The largest black belt division at this year’s Pans, middleweight also has a ridiculous amount of athletes with a legit shot of challenging for the title.  

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Isaque Bahiense

Isaque Bahiense (Alliance) put in incredible work throughout 2018, going 36-2 and only losing two referee decisions in the same year he won his first World Championship title. 22-year-old Isaque has also won Euros the last two years, and will be looking to add his first black belt Pans title to his medal collection after finishing second here in 2017. 

Otavio Sousa

That silver medal in 2017 for Bahiense came after losing in dramatic fashion to Otavio Sousa (Gracie Barra) by flying triangle. Sousa is a two-time Pan champion, and with Isaque having won their second meeting a rubber match between the two seems likely to go down in Irvine. One of Isaque’s two losses in 2018 also came to Sousa’s Gracie Barra teammate Victor Silverio. Both men are registered in the division, and reigning middleweight king Bahiense no doubt has unfinished business with the Barra duo. 

Claudio Calasans

Atos is sending out seven athletes in the middleweight division. Included in this group are 2015 World champ and two-time Pan champion Claudio Calasans, returning lightweight Pan champion Michael Liera Jr., 2018 brown belt World and Pan champion Leonardo Lara, and 2019 European bronze medalist Andris Brunovskis. 

Dante Leon

GF Team is also sending a strong group to Pans, with four athletes led by two-time World bronze medalist Jaime Canuto. Dante Leon goes into his second year as a black belt. He has twice won this event as a colored belt, and gave a strong performance here in 2018 narrowly losing to Tommy Langaker but knocking the Norwegian out of the event with a savage armbar. 

Manuel Ribamar

Along with the nine athletes mentioned above Manuel Ribamar (Rodrigo Pinheiro), Hugo Marques (Soul Fighters), Felipe Cesar (Unity), Ygor Machado (Checkmat) and Lucas Rocha (ZR Team) have to be considered when discussing who ends up on top of the podium in Irvine.

Watch the 2019 Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship LIVE or On Demand ONLY on FloGrappling from Mar 21-24.