 PTS.
12. PRETORIAN SARAJEVO 18 PTS.
13. ROGER GRACIE SPLIT 13 PTS
14. JJK ZA-GI 12 PTS.
15. UFK RUPA 12 PTS.
16. BALABAN BJJ ISTANBUL 11 PTS.
17. CORVOS ISTANBUL 10 PTS.
18. S.D. ACTIV 10 PTS.
19. EQUIPE FABRICIO 7 PTS.
20. BJJ PECS 3 PTS.
21. SLAVA MMA 3 PTS.
22. TEAM EDSON CARVALHO 3 PTS.
23. BJJ CAMINHO 2 PTS.
24. CARLOS MAIA MACEDONIA 2 PTS.
25. GRACIE BARRA CROATIA 2 PTS.
26. AEQUILIBRIUM BJJ 1 PT.
POINTS: 9 PTS. – FIRST PLACE, 3 PTS. SECOND PLACE, 1 PT. THIRD PLACE
Full Results:
JUVENILE 11-15 YRS. ALL BELTS – 42,0 & -48 KG
1. TOTH ZOLTAN GRACIE BARRA HUNGARY
2. ROKO VUIC WERDUM COMBAT ZAGREB
3. LEVENTE SZUCZ GRACIE BARRA HUNGARY
3. NIKOLA LOZUSIC WERDUM COMBAT ZAGREB
3. TOTH ANETT GRACIE BARRA HUNGARY
JUVENILE 11-15 YRS. ALL BELTS – 53,5 & -58,5 KG
1. NIKOLA KOSTADINOVSKI ROOTS BJJ MACEDONIA
2. MILAN SZUCZ GRACIE BARRA HUNGARY
3. ARON KASSAI GRACIE BARRA HUNGARY
3. DOMAGOJ MATKOVIC WERDUM COMBAT ZAGREB
JUVENILE 11-15 YRS. ALL BELTS – 64 & -69 KG
1. TONI DUJIC CHECKMAT ZADAR
2. ANTE JUKICA-BASIC CHECKMAT ZADAR
3. LEON JAKIN WERDUM COMBAT KARLOVAC
JUVENILE 11-15 YRS. ALL BELTS – 74,0 KG
1. DAVID HORVAT RIO GRAPPLING CLUB
2. GREGOR BRLETIC WERDUM COMBAT KARLOVAC
JUVENILE 11-15 YRS. ALL BELTS +74 KG
1. KRUNO COVIC JU-JITSU KLUB ZA-GI
2. SZILARD TOVARI GRACIA BARRA HUNGARY
3. MARTIN OBAD RIO GRAPPLING CLUB
JUVENILE 16-18 YRS. ALL BELTS – 53,5 KG – 64 KG
1. HRVOJE CICVARIC RIO GRAPPLING CLUB
2. LUKA CATLAK JU JITSU KLUB ZA-GI
JUNIOR 16-18 WHITE BELT – 69 KG
1. TARIK ALIC S.D. ACTIV
2. IVAN PERKOVIC ALLIANCE BLACK DRAGON SPLIT
3. MATIJA TOLIC WERDUM COMBAT ZAGREB
JUNIOR 16-18 WHITE BELT – 74 KG
1. STEFAN PECEVSKI ROOTS BJJ MACEDONIA
2. DOMINIK DANKIC WERDUM COMBAT ZAGREB
3. SASO NIKOLOVSKI WERDUM COMBAT KARLOVAC
3. KARLO NOVAKOVIC WERDUM COMBAT KARLOVAC
JUVENILE 16-18 YRS. BLUE BELT -74,0 – 79,3 KG
1. AHMED VILA BJJ PRETORIAN SARAJEVO
2. DER ISTVAN GRACIA BARRA HUNGARY
3. MARIO VRHOVAC RIO GRAPPLING CLUB
3. LOVRE JURIN CHECKMAT ZADAR
JUNIOR 16-18 WHITE BELT – 79,3 KG
1. NIKOLA SKARICA ALLIANCE BLACK DRAGON SPLIT
2. HRVOJE SKROBO WERDUM COMBAT ZAGREB
3. BORIS GICEV ROOTS BJJ MACEDONIA
