Four Elite Competitors Announced for IBJJF $20,000 Heavyweight Grand Prix

The IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Con takes place from November 11-13 in Las Vegas, NV. On the final day of that event, the IBJJF will be hosting a pair of four-man tournaments, each with $20,000 in prize money on the line. The organization has previously announced the middleweight line-up (view the middleweight line-up here), and more recently announced the four competitors in the heavyweight bracket.

Victor Hugo: Tall and lanky, Six Blades Jiu-Jitsu representative Victor Hugo is big even for his weight class, but moves with the flexibility of a lightweight. A 2021 Pans champion and 2019 no-gi Pans champion, Hugo has an excellent all-around game, but is perhaps most dangerous when attacking from open guard, particularly if he’s able to attack his opponent’s legs.

Gustavo Batista: One of Atos’ top competitors, Gustavo Batista is a three-time Pans champion and a 2018 world champion. Batista is an excellent guard passer, and once he gains dominant position, is nearly impossible to escape from. His most recent defeat came in the absolute division of the 2021 Pans, where he lost on points to fellow grand prix competitor Fellipe Andrew.

Fellipe Andrew: Fellipe Andrew is currently ranked by the IBJJF as the top adult black belt competitor in the world. Andrew is an all-around grappler that will happily work to pass the guard with his blitz-style passing, or he can attack from his back where he likes to threaten a straight ankle lock. He won double gold at the 2021 Pans, and with his recent win over Batista, might be the favorite going into the event.

Mahamed Aly: Rounding out the field of elite grapplers in veteran competitor Mahamed Aly. A black belt under Lloyd Irvin, Aly was a 2018 world champion. He is an impressive athlete with an top-tier takedown and guard passing game. Aly holds a win over fellow grand prix entrant Batista, but a loss to Andrew.

How to watch: The IBJJF heavyweight grand prix takes place on Saturday, November 13, and will air live on FloGrappling (subscription required).

Ben Coate

Ben has been involved with grappling, whether through wrestling or Brazilian jiu-jitsu, essentially his entire life. After wrestling throughout his childhood, Ben found Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a young adult and quickly fell in love. He has been training for over ten years and holds the rank of black belt, and remains involved in both the MMA and BJJ scene. Ben has been writing about combat sports since 2017. He has interviewed and profiled some of MMA's biggest stars, including multiple UFC champions.

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