With the London International dialing up the action on Saturday, March 30th, the AJP decided it wasn’t quite enough and brought two more explosive tournaments on the following day.
The events, which took place in Brazil and Switzerland, gave athletes yet another chance to test their skills while easing travel expenses, so let’s check out the highlights from each championship!
AJP Tour Recife International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024: João Paulo Bezerra and Beatriz Mendonça conquer the double gold in Brazil
Last Sunday, March 31st, was a big day in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, as the Recife International welcomed local and foreign athletes alike to the Ginásio Geraldão for an entire afternoon of competition.
There was no shortage of strong athletes at the tournament, but two local black belts from the Professional category cemented themselves as the standouts by taking the coveted double gold.
One of those highlights was João Paulo Bezerra (M.O.D UAE), a 27-year-old athlete who started his campaign at the 77kg division, beating João Vitor (Gracie Barra) by 14-5 and Lucas Silva (PSLPB Cicero Costha) via submission to reach the final, in which he landed a fast submission to overcome Iago Lobo (SAS Team) and take his first title.
His second trip to the top of the podium came about after he submitted both his opponents in the Open Lightweight division, starting with a rematch against Iago Lobo in the semis and then Gequiel Amorim (Gracie Barra) in the gold round.
Meanwhile, on the women’s side, Beatriz Mendonça (Bravos Fight Team) showcased her top-notch Jiu-Jitsu and powerful stamina as she rose to prominence at the tournament.
Starting at the 62kg division, Beatriz submitted Laiana Almeida (Marx Engel Team) in the quarterfinals and Maria Silva (Tiko Souza BJJ) in the semis to reach the gold round, where a tight 4-2 score gave her the win over Isabelle Sena (Arka BJJ).
She later returned to fight for the Open Lightweight title, outscoring Eduarda Macena (Campeões do Amanhã) by 3-1 and submitting Edilania Andrade (BJJ Kids – Edilania Andrade) to move up the bracket and make her last match in the championship, which ended in a 6-0 victory over Isabelle Sena and brought her second gold medal to her shoulders.
Check out the full results here!
AJP Tour Yverdon-Les-Bains International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024: Black belts David Santos and Janairo do Carmo taste victory in Switzerland
On that same day, the fires of competition burned brightly in the Centre Sportif des Îles, with competitors of all ages and graduations putting their training on the line as they sought gold, glory, and ranking points in Switzerland.
Representing one of the more traditional countries in the sport, two Brazilian black belts stole the spotlight with performances that earned them the title of champion in the AJP.
First, the Professional David Santos (Carlson Gracie Zurich) had his work cut out for him in the 85kg division before he reached the top of the podium.
Facing Belgium’s Moadh Azzouzi (Karkara BJJ) in the final round, David saw himself locked in a tough and well-balanced duel, with both sides evenly dishing out attacks while defending the most dangerous advances. When the clock ran out, the scoreboard settled at a 2-2 tie, but since David was the last to score, the victory went to the Brazilian.
Before that, in the Master 1 94kg division, Janairo do Carmo (BJJ Swiss Academy) showed his experience and Jiu-Jitsu knowledge by overcoming a three-man bracket to reach the gold.
Facing fellow countryman Domingos Ciccarino (Lost Breed BJJ) in the semis, Janairo went all out during the five minutes of the match, advancing to the final with an 8-0 score.
The gold round saw Janairo facing the local Sébastien Rodriguez (Team Igor Araujo) and the fight once again lasted the entirety of the regulated time, and while both sides managed to score this time around, Janairo was still more proficient with his Jiu-Jitsu, taking the title with a 7-3 score.
Check out the full results here!
