2020 IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship

2020 IBJJF No-Gi Pans Viewing Guide: Where And When To Watch The Big Names

2020 IBJJF No-Gi Pans Viewing Guide: Where And When To Watch The Big Names

Want to make sure you don’t miss any of the action from your favorite athletes? Here are the key players, and when to tune in to catch their opening-rounds.

Nov 19, 2020 by Corey Stockton
2020 IBJJF No-Gi Pans Viewing Guide: Where And When To Watch The Big Names
The IBJJF just released the brackets for the 2020 No-Gi Pan Championships. The event kicks off on Saturday, Nov 21, and the black belts take the mats on Sunday, Nov 22. Want to make sure you don’t miss any of the action from your favorite athletes? Here are the key players, and when to tune in to catch their opening-round matches.

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The IBJJF just released the brackets for the 2020 No-Gi Pan Championships. The event kicks off on Saturday, Nov 21, and the black belts take the mats on Sunday, Nov 22. Want to make sure you don’t miss any of the action from your favorite athletes? Here are the key players, and when to tune in to catch their opening-round matches.

Check out bjjcompsystem.com for a complete list of brackets.

*Note, these are approximate times which are subject to change. All times are in EST.

Watch: The 2020 IBJJF No-Gi Pan Championships LIVE on FloGrappling Or Anytime ON DEMAND


Ronoldo Junior - Middleweight | Mat 1 | approx 9:30 a.m.


Ronaldo will have one of the first matches of the day on Sunday. He’s scheduled to face Chad Hardy from Team Shawn Hammonds. The winner of this match will move on to face Unity’s Jeferson Guaresi at around 10:18 a.m. Ronaldo has not stopped since the IBJJF returned this year. He’s put on a show in every appearance, winning Pans in October, as well as a handful of open tournaments. He hasn’t had much experience in the no-gi arena since earning his black belt, but we always expect highlight reel action from him.


Oliver Taza - Middleweight | Mat 12 | approx 9:30 a.m.


Oliver Taza is set to make his black belt debut this weekend. He’ll have the first match of the day on Mat 12 against Ernesto Rivera, and a victory would move him forward to face Felipe Silva later in the morning. Taza won No-Gi Worlds as a brown belt in 2018, but remained at that rank until receiving a promotion from John Danaher earlier this month. Most of Taza’s submission victories in his career have been via heel hook, but this will be an opportunity for him to demonstrate what other attacks he has in his arsenal.


Gabriel Sousa | Featherweight | Mat 2 - approx 9:30 a.m.


Gabriel Sousa will kick things off on Mat 2, where he’s scheduled to face Kevin Mitsugui Irie first. Sousa has the second seed in this 15-man bracket. He was runner-up at No-Gi Worlds last year, and will be looking to advance through, where he can cause a potential upset in the semi-final if he meets Gianni Grippo, and in the final, if he meets no. 1-seed Kennedy Maciel.


Gianni Grippo | Featherweight | Mat 2 | approx 9:54 a.m.


Gianni Grippo will have an early match with Edward Allen, where he’ll look to rekindle his dominance over the No-Gi Pans title. After two consecutive years as No-Gi Pan champion, Gianni was knocked out early in his appearance last year. Prior to that, he won it in 2017 and again in 2018, also winning No-Gi Worlds that year. He’s been hot and cold this year, but this is a chance for him to finish off the year in the win column. If he moves on to the second round, he’ll face either Thiago Abud or Windson Ramos around 11:18 a.m.


Jonnatas Gracie | Middleweight | Mat 12 | approx 10:30 a.m.


Jonnatas Gracie has earned a first-round bye, and will await the winner of Giann Moramarco and Avery-Warren Arthur Brooks on Mat 12. Gracie won No-Gi Pans last year in the Medium Heavyweight division, and will be seeking a repeat performance. We could see him up against Oliver Taza or Felipe Silva later in the day.


Kennedy Maciel | Featherweight | Mat 2 | approx 11:42 a.m.


The no. 1-ranked 145 lb grappler, Kennedy Maciel will have the only first-round bye in the featherweight division, and will take on Guilherme Guimares Borges or Gabriel Ferreira da Silva in the second round. Barring an upset, Maciel should have a clear cut path to the final, and will likely put on a show on the way there. Since earning his black belt, he’s submitted his opponents in nearly 50-percent of his wins, and he’s been exceptionL in 2020 following his silver-medal run at ADCC.


Lucas Pinheiro | Light Featherweight | Mat 12 | approx 12:18 a.m.


Lucas Pinheiro will be trying to find company for the gold medal he earned at Pans in October. He is the no. 1-seed in the light featherweight division, and has a first-round bye. In his opening round, he’ll face Kalel Nascimento or Carlos Oliveira da Silva. If he advances, he’ll face the winner of Richard Alarcon and Hiago Souza in the semifinal. That match would take place around 12:42 p.m., and could be one of the most exciting matches of the afternoon, as either Alarcon or Sousa would use an energetic approach to try to handle Pinheiro’s guard.


Lucas “Hulk Barbosa” | Heavyweight | Mat 12 | approx 12:30 pm.


Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa will make his first appearance at No-Gi Pans in his five-year black belt career. In that time, he’s 29-1 in the IBJJF no-gi format, and has won four No-Gi Worlds titles. His first match on Sunday will be against “BB Monster,” Valdir Araujo, in what we expect to be a gritty, high-stakes match. The winner will move on to face either Yuri Paiva or Joseph Watson in the semi-final.


Andrew Wiltse | Medium Heavyweight | Mat 2 | approx 12:42 p.m.


Pedigo Submission Fighting’s Andrew Wiltse is set to make his first appearance at an IBJJF competition since earning his black belt atop the podium at No-Gi Worlds last year. He’s the no. 3-seed in this 8-man division, and will face Victor Cesar Braz da Silva first. The winner will move on to face Mike Perez or Cameron Gilliam in the semifinal around 1:18 p.m.


Kaynan Duarte | Super Heavyweight | Mat 2 | approx 2:06 p.m.


Kaynan Duarte will make his return to IBJJF competition for the first time since his suspension at No-Gi Pans. His 2018 No-Gi World championship has earned him a first-round bye, so his opening match will be a semi-final. His first opponent will be either Charles McGuire or Ethan Moses. On the other side of the bracket, Tex Johnson will also have a first-round bye; he’ll face the winner of Arnaldo Maidana and Paul Ardila-Ibara. The final is scheduled for 2:54 p.m. Kaynan will likely make a run for the open-weight title later in the day.