Standouts From Rio's 94kg Group of Death
Standouts From Rio's 94kg Group of Death
Given all of his recent accomplishments, it’s easy to forget that Kaynan Duarte only received his black belt after winning the 2018 World Championships.
The 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Rio De Janeiro kicks off Nov. 16 -18 and features some of the very best athletes based in Brazil and from around the world – but no division seems to be as STACKED as the 94kg Adult Black Belt, which we've come to lovingly term the 'Group of Death'.
No need for the alarm, all the athletes are in fact lovely people, but on the mats is entirely a different story. Out of the sixteen athletes registered,, we've deemed these four as ley figures within the division.
Watch the ADGS Rio LIVE on FloGrappling Nov. 16-18
Kaynan Duarte - Brazil - Atos
Given all of his recent accomplishments, it’s easy to forget that Kaynan Duarte only received his black belt after winning the 2018 World Championships. In the few short months, Duarte has gone on to become the Spyder Invitational Champion, earning third place at WSOG (a performance that includes a win over 2017 black belt world champion Nicholas Meregali), and he also gave Gordon Ryan a run for his money in the absolute final at No-Gi Pans.
Kaynan Duarte vs Jackson Sousa – 2018 LA Grand Slam
Rudson Matheus - Brazil - Brasa CTA
One of the youngest black belts featured in the UAEJJF's King Of Mat initiative, Rudson Matheus has been on our radar as someone to watch since we took notice of his clean, classic closed guard game that opponents know is coming, but cannot stop as a brown belt.
Whether it’s a waiter sweep to mount, armbar, or the back – Matheus’ clean chain is a masterful display of ‘basic’ techniques used effectively against elite level competitors. As of writing, Matheus is listed twice on the bracket, meaning he could run into Atos representative Helton Junior or Kaynan Durate on his journey through the division – both matches being something we eagerly await.
Rudson Matheus vs Alexandre Ceconi
Adam Wardzinski - Poland - Checkmat
Adam Wardzinki is another athlete from the group of death that has managed to make an ‘old-school’ position fashionable again – a master of the butterfly guard, Wardzinski is able to lift and sweep even the most experienced of opponents. Currently standing as the #2 European black belt in the UAEJJF rankings, a potential win here iat the ABGS Rio will be a big major for securing his ticket to the 2019 Abu Dhabi World Pro event.
Wardzinski shares the bracket with Duarte and we're very keen to see these two go head to head.
Watch Adam Wardzinski's Butterfly Guard Masterclass
Helton Junior - Brazil - Atos
Though not yet a household name, Helton Junior is every bit as savage as the first three monsters listed in the group. An ADGS Abu Dhabi gold medalist., UAEJJF New York Pro Champion, and brown belt IBJJF European Champion, Helton has begun to chip away at the established black belt ranks as he begins to make his name known. Keep an eye out for Helton's advanced spider guard attacks and crushing passing power.