The absolute (openweight) division is considered the toughest test any grappler can take, and the esteemed few who can claim they won gold against a packed field of all-comers stand head-and-shoulders above their contemporaries. 

Here are the 10 favorite male black belts for the absolute division of the 2016 IBJJF World Championships, ranked in order of we think has a chance of being crowned champion. 

The absolute division starts on Saturday, June 4—watch it ONLY on FloGrappling!

NOTE: This article was written before the confirmed list of absolute participants was released, as such a number of the below competitors did not sign up for the openweight division. 

Top 10 Favs For Worlds Absolute, Ranked

10: Alexander Trans

The Danish ultra heavyweight, representing GF Team and now living in Brazil, may not be the most dynamic of competitors but his grinding style of sneaky half guard game can put opponents in deep water and his sheer size and strength will make any match against him a tough prospect. He struggles with slightly lighter, faster opponents, though. 

9: Romulo Barral

Gracie Barra’s Barral certainly has the skills to make it far in absolute as he showed by cutting through his opponents at the Europeans and tapping out everyone in mere minutes. Notorious for being a super-nice guy, it’s more likely he would let his close friend and teammate Felipe Pena go through to later rounds, making him an outsider for absolute gold. 

8: Ricardo Evangelista

Another big man from GF Team, Evangelista's a hulking ultra heavyweight with a tricky closed guard that frustrates his opponents. He's based in the UAE where he has access to high-level training partners from many different gyms. The 30-year-old grappler's biggest IBJJF black belt title to date is a Brazilian national title in 2011, but he had a strong showing at this year's World Pro and so could use this momentum going into Worlds. 

7: Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida

The Checkmate star is a former absolute champion but doubts hang over his current state. His catastrophic knee injury at the 2015 World Championships saw him out this entire season and coming back to action at such a high level tournament raises many questions. Will he be in shape? Will the time off have made him rusty? Will there be any mental block relating to his prior knee injury? Only time will tell. 

6: Joao Gabriel Rocha

Rocha got through to the quarter finals of the absolute at Pans, beating the crafty Murilo Santana but losing a physical contest with Tim Spriggs. An ultra heavyweight, Rocha’s size makes him dangerous but his jiu-jitsu makes him a threat. When he gets on top he’s tough to shift, but he can suffer from lapses in focus. 

5: Andre Galvao

His technique and experience make Galvao a contender in any division he enters, and it’s rare we don’t see him through to the final four regardless of the category. Galvao’s vast knowledge of jiu-jitsu and adaptable style means he matches well against any grappler in the world and there are few men who have what it takes to beat him. 

4: Erberth Santos

The young black belt from Brazil is maturing into one of the most dangerous jiu-jitsu competitors in the world. He’s worked hard to seal the few chinks in his armor, and his opponents are finding it ever more difficult to neutralize his aggressive game. With youth on his side and a hunger for gold, he’s one to watch at the 2016 Worlds. 

3: Felipe ‘Preguica’ Pena

Ridiculously technical and incredibly mentally strong, Pena is a versatile and capable grappler who has marked himself out as a true world-class professional. The Gracie Barra rep certainly has the tools for success, and he backs this up with a hyper-focussed demeanor that few competitors can crack. He proved he can handle the big boys at Abu Dhabi World Pro, taking absolute gold there. Can the repeat the feat in Long Beach? His chances are good. 

2: Leandro Lo

Few people in the world can match Leandro Lo, such are the Sao Paulo-based grappler’s skills. His near-impassable guard, ridiculous balance and dangerous attack sequences make him an incredibly tough challenge. He made it to the absolute finals of 2016 Pans and last year’s Worlds, but one man stands in his way. 

1: Bernardo Faria

Double gold medallist at last year’s Worlds and absolute gold medallist at the 2016 Pans, Alliance’s Bernardo Faria is the man to beat this weekend. His crushing top pressure and grinding style saw him steamroll the opposition at Pans.

Can Bernardo repeat the feat this time around? He’s definitely the hot favorite and is riding the wave of his best career year to date. 

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