As Brazilian jiu-jitsu continues to grow as an art around the world, the professional scene continues to mature with big new events for them to showcase their skills. The biggest new event of 2023 is less than a month away, as the IBJJF is holding their first event in an annual series, 'The Crown'. With only six divisions (4 for men, 2 for women) filled with invited champions and elite black belts, it aims to elevate athletes to a new level of prestige and honor in BJJ. Both accomplishments and excitement were taken into consideration for who was invited to participate.

The divisions will be...

Men

• Featherweight, 70kg/154.6lbs
  • Isaac Doederlein, Samuel Nagai, Diego Oliveira, Fabricio Andrey
• Middleweight, 82.30kg/181.6lbs
  • Tainan Dalpra, Mauricio Oliveira, Andy Murasaki, Pedro Maia
• Heavyweight, 94.30kg/208lbs
  • Fellipe Andrew, Gustavo Batista, Francisco Lo, Uanderson Ferreira
• Super Heavyweight, Unlimited
  • Erich Munis, Joao Gabriel Rocha, Victor Honorio, Roosevelt Souza, 

Women

• Lightweight, 64kg/141.6lbs
  • Luiza Monteiro, Brianna Ste-Marie, Nathalie Ribeiro, Janaina Lebre
• Ultra Heavyweight, Unlimited
  • Gabriella Pessanha, Amy Campo, Nathiely de Jesus, Melissa Cueto

There is a lot to get excited for when it comes to the event on November 19th, and all of the action will be streamed exclusively on FloGrappling. Tickets are still available for the Walter Pyramid as well. Here are five things we believe are going to make The Crown one of the most special events of the year.

The First Premier Event In A New Annual Tradition

There can only be one 'first' to do something. For years to come, we will crown champions at 'The Crown' but these athletes will be the pioneers that help set the standard that events in the future will aim to match and surpass. These competitors understand the importance of that, and the goal of this event to bring the highest level of exciting gi jiu-jitsu to the world.

In future years, the event is expected to grow in numbers of competitors from 4 to 8. Watching how The Crown will evolve will be really interesting storyline in the coming future.

A Super Stacked Featherweight Division - 4 World Champs

Of any division being contested, men's featherweight has the most promise to bring tons of dynamic grappling action. The IBJJF has brought together four former world champions and you really can't get a mad match any way the bracket shakes out. The four men in the field will be Isaac Doederlein, Samuel Nagai, Diego 'Pato' Oliveira, and Fabricio Andrey - with only one standing tall as the champion among champions.

All four have the credentials and styles to make this an all-time bracket. Nagai and Doederlein have gone back and forth at Worlds the last two years - will they get a chance to settle the score with a rubber match at The Crown? Fabricio Andrey is fresh off of an incredible run at Polaris, will he keep that momentum here? Or will the most feared gi leg locker in the lower weights, Pato, reign?

Whoever wins this bracket will be able to call themselves the best in the gi at the lower weights. Because of the way the Worlds is set up, smaller competitors often don't get the chance to compete in the absolute so this offers them a chance to stand out in a pound-for-pound way.

Gabreili Pessanha Faces One Of Her Toughest Tests Ever

The only thing certain in life is death, taxes, and Gabi Pessanha winning tournaments. She has continued to blaze a trail of dominance through the gi scene, becoming the first woman in history to submit her way to double gold this year at Worlds. She's looked unstoppable, taking out all comers with a blend of rock solid fundamentals and a flair for modern positions like lapel guard. No woman has ever won three straight absolute titles, until Gabi did it this year. She's already an all-timer and she's not done yet.

For her to claim the first Crown though, she will need to go through some of her toughest opponents yet - particularly Amy Campo and Nathiely de Jesus. Amy and Gabi fought in the 2022 Worlds, with Gabi winning a narrow 2-2 decision. If one position or scramble turned out differently, Amy wins that match and Gabi's reign on top is broken up right there. Now, having won an ADCC and IBJJF World Championship since, Campo is entered with a chance for redemption.

Nathiely de Jesus isa two-time former absolute champion, the last winner before Gabi Pessanha began her run at black belt. Usually, when there is a changing of the guard, one champion has to defeat the last one and pass the torch. Here, instead, Nathiely has been away from competition after starting a family. She has returned in 2023 and after placing at Worlds she has begun to really show her prior level by defeating Rafaela Guedes to become the WNO Heavyweight Champion. Gabi vs Nathiely is an incredibly important fight for women's jiu-jitsu, and we may finally see it at The Crown.

The Most Prize Money In IBJJF History

Beyond staking their claim at being one of the very best champions in jiu-jitsu, each champion at The Crown will receive a cash prize of $15,000, with smaller sums for runners up. The event will be giving out over $120,000 in prize money total - a record for the IBJJF and a number that exceeds most of the major events in the world.

It's really good to see so many avenues for athletes to prosper within the martial art, and after years of no-gi growing very fast in comparison the gi is now showing incredible gains.

A Whole New Tainan Dalpra?

Since suffering his first loss in the IBJJF as a black belt, Tainan did what champions do: kept improving his game. After reeling off an impeccable record with multiple World Championships, Tainan lost in the World finals this year to Jansen Gomes but since has shown new wrinkles to his game, including triangling Yan Pica-Pau at the IBJJF Grand Prix this summer.

Tainan has never been one to tap opponents off of his back, and he credits this to his continued improvement at AOJ under the Mendes Brothers and his new training with jiu-jitsu legend Rickson Gracie. He will also be making his black belt no-gi debut November 30th on Tezos WNO 21: Ryan vs Barbosa, when he takes on Troy Russell.

It's a great sign to see Tainan respond to adversity by developing new skills and accepting new challenges. Can he put himself back on top of the gi world by conquering the middleweight division of The Crown? Let's find out this November.