After an intense round of country qualifiers yesterday at the 13th Edition of the Abu Dhabi World Pro Jiu-Jitsu Championships, the main brackets kicked off today. Some of the best competitors from all around the globe took the stage for a shot at World Pro gold, and thousands of dollars in prizes.

Micael Galvao continued to impress today in the 77 kg bracket, defeating each of his opponents by submission, including 2019 IBJJF Pan and European champion, Levi Jones-Leary. Galvao collected a triangle over Jones-leary in less than two minutes, propelling himself into the semis, and eventually the final. Galvao’s two day-submission total is now five in six matches. Tomorrow, Galvao is scheduled to face 2018 champ Espen Mathiesen, who had two submissions in three matches today. 

After suffering a defeat in his opening round, Jones-Leary wrestled back for third, overcoming four opponents.

Two reigning World Pro champs will square off in the 69 kg final tomorrow. Israel Almeida, the incumbent champion at 69 kg, submitted his first two opponents, and scored a narrow victory over the red hot Fabricio Andrey. Almeida will meet up with Pablo Lavaselli in the final. Lavaselli has a history of upsetting former champions. In the last edition of World Pro, he won the 77kg final, defeating 2018 champ Mathiesen. One of these men will earn a second consecutive World Pro title on Friday.

Fabricio Andrey took third in the 69 kg division.

Diogo Reis is on a hot streak. He defeated former champ Hiago George in the 62 kg semifinal, after defeating both Lucas Pinheiro and Meyram Maquine yesterday. He’ll face Georgia’s Giorgi Razmadze, who had two submission victories today in less than four minutes of total mat time. Hiago George managed third in the division.

94 kg update: Erich Munis will face Adam Wardzinski in one of the most exciting division finals matchups of the week. Wardzinski racked up 18 points in two matches to earn his spot in the final, while Munis won by smaller margins. In the semis, Munis took out Matheus Xavier, who defeated his brother, Anderson Munis, in yesterday’s country qualifiers. Xavier won the third place match. 

Isaque Bahiense will compete in the 85 kg final for the second consecutive year. The reigning champion at 85 kg, Bahiense earned two submissions in three matches on the day, and will face William Dias, representing Australia, in the final tomorrow.

Dias defeated Tommy Langaker in the semifinal via disqualification, preventing a rematch of the previous World Pro final. Langaker was up on points until the final 20 seconds, when he received a penalty for scrambling off the mat. He argued the outcome with the referee, and was disqualified. Langaker fought back for third in the repechage bracket.

See all the best black belt matches matches from the Abu Dhabi World Pro Jiu-Jitsu Championships here!

Beatriz Mesquita scored three submissions — while still putting up 15 points — in her three match run to the women’s 62 kg final. In her quickest match of the day, Mesquita tapped Julia Alves in the semifinal in less than a minute. Mesquita will face Margot Ciccarelli of Unity, who won two matches via score, in the final tomorrow. Alves won the 62 kg bronze medal.

The incumbent champion at 56 kg, Jonas Andrade spoiled the perfect run of the Brazil qualifier standout, Nathannael Fernandes. Yesterday, Fernandes defeated Thalison Soares, Oziel Carvalho and Rodnei Barbosa, but Andrade made short work of him today, finding a submission in less than two minutes. The 56 kg division is a double elimination bracket, so Fernandes will have another crack at Andrade tomorrow in the final.

After climbing out of the Brazilian qualifier yesterday, Gutemberg Pereira needed only one match to put himself in the 120 kg final. He defeated Roosevelt Sousa in the semis today, and will face Walter dos Santos tomorrow. Sousa was the division’s third place winner.

The rivalry lives on: Gabi Pessanha and Yara Soares will square off for the 12th time as black belts tomorrow in the 95 kg final. Pessanha put up 28 points and finished two opponents in three matches today; Soares also finished two of her three opponents. Soares has gotten the better of Pessanha in each of their last three encounters, and seems to have found a solution to Pessanha. Pessanha had won seven of their first eight matches.

Ana Rodrigues upset the women’s 55 kg reigning champ, Bianca Basilio, in the semifinals. Rodrigues edged out a one-point victory, and will face Rose El Sharouni in the final. Basilio wrestled back for third.

Brenda Larissa and Eliana Carauni will fight for first place in the 49 kg division. Larissa took out Serena Gabrielli in the semis; Gabrielli took third place via the consolation bracket.

Ingridd Sousa and Magdalena Loska will meet tomorrow in the women’s 70 kg final. Sousa had one match to the final, while Loska had to win two. Brazilian qualifier winner Larissa De Almeida took third after losing to Sousa in the semis.