3. MARO PERIC WERDUM COMBAT ZAGREB
JUVENILE 16-18 YRS. BLUE & WHITE BELT -89 + 89 KG 1. NEJC KOSO CARLOS MAIA SLOVENIA
2. NIKOLA SPAHIJA ROGER GRACIE SPLIT
3. ANTONIO MRZLJAK WERDUM COMBAT ZAGREB
3. IVAN SARAVANJA WERDUM COMBAT ZAGREB
FEMALE ALL BELTS – 58,5 KG
1. ADRIANA VUKOVIC RIO GRAPPLING CLUB
2. ELISABETH OLBERT AKXE BJJ AUSTRIA
3. MENKA STOJANOSKA ROOTS BJJ MACEDONIA
3. PERIHAN BIROL BALABAN JIU-JITSU
FEMALE WHITE & BLUE BELTS – 64 & -69KG
1. IVA MIHALJ RIO GRAPPLING CLUB
2. SVETLANA SAVIC LUTADOR SERBIA
3. EMA HACCI GRACIE BARRA CROATIA
3. SELMA BIBEROVIK ROOTS BJJ MACEDONIA
ADULT WHITE BELTS -64, – 70 KG
1. JOACHIM WUSTNER AKXE BJJ AUSTRIA
2. HAKAN CAPAR BALABAN JIU-JITSU
3. AYDIN CAN OZDEMIR BALABAN JIU-JITSU
3. SANDRO IBRISIMOVIC TEAM EDSON CARVALHO
ADULTS WHITE BELTS – 76 KG
1. TADEJ CUTUK UFK RUPA
2. KAAN CAN BALABAN JIU-JITSU
3. MATIJA KOSTELAC AKXE BJJ AUSTRIA
3. SAVA NEDELJKOVIC BJJ CAMINHO TEAM KRAGUJEVAC
ADULTS WHITE BELTS – 82,3 KG
1. MIKI SMILJKOVIK ROOTS BJJ MACEDONIA
2. STEFAN MITROV ROOTS BJJ KARPOS
3. DOMINIK PAULNSTEINER AKXE BJJ AUSTRIA
3. MARKO BULOVIC ALLIANCE BLACK DRAGON SPLIT
3. MIRZA SENDIC CARLOS MAIA MACEDONIA
ADULTS WHITE BELTS – 88,3 KG
1. BRUNO RUDOLFI ALLIANCE BLACK DRAGON SPLIT
2. MATEUSZ OLEJNICZAK WERDUM COMBAT ZAGREB
3. IVAN KRPELNIK WERDUM COMBAT ZAGREB
ADULTS WHITE BELTS – 94,3 KG
1. GEORGIOS HARISKOS AKXE BJJ AUSTRIA
2. SINISA BORJANOVIC WERDUM COMBAT ZAGREB
3. GOCE TODOROVSKI ROOTS BJJ KARPOS
3. MILUTIN MEDIC LUTADOR BJJ
ADULT WHITE BELTS – 100,5 KG
1. SLOBODAN KLACAR PRETORIAN BJJ SARAJEVO
2. VINKO MISE ALLIANCE BLACK DRAGON SPLIT
3. CIHAN YILMAZ BALABAN JIU-JITSU
3. MIRZA KARAC TEAM EDSON CARVALHO
ADULTS WHITE BELTS + 100,5 KG
1. MARKO SKUGOR ROGER GRACIE SPLIT
2. MATEO PERAK ALLIANCE BLACK DRAGON SPLIT
3. MILAN RUNJIC ROGER GRACIE SPLITADULTS BLUE BELT – 64 KG
1. HRVOJE CICVARIĆ RIO GRAPPLING CLUB
2. ALEKSANDAR ZATOSKI ROOTS BJJ MACEDONIA
3. EMRE ERDEM BALABAN JIU-JITSU
ADULTS BLUE BELT – 70 KG
1. SVETISLAV MADZAREVIC LUTADOR BJJ
2. BAHMAN TAJDINI BJJ PECS
3. EDO HLACA AEQUILIBRIUM BJJ
3. NIKOLA JANJEVIC EQUIPE FABRICIO MNE
ADULT BLUE BELT -76,0 KG
