Weekend Recap: Terere Returns With Victory At Gracie Pro!

Weekend Recap: Terere Returns With Victory At Gracie Pro!

Among the news from the weekend: Terere returns with a triumphant performance Rio de Janeiro, Jon Blank cleans up at EBI.

Oct 1, 2018 by Hywel Teague
Weekend Recap: Terere Returns With Victory At Gracie Pro!

Among the news from the weekend: Terere returns with a triumphant performance Rio de Janeiro, results from Brazilian No-Gi Nationals, and Jon Blank cleans up at EBI. 

All this and more in your essential Weekend Recap

Terere Returns 

It’s no exaggeration to say that Fernando Augusto ‘Terere’ is one of the most influential men in jiu-jitsu. At his peak in the early 2000s, the former World champion was a forerunner of what we now consider to be “modern” jiu-jitsu. A huge influence (both directly and indirectly) on names such as Cobrinha, Andre Galvao, the Mendes brothers and many more, Terere could have become one of the all-time greats had it not been for a battle with mental illness and subsequent drug addiction and homelessness. 

In one of the greatest comeback stories you can imagine Terere endured and rebounded, returning to teaching jiu-jitsu around the world and training practitioners at his gym in Rio de Janeiro. He’s had a handful of superfights in recent years, most recently with Raphael Abi-Rihan at Kyra Gracie’s event in Rio. 

They faced off in the headlining match at Gracie Pro with Terere winning via two points after hitting a variation of his signature “safada” takedown. Watch a clip of the decisive moment below. 

Learn how to do Terere’s infamous takedown below. 



Gracie Pro results: Tayane, Durinho win

In addition to the open tournament there were a number of other superfights at Gracie Pro: 

  • Alliance black belt Tayane Porfirio submitted Jessica Swanson via armbar.  
  • UFC fighters Gilbert Burns and Sergio Moraes faced off in the gi, with “Durinho” winning 2-0. 
  • Rudson Matheus won the absolute division with a flying armbar over Guilherme Cordiviola. 


Blank Runs Through EBI Combat Jiu-Jitsu 

Eddie Bravo’s well-known EBI event has taken more of a turn toward featuring his Combat Jiu-Jitsu rules, a style of grappling that allows open-handed slaps when the contestants are grounded. 

10th Planet rep Jon Blank emerged the winner of the 16-man bracket and walked away $20,000 richer after submitting all of his opponents in regulation time. He tapped former UFC fighter Tamden McCrory with an armbar, submitted Gabriel Checcho with a helhook, finished follow 10th Planet athlete Kyle Chambers with a rear naked choke, and beat Matt Secor in the final with a guillotine. 


Brazilian No-Gi Nationals: Middleweight Marques Takes Double Gold

Soul Fighters black belt Hugo Marques won gold in both the middleweight and the absolute divisions, having to face off with ultra-heavyweight  (+220lb) opponents along the way. 

Marques actually faced off with a fellow middleweight in the final meeting Felipe Silva of Unity, who he had earlier beaten in the semifinal of their weight division. 


Also victorious at the IBJJF Brazilian No-Gi Nationals: 

  • Thiago Sa defeated Romulo “Caju” Azevedo in the heavyweight final, a rematch following their showdown at No-Gi Pans just two weeks earlier. 
  • New black belt Vinicius Ferreira of Alliance took super-heavy gold. 
  • Alexandre Vieira of BTT won featherweight gold by defeating the very tough Jose Tiago of Cicero Costha in the featherweight final.