One of the best things of any major tournament is the anticipation and curiosity surrounding the seeding of the brackets.  

Who has the best route to the final? What killer matches are likely coming down the pipe in the semis? With that said, speculation is all good and fun, but nothing gets us fired up like an ultra-competitive first-round battle. And we've got eight, guaranteed super-picante first-round bouts that will kick off the black belt divisions. 

Watch the 2019 IBJJF European Championships

Jan. 15-20 | Lisbon, Portugal

Kennedy Maciel vs Cleber Sousa – Light-Feather

Sunday, Jan 20. Mat 2: 11:20am 

Without question, all eyes are on Kennedy Maciel in 2019. The Alliance rep had an incredible 2018 and was promoted to black belt after winning the World Championships. Expectations are certainly high, and a good or bad performance could set the tone for the rest of the year. 

Meanwhile, Cleber Sousa is a Brazil-based Atos athlete out of Almeida JJ on the verge of a breakout performance.  A World Pro runner up, Pan American bronze medalist, and IBJJF brown belt World champion, Sousa has a huge hurdle in front of him with Maciel, but should he prevail he could very well be on his way to his first major title. 

Kennedy Maciel moments after claiming the world title in 2018.

Silvio Duran vs Joao Mendes – Featherweight 

Sunday, Jan 20. Mat 3: 9:56am 

A black belt under Rodrigo Cavaca and Vitor Shaolin, Silvio Duran is a competitor that has won just about everything except a major title at black belt. A Brazilian National champion at purple belt, and No-Gi Pans champion at brown and purple, Duran has a highly developed SLX game and nasty straight ankle lock. Could 2019 be a break out year? 

In order for that to be the case, Duran will have to get past the highly-regarded Joao 'Bisnaga' Mendes. A rising star, Mendes is just 21 years of age and a purple belt world Champion (2016) and Worlds bronze medalist as a brown belt ( 2017, 18). Bisnaga has likely acquired the experience needed to be successful at black belt. 

Yan Lucas vs Pedro Ramalho – Lightweight

Sunday, Jan 20. Mat 3: 9:44am 

Yan ‘Pica-Pau’ Paiva is one of Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu’s most exciting competitors. A Brazilian National Champion, Paiva has all the makings of a future great: a student of the game with well-rounded jiu-jitsu and a solid strategy, and a heart that doesn't know what quitting means. 

Standing across from Paiva is one of Europe's hidden gems: the submission artist and Portuguese Native, Pedro ‘Paquito’ Ramalho. Ramalho has captured the European title as a juvenile blue belt, purple, and brown belt, but has yet to replicate the success at black belt. We're looking forward to watching Pedro's nasty DLR-guard in action. 

Yan Paiva works the double underpass. 

Levi Jones-Leary vs Kevin Mahecha – Lightweight

Sunday, Jan 20. Mat 9: 9:56am 

Levi Jones-Leary is coming off a silver medal from the 2019 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam – his very first event as a black belt that saw him earn a decisive victory over standout Roberto Satoshi. The Unity Jiu-Jitsu athlete is one of the most promising rookies of the season and we're looking forward to see how he handles his IBJJF black belt debut. 

Meeting Levi is Kevin Mahecha, a veteran of the black belt ranks is searching for his first major title. A black belt under Jonatas Gurgel, Mahecha's passing has been widely cited as some of the most dynamic in the lightweight ranks. 

Levi-Jones Leary sinks in the choke.

Espen Mathiesen vs Darragh O'Connail – Middleweight

Sunday, Jan 20. Mat 8 11:08am 

A phenomenal bout between two European athletes kicks us off in the middleweight division – we'll see Norwegian berimbolo king Espen Mathisen takes on one of Ireland's finest in Darragh O'Connail. We anticipate a fast pace match and a submission finish in this one, but who comes out on top is too uncertain to say at this point. 

Espen Mathiesen on the back.

Andris Brunovskis vs Thomas Mietz – Middleweight

Sunday, Jan 20. Mat 8 11:32am

Andris and Mietz presents an interesting clash of styles. A consummate tactician, Andris can pull out rare and creative submissions from anywhere, and the Atos representative has one hell of a scary attack with the omoplata. Standing across from Andris is Thomas Mietz, a French athlete based in Tokyo and a Carpe Diem competitor.  

Ribamar

Manuel Ribamar vs Max Lindblad – Middleweight

Sunday, Jan 20. Mat 9 11:32am 

Another Incredible middleweight matchup, this bout has match of the day written all over it. Manuel Ribamar had a fantastic showing at King of Mats in Abu Dhabi last weekend, taking home third place and possibly the submission of the event with his wormguard armbar against Diego Ramalho. The Unity Jiu-Jitsu competitor has an understated approach to the game, but superb technique and the tenacity to go all the way. 

Ribamar will be facing one of the best European athletes in the game today, Checkmat representative Max Lindblad. The Swedish black belt's spider guard is the stuff of nightmares for his opponents and his gritty, smash-mouth jiu-jitsu has been the downfall of many game competitors.

Do not miss this one. 

Calasan: Ready for action.

Rudson Mateus vs Claudio Calasans – Medium-Heavy

Sunday, Jan 20. Mat 13 11:56am 

Saving perhaps the best for last, this medium-heavy bout could very well be a final in another scenario. Rudson Mateus is one of the fastest rising stars in the in the game: he posseses a lethal closed guard game and seems dead-set on submitting his opponent via savage armbar. 

Mateus will be facing the legend Claudio Calasans in his very first match of the event, a man who hardly needs an introduction, but we'll cover the basics for you anyways. He's a world champion, ADCC Champion, World Pro Champion, and 3x European Champion.  And that only covers the beginning of his accolades. 

A win for Calasans proves he is still one of the top dogs in the game, but if Mateus pulls off the upset, it cements his reputation as one of the key new players from the new generation.