1. WOJCIECH ZYGADLO DRYSDALE BJJ POLAND
2. SASA MUSA SLAVA MMA
3. MARTIN MIHAJLOV CARLOS MAIA BJJ MACEDONIA
3. IVAN MICIC GRACIE BARRA CROATIA
ADULT BLUE BELT – 82,3 KG
1. DAVID ROVCANIN ROOTS BJJ MACEDONIA
2. MARKO JOVANOVIC CHECKMAT OSIJEK
3. SETOH DENIZ BALABAN JIU-JITSU
3. DANIJEL LAUS WERDUM COMBAT KARLOVAC
ADULT BLUE BELT – 88,3 KG
1. MICHAEL RIRSCH AKXE BJJ AUSTRIA
2. VLADIMIR VELICKOV ROOTS BJJ MACEDONIA
3. VEDRAN ORKIC LEO NEVES OSIJEK
3. MAID PAJEVIC S.D. ACTIV
ADULT BLUE BELT -94,3 KG
1. JURE VRACKO CARLOS MAIA BJJ SLOVENIA
2. ZLATAN DZAFEROVIC UFK RUPA
3. MILOVAN JANJIC BJJ CAMINHO 034
3. JOSKO BAKMAZ CHECKMAT ZADAR
ADULT BLUE BELT -100,5 KG
1. GORDIAN SCHOBER AKXE BJJ AUSTRIA
2. NIKOLA PETRESKI ROOTS BJJ MACEDONIA
3. MENSUR ALIC AKXE BJJ AUSTRIA
3. MEHMET GOK CORVOS ISTANBUL
ADULT BLUE BELT + 100,5 KG
1. HASAN YIGIT CORVOS ISTANBUL
ADULT PURPLE BELT -70KG & -76 KG
1. KRISTOF TABORI GRACIE BARRA HUNGARY
2. ANDREJ JOVANOVIC CHECKMAT
3. SASO SOTLAR CARLOS MAIA SLOVENIA
ADULT PURPLE BELT -82,3 KG
1. TEVZ ERZEN CARLOS MAIA SLOVENIA
2. IGOR GJURETEK WERDUM COMBAT ZAGREB
ADULT PURPLE BELT -88,3 KG
1. LUKA RADULOVIC LUTADOR BJJ
2. MIRO ERKAPIC LEO NEVES OSIJEK
3. DEJAN PETRICEVIC EQUIPE FABRICIO
3. EMIR DELIJIC EQUIPE FABRICIO PODGORICA
ADULT PURPLE BELT -100,5 &+ 100,5KG
1. IVICA TADIJANOV LEO NEVES OSIJEK CHECKMAT
2. SASA MILINKOVIC LEO NEVES OSIJEK
3. DUJE JURIC WERDUM COMBAT ZAGREB
3. VEDRAN BUDETIC LEO NEVES OSIJEK
ABSOLUTE BLUE BELT ABSOLUTE
1. MICHAEL RIRSCH AKXE BJJ AUSTRIA
2. GORDIAN SCHOBER AKXE BJJ AUSTRIA
3. DANIJEL LAUS WERDUM COMBAT KARLOVAC
3. DAVID ROVCANIN ROOTS BJJ MACEDONIA
ABSOLUTE PURPLE BELT ABSOLUTE
1. VEDRAN BUDETIC LEO NEVES OSIJEK
2. SASA MILINKOVIC LEO NEVES OSIJEK
3. EMIR DELIJIC EQUIPE FABRICIO PODGORICA
3. LUKA RADULOVIC LUTADOR BJJ
ADULT BROWN BELT ABSOLUTE
1. RADOSLAW SENGER DRYSDALE BJJ POLAND
2. GILE HUNI ZERJAL TEAM
3. MENSUR PASIC TEAM EDSON CARVALHO BOSNIA
3. MATEJA VALJAREVIC LUTADOR BJJ
ADULT BLACK BELT ABSOLUTE
1. DAMIR SALINA CHECKMAT
2. EDSON RODRIGUES RICARDO EQUIPE FABRICIO MNE
Sloth Jiu-Jitsu: you can be slow and unathletic and still kick butt in Jiu-Jitsu.