The board is set and all the pieces are in place for the biggest jiu-jitsu Grand Prix ever held in Brazil. Scheduled to take place on April 22nd in Sao Paulo, BJJ Stars 10: Battlefield has gathered some of the toughest athletes in the competitive scene to fight for the prize of $40,000.

Invited to compete: world champions, internationally-renowned competitors, and some promising new faces mix perfectly to create a thrilling card and an unforgettable event for all the fans watching live. While the brackets still up in the air,  BJJ Stars showrunner Fepa Lopes revealed which will be positioned as favorites, and which athletes will have to endure the guantlet to claim the title of BJJ Stars champion.

The top seeds:

• BJJStars 2022 GP Champion: Mica Galvão
• World Champions: Erich Munis, Kaynan Duarte, Fellipe Andrew e Victor Hugo
• Brazilian National Champions: Mauricio Oliveira, Patrick Gaudio, and Gutemberg Pereira

Fepa announced last week  that the three Brazilian National Champions in the bracket will face the champions of major IBJJF tournaments in the card: Roberto Cyborg, Adam Wardzinski, and Devonthe Johnson. 

In the first round, World Champions and the reigning BJJStars GP Champion will each face one of the following up-and-comers: Uanderson Ferreira, Pedro Lucas, Guilherme Lambertucci, Otávio Nalati e Vinicius Liberati.

The top eight seeds will each draw their first-round matchups from their specific pool of potential competitors on a live YouTube and Instagram Live stream on Friday, April 21.

BJJ Stars 10: Battlefield will be streamed live on FloGrappling in all countries other than Brazil. To watch from Brazil, visit BJJStars.tv.

The roster is full of household names and rising stars. Get to know each of the athletes before the show kicks off on Saturday, April 22.

Mica Galvão (Melqui Galvão BJJ)

A talent of the new generation, Mica Galvão comes the BJJ Stars mats hungry to add yet another achievement to his career. After making waves as a promising colored belt, Mica got promoted to black belt in 2021, at only 17 years of age. Since then, Mica overcame challenging and seasoned opponents to take the gold on some of the highest stages. 

Galvao's last foray at BJJ Stars put him in the middleweight grand prix where he faced and defeated Leandro Lo, and submitted Lucas Barbosa via submission to win the throne.

Kaynan Duarte (Atos)

Armed with tricks to get ahead early on the scoreboard, Kaynan Duarte is ready to control his opponents and capitalize on their mistakes to come out on top at the GP. A world champion and two-time ADCC gold medalist, Kaynan comes as one of the most decorated athletes in the card and is ready to make good on his favorite status, which is boosted by his undefeated streak of 14 fights and his recent achievements. He recently won his second consecutive ADCC title, and started his 2023 season with double gold at Euros.

Victor Hugo (Six Blades)

The Man Mountain is surprisingly nimble for his size. VH will return to BJJ Stars to face old rivals, having previously fought most of the athletes that make up the GP. The current two-time IBJJF ultra heavyweight world champion joins the competition as one of the heaviest contenders of this absolute challenge, ready to use his technique, mobility and pressure to take the title.

Erich Munis (DreamArt)

The Dream Art star, Erich Munis is yet another world champion in the roster of athletes that make up the BJJ Stars Grand Prix. With gold medals in the IBJJF Worlds and Abu Dhabi World Pro, all conquered in the same year, Erich's achievements speak for themselves. Armed with a litany of unorthodox techniques, Erich brings a guaranteed fun and wild fight.

Fellipe Andrew (Alliance)

World Champion and multiple-time Pans gold medalist, Fellipe Andrew returns to the mats for another shot at the BJJ Stars. With his dangerous foot attacks and lighting-speed triangle shots, the 29-year-old Alliance black belt joins the challenging open weight GP gunning to get his opponents by surprise with well-aimed submissions.

Gutemberg Pereira (GFTeam)

One of GFTeam's top representatives, Brazilian National Champion and two-time Abu Dhabi World Pro Champion, Gutemberg Pereira was a sure invitee at the BJJ Stars Grand Prix. With a grappling record that shows more than half his wins come from submissions, Gutemberg brings his high-octane game to the mats aiming to submit all that cross his path to the top.

