IBJJF European Championships results and highlights: Kaynan Duarte puts on a masterclass
View results and highlights from the 2023 IBJJF European Championships.
The year’s first major IBJJF tournament took place last week as Paris, France played host to the 2023 IBJJF European Championships.
Black belts competed over the weekend, and a number of established champions continued their runs of dominance on the IBJJF circuit. Most notably, two-time ADCC champion and IBJJF world champion Kaynan Duarte impressed by winning double-gold on the strength of a 100 percent submission rate.
Below are highlights and outstanding performances among the black belt competitors. View full results from every division, courtesy of the IBJJF, here.
Kaynan Duarte submits every opponent
Top Atos representative Duarte put on one of the strongest performances of his career, submitting seven out of seven opponents on his way to gold in both the super-heavy and absolute divisions.
Duarte won three matches in his weight division to take home his first-ever European gold at the black belt level. It was in the absolute division, though, where he would run into some of the sport’s biggest names.
In the bracket’s semifinals, Duarte squared off with Caio Terra black belt and 2022 Brasileiro champion Mason Fowler. After surviving Fowler’s vaunted guard game through much of the match, Duarte eventually passed and scrambled to his opponent’s back, sinking in a rear-naked choke to secure his spot in the absolute final against Rider Zuchi.
Once again, Duarte showed off his seemingly unstoppable guard passing on his way to another rear-naked choke victory to take home his second gold medal of the weekend.
ADCC veterans Fabricio Andrey, Mason Fowler, and Mayssa Bastos win gold
In addition to Duarte, a number of other recent ADCC competitors proved their skill in the gi, capturing gold in stacked brackets.
In the men’s featherweight division, Fabricio Andrey of the newly formed Melqui Galvao Jiu-Jitsu earned gold in his first major gi competition since the 2022 IBJJF Worlds, defeating Alexssandro Sodre in the final.
And in the ultra-heavyweight division, Mason Fowler shined. Just one month removed from his sensational showing at the UFC Fight Pass Invitational 3 – an EBI-rules, no-gi event – Fowler appeared to be completely comfortable in the gi. In his semifinal match, Fowler scored a dramatic come-from-behind victory over the massive Seif-Eddine Houmine.
Finally, after a string of losses against larger opponents, Mayssa Bastos proved why she is widely regarded as one of jiu-jitsu’s top pound-for-pound talents as she took home gold in the light-feather division. With another dominant showing, Bastos is now four-time European champion, adding to her three world championships in the gi and two in no-gi.
Tainan Dalpra, Anna Rodrigues continue to dominate
Also, top pound-for-pound competitors Tainan Dalpra and Anna Rodrigues continued to showcase their dominance on the IBJJF circuit.
Art of Jiu-Jitsu’s Dalpra hasn’t lost as a black belt since an early 2021 decision defeat to Mica Galvao, and kept his incredible winning streak going at the European Championships, where he submitted all three of his opponents from the back with zero points scored against him. With the win, Dalpra is now a two-time European champion and inarguably the world’s top middleweight gi competitor.
And in women’s action, Dream Art’s Rodrigues returned to the featherweight division, capturing her third European championship. Outside of a surprise loss to Janaina Lebre in the lightweight division at the IBJJF Grand Prix, Rodrigues has looked practically unbeatable over the past year.
Other notable performances
A number of other athletes impressed over the weekend.
Malachi Edmond won his first European championship, defeating established elite competitor Diego “Pato” Oliveira in the final of the light-feather division.
And in the lightweight division, Andy Murasaki followed up his gold medal-winning performance at the 2022 No-Gi Worlds with a strong showing, earning his first European championship.
Checkmat’s Jansen Gomes – long considered one of the sport’s top prospects – won his first IBJJF major as a black belt in the medium-heavy division.
Top-ranked IBJJF competitor Fellipe Andrew defeated Devhonte Johnson and Adam Wardzinski on his way to gold in the heavyweight division.
And on the women’s side, multiple-time world champion Luiza Monteiro added to her lengthy resume with gold in the lightweight division, defeating Nathalie Ribeiro in the final.
Finally, Gabi Pessanha extended her lengthy unbeaten streak to capture gold in both the super-heavy and absolute divisions.
