The Open Class Finals Are Set! Hear From All 4 Black Belt Finalists
The Open Class Finals Are Set! Hear From All 4 Black Belt Finalists
Hear from all four black belt adult open class finalists at the 2024 IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championships, with interviews from Devhonte Johnson, Liz Clay, & more
After an action-packed morning in the absolute, the finals are finally set for the IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championships. In the men's division, it will be Devhonte Johnson of Unity taking on Alehander Mariano of Atos. In the women's division, it's going to be rookie black belt Maria Ruffatto taking on the returning young veteran Elisabeth Clay. We picked up interviews with all four of them right off the mats.
Men's Absolute
The finals here will be ultra-heavyweight Devhonte taking on the smaller Mariano, who got his tournament started with an upset of the #1-seeded Anthony Robinson. With a submission in his next round by arm triangle and a tense points victory over world silver medalist David Garmo, he stamped his way through in a crazy run. Garmo advanced through after another close match with the rising young heavyweight Joao Pedro Nicolite. Mariano is on a mission to prove "Magrinho" can get it done in the open class.
On his side, Devhonte was equally dominant in the early rounds, beating the smaller Martin Gonzalez (who submitted Rene Sousa early in the bracket) and then beating the big man Igor Schneider. A close semifinal with bronze medalist Marcos Carrozzino was stamped with a late takedown exchange to give Bones the decision victory.
The women's absolute was really exciting here, with Elisabeth Clay returning after nearly a year away from competition welcoming her first child. She got right back to her old ways, though, submitting the top-seeded super-heavyweight Mayara Ribeiro and world-ranked Deise Leonanjo with heel hooks to punch her way through to the finals.
Maria Ruffatto continues to impress in 2024, after winning ADCC Trials earlier this year in South America. She blazed her way through two world-ranked opponents in two matches, beating Amanda Bruse and submitting Nadia Frankland in the semifinal. She's got her eyes set on her first black belt major absolute - and it would be a big statement for her young black belt career.
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