Mauricio Oliveira (Fratres)

A world champion at all colored belt levels, Mauricio Oliveira comes in hot after his Brazilian Nationals title with a tight and meticulous game to make his opponent’s lives complicated at BJJ Stars. Mauricio is a veteran of the organization and was stopped at the semifinals in 2022, after suffering an injury in his match against Mica Galvão. Mauricio has won against Mica before, in a no-gi duel at BJJ Bet, but both black belts have matured since their last encounter. Keep your eyes peeled for a possible rematch in the card.

Patrick Gaudio (GFTeam)

Facing dangerous opponents at the Grand Prix, the equally dangerous Patrick Gaudio makes his way to BJJ Stars with his non-stop passing game and powerful takedowns. A veteran making his fourth appearance at the event, Patrick is slowly returning to the competitive scene after recovering from an injury and will debut at the open weight GP on this year's edition, for the joy of the fans and the uneasiness of his adversaries.

Roberto Cyborg (Fight Sports)

The most veteran athlete on the card, Roberto Cyborg reaches the BJJ Stars mats with enough energy to give the younger competitors a run for their money. Six-time no-gi world champion and ADCC absolute gold medalist, the Fight Sports heavy-hitter stands as a dangerous obstacle to other names of the GP, with acrobatic techniques for both playing guard or smash-passing with full power.

Adam Wardzinski (Checkmat)

Polish heavyweight Adam Wardzinski brings his enigmatic butterfly-guard game to the Battlefield. After taking the gold at the IBJJF Pan 2023 — winning the final in one of the most memorable comebacks in history — Adam makes his debut at BJJ Stars in high spirits, aiming to use every technique at his disposal to overcome his tough opponents and return home with yet another win.

Devonthe Johnson (Unity)

Representing Unity Jiu-Jitsu, New Jersey-based Devonthe Johnson is an IBJJF World No-Gi champion. Devonthe aims to show that his prowess expands to the gi, using the seasoned style that has brought him to the table in every major tournament in the world since his colored belts. Devhonte is both willing and able to take on the biggest names of the sport on his way to the top.

Otávio Nalati (Guigo BJJ)

With an expert level of technique in judo, Otávio Nalati adds some heat to the already boiling pot that is the BJJ Stars GP. A black belt since 2015, when he graduated at the hands of Luis Guigo, Nalati spells trouble for the guard players of the competition with his passing game filled with high pressure and refined adjustments.

Uanderson Ferreira (Game Fight)

After an unbelievably fast rise to his stardom as a black belt, Uanderson breaks into the star-studded roster of the Grand Prix. Currently living in Abu Dhabi, the Brazilian athlete boasts an offense-oriented style of jiu-jitsu that has landed him some high-profile titles at AJP, double gold at the European 2023 as a brown belt, and the top of the podium at the ADGS London as a black belt. The ever forward-fighting Uanderson brings explosiveness and fast-paced matches to any opponent in his way. 

Guilherme Lambertucci (Gracie Barra)

A booming athlete from Gracie Barra this season, Guilherme Lambertucci enters the Grand Prix as a wild card. One of Felipe Preguiça's pupils, the restless Guilherme has been all over the map, fighting with and without the gi in the biggest tournaments in Brazil. Such an active schedule could be a key factor to his success in the event.

Pedro Lucas (Honorio CT)

Pedro Lucas reached the competitive spotlight after some undeniable achievements in the colored belts, such as the Copa Podio title as a purple belt, the Abu Dhabi World Pro title as a brown belt, and more recently, the IBJJF European Championship, also as a brown belt. His black belt debut was at the IBJJF Rio Open, which saw the Brazilian athlete leaving with the Super Heavyweight gold medal hanging on his shoulders. Does Pedro have what it takes to conquer such a heavily-stacked GP? Only time will tell, but if his record is any measure, he’ll definitely shake things up.

Vinicius Liberati (PSLPB Cicero Costha)

One of the newer names of the event, Vinicius Liberati went through the wringer to prove himself in a BJJ Stars qualifier, which saw him coming out on top of an eight-man bracket, in March. The reigning Brazilian Nationals Champion at brown belt, Vinicius also rose as the winner in his black belt debut at the IBJJF Rome Open and now looks to emerge victorious once again, this time in the card filled with some of the biggest names of the sport.