There are a huge number of new black belts competing at the 2018 IBJJF European Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, next week, and a big shot of fresh blood to the black belt ranks has made up for the absence of some of the better-known names we saw last year. 

None of the podium finishers from the light-featherweight, middleweight, or medium-heavyweight divisions are back, giving us a guaranteed slew of new medalists for the Jan. 15-21 tournament. 

At featherweight only silver medalist Emilie Maxine Thylin has returned, as has 2017 champ Beatriz Mesquita at lightweight.

Here is a list of those competing at Europeans as a black belt for the first time: 

• Liwia Gluchowska, Absolute MMA Australia (Light-feather)
• Heather Raftery, Atos Jiu-Jitsu (Featherweight) 
• Amanda Monteiro, GF Team (Featherweight) 
• Emilia Tuukkanen, Gracie Barra (Featherweight) 
• Erin Herle, Alliance (Lightweight)
• Renata Marinho, Alliance (Middleweight)
• Danielle Alvarez, Gracie Humaita (Middleweight)
• Raquel Canuto, Zenith BJJ (Middleweight)
• Samantha Cook, CheckMat (Medium-heavyweight) 
• Jessica Flowers, Gracie Barra (Heavyweight) 

Of the four light-featherweight entrants signed up, only Talita Alencar competed at Euros last year, although she didn’t make it to the podium. A solid string of performances since then — including gold at Abu Dhabi World Pro and IBJJF Worlds — means she’s considered a favorite. 

The middleweight landscape is fascinating, as we have three competitors who are (relatively) fresh black belts in 2017 world champions Renata Marinho and Danielle Alvarez and 2017 world silver medalist Raquel Canuto. The last competitor in the division, Eduarda Vieira, will also make her Euros black belt debut.

In the lightweight division, Charlotte von Baumgarten of Alliance won brown belt gold last year at Euros, with Erin Herle taking bronze in the same division. Libia Goncalves took silver at brown belt in 2015.

A quick look at the returning champs 

Serena Gabrielli

Reigning champion Sabrina Gabrielli of Flow Jiu-Jitsu returns to the roosterweight division. Just like last year, she’ll only have one match, and it’s against the same opponent — Outi Tammilehto of Finland. Gabrielli has medaled at Euros as a purple and brown, but 2017 was the first year she took gold as a black belt. 

Beatriz Mesquita 

The 2017 FloGrappling Female Black Belt of the Year, Beatriz Mesquita carries a lot of momentum into this event. After a hectic 2017, Mesquita competed in her last tournament of the year in November, meaning she’s not had a lot of downtime to rest — but, that should mean her skills are still sharp. She’s got an interesting challenge ahead of her, as none of her opponents from 2017 are back, meaning a completely fresh crop of competitors. 

Tayane Porfirio

The returning female super heavyweight and openweight champion didn’t put a foot wrong in 2017. She won double gold at every major IBJJF tournament: Euros, Pans, Brazilian Nationals, and Worlds. The smart money would be on her to do the same thing once again. 

Full list of female black belts