2013 World Jiu-Jitsu Championships Preview

The 2013 World Jiu-Jitsu Championships is just one week away!  Here is the schedule of divisions for the event.

World 2013 - Pre schedule

Thursday:

White Adult Male (Weight divisions)
White Adult Female (Weight divisions)
White Master (Weight divisions)
White Senior (Weight divisions)
Blue Adult Male (Weight divisions)

Friday:
Blue Adult Male (Open Class)
Blue Adult Female (Weight divisions and Open Class)
Purple Adult Male (Weight divisions)
Purple Adult Female (Weight divisions)
Brown Adult Male (Weight divisions)

Saturday:
White Juvenile Male (Weight divisions)
White Juvenile Female (Weight divisions)
Blue Juvenile Male (Weight divisions and Open Class)
Blue Juvenile Female (Weight divisions and Open Class)
Purple Adult Male (Open Class)
Purple Adult Female (Open Class)
Brown Adult Male (Weight divisions and Open Class)
Brown Adult Female (Weight divisions and Open Class)
Black Adult Male (Weight divisions and Open Class)
Black Adult Female (Weight divisions and Open Class)

Sunday:
Black Adult Male
Black Adult Female

*This pre-schedule just inform the days of each division will be run, not necessarily in this order. The complete schedule with the times and the order of each division will start will be released on May 25th.

Preview & Predictions:

Black Belt (Rooster) Reigning 2012 Champion - Bruno Malfacine (Alliance)
Caio Terra had originally registered for Light Feather but after realizing that his weight was too low for the division he has since moved back down to Rooster.  We are likely to see another Bruno Malfacine / Caio Terra final this year.  Malfacine won a very close ref decision last year at the Mundials and Caio most recently won their meeting at Pan in the Spring.  Should they meet again in the finals expect to see another close battle.  Watch for Fabio Passos (Alliance) to try and exact some revenge should he meet up with Caio again.  They battled to a very close ref decision at Pan 2013 earlier this year.

Black Belt (Light Feather)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Gui Mendes (Atos)
With Caio no longer in this division our desire to see a new challenge for Gui will have to wait a little bit longer as Caio's made it clear he wants to move up in weight.  It's good to see that Ary Farias is back in the division this year and there's a good chance we see Atos closing out in the final.  Laercio Fernandes (Alliance) lost a very competitive final against Gui Mendes at Pan 2013 so he will no doubt be a factor again at Light Feather.  Watch for Carlos Vieira Holanda (CheckMat) to be another guy to watch.

Black Belt (Feather)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Rafael Mendes (Atos)
History tells you not only that we should see Cobrinha and Rafa Mendes in the final but that Mendes will win.  Last year Mendes not only defeated Cobrinha but he did so in epic fashion finishing a nasty armbar at Pan.  Their other more recent matches have ended with Rafa winning very close matches via points or ref decisions.  I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that we see Tanquinho (Soul Fighters) and Rafa Mendes in the final this year.  Tanquinho recently defeated Cobrinha at Abu Dhabi so he will have confidence at this years Mundials.

Black Belt (Light)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Leandro Lo (PSLPB Cicero Costha)
Lightweight is stacked with a lot of talent this year.  Lucas Lepri (Alliance), Michael Langhi (Alliance), Jonathan Torres (Atos), Roberto Satoshi (Atos) just to name a handful of competitors that could easily land in the finals.  It's really difficult to bet against Leandro Lo to repeat this year. I'm excited to see how the brackets will be set up for this division.

Black Belt (Middle)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Otavio Souza (Gracie Barra)
Again, another division loaded with talent and it's hard to pick the final without seeing how the brackets lay out.  Clark Gracie (Gracie JJ) will be an early favorite having disposed of Marcelo Mafra (CheckMat) at Pan 2013.  You can't count out the likes of Lucas Rocha (Gracie Barra), Davi Ramos (Atos), Claudio Calasans (Atos), Victor Estima (Gracie Barra), and DJ Jackson (TLI).

Black Belt (Medium-Heavy)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Romulo Barral (Gracie Barra)
Often injured Romulo Barral claims he will be ready for the tournament but one has to wonder if his knee will hold up.  I hope he stays healthy to be a factor but anything is possible.  Watch for Braulio Estima (Gracie Barra), Abmar Barbosa (Drysdale BJJ), Tarsis Humphreys (Alliance), and of course Andre Galvao (Atos) to be the favorites to go deep in the brackets.

Black Belt (Heavy)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Rodolfo Vieira (GF Team)
There are some interesting potential match-ups this year at Heavy.  Rafael Lovato (Ribeiro BJJ), Xande Ribeiro (Ribeiro BJJ), Rodolfo Vieira (GT Team) will be heavily favored.  Rico Bastos (Nova Uniao) is an underdog that is likely to show up at the end of the brackets having lost very close matches to both Xande at Masters/Seniors 2012, and against Lovato at the Houston Open 2013.

Black Belt (Super Heavy)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Leonardo Nogueira (Alliance)
It may sound like old hat but we may see another final close out between Bernardo Farias (Alliance) and Leo Nogueira (Alliance).  I hope that they will be pushed hard by the likes of Bruno Bastos (Nova Uniao), Joao Assis (CheckMat), and Leonardo Leite (Alliance).

Black Belt (Ultra Heavy)  Reigning 2012 Champion - Marcus "Buchecha" Almeida
I think that there will be some very good matches at Ultra heavy this year.  We will get to see who can attempt to knock the seemingly unbeatable Buchecha off his throne.  When was the last time this guy lost?!  Watch for Alexander Trans (CheckMat), Rodrigo Cavaca (CheckMat), Orlando Sanchez (Gracie Barra), Roberto "Cyborg" Abreu (Fight Sports), and Gabriel Garcia (Ralph Gracie) to try their best.  Should be an exciting division to watch.

Previously Budovideos has provided the online stream broadcast.  This year's Mundials will be broadcast on www.ibjjftv.com

Update!!!
The Brackets are now available here:
http://ifightinpajamas.blogspot.com/2013/05/2013-ibjjf-world-championship-brackets.html