2023 World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship

An Updated List Of The Top Black Belts Competing At Masters Worlds

An Updated List Of The Top Black Belts Competing At Masters Worlds

Check out the top names competing in this week's IBJJF Masters World Championships, featuring world class athletes like JT Torres, Rafael Lovato Jr., & more

Aug 29, 2023 by Joe Gilpin
An Updated List Of The Top Black Belts Competing At Masters Worlds

It's Masters Worlds week, one of the largest IBJJF events of the year, is kicking off this week in Las Vegas, NV. Masters competitors are age 30+, and the brackets are deep with talent across all divisions. While adult Worlds will always deliver the biggest names, there are still dozens of recognizable names that are ready to bring the action. Here are over two dozen black belts to keep an eye on, with all of the action streaming live exclusively on FloGrappling.

Male Masters 1 Black Belts

Light-Featherweight

  • Hiago George
  • Joao Miyao
  • Paulo Miyao
  • Rene Lopez

Featherweight

  • Yuta Shimada
  • Tiago Barros
  • Samir Chantre
  • Brian Mahecha
  • Gabriel Marangoni

Lightweight

  • Michael Liera, Jr.
  • Kevin Mahecha

Middleweight

  • JT Torres
  • Jaime Canuto
  • Igor Paiva

Medium-Heavyweight

  • Manuel Ribamar
  • Marcos Tinoco
  • Gabriel Procopio
  • Clay Mayfield

Heavyweight

  • Tanner Rice
  • Nathan Mendelsohn
  • Diego Ramalho
  • Nasir Loynab

Super-Heavyweight

  • Rafael Lovato Jr.
  • Arnaldo Maidana
  • Jared Dopp

Ultra-Heavyweight

  • Max Gimenis
  • Klidson Abreu

Female Masters 1 Black Belts

Light-Featherweight

  • Brenda Wunner

Lightweight

  • Nathalie RIbeiro

Middleweight

  • Raquel Canuto

Medium-Heavyweight

  • Maria Malyjasiak
  • Elizabeth Mitrovic
  • Bridget McEliece
  • Nikki Lloyd-Griffiths

Heavyweight

  • Melissa Cueto

Super-Heavyweight

  • Mayara Custodio
  • Jessica Flowers

Mighty Mouse In Action

MMA legend and ONE Fighting Championship titleholder will also be competing in Masters Worlds, at brown belt featherweight in Masters 2 (ages 35-39). The long-time combat sports veteran hasn't competed at a world-level IBJJF event before now, and we haven't seen him test his skills in the gi, so this is an exciting opportunity to watch a great champion in a new environment.