Rematches are often incredibly popular in combat sports because they give fans the chance to see a rivalry build over a longer time-period, and BJJ is no exception. Because tournaments like ADCC and major IBJJF events are so popular, competitors will often end up taking dozen of matches over the course of a single year. Magnify that over an entire career and elite grapplers will find themselves standing across from the same opponents all the time. With competitors retiring at different times or pursuing MMA careers and coaching, there are still some fantastic BJJ matches that have left fans wanting more.
5 BJJ Rematches That Will Probably Never Happen
BJJ is a sport where athletes can compete quite late in age so there have been a number of rematches made years after the first meeting, like when Metamoris managed to book Eddie Bravo against Royler Gracie for the second time. That means that some of these rematches are never completely out of the question and a promotion with enough money behind them might be able to make them happen, but they’re all incredibly unlikely for one reason or another. Regardless, they were all still incredible matches between some of the best grapplers on the planet and we’d love to see happen again.
Marcelo Garcia vs Leo Vieira
Marcelo Garcia and Leo Vieira are two of the biggest legends of the sport and they are both among the most successful grapplers to ever compete at an ADCC world championship. They actually competed alongside one another at every edition of the world’s most prestigious grappling event from 2003 to 2009, although in different divisions every time. Vieira won the 66kg division twice and Garcia won the 77kg division three times during this period, and they finally met on the mats when Vieira moved up in weight in 2011. They both made it to the final and Garcia submitted Vieira with a triangle choke, but never competed again after that match. These two legends running it back would undoubtedly be one of the greatest rematches in BJJ history, even though both men don’t actually compete any more.
Kron Gracie vs Garry Tonon
Kron Gracie and Garry Tonon actually have a lot in common, as they’re both known as exciting competitors and they have both decided to transition to MMA later in their careers. They met in the quarter-final of ADCC 2013 and put on one of the most memorable matches in the promotion’s history, although it’s never been repeated since. There was a ton of exciting moments crammed into a match that still ended in a submission finish and although Gracie actually went on to win the 77kg division, he hasn’t competed in grappling since. They are both still active in combat sports so this is one of those legendary rematches that is still possible, but neither man focuses on BJJ any more and they’re both getting closer to retirement as the years go on.
Demian Maia vs Braulio Estima
Demian Maia and Braulio Estima are two legends of the sport and they were both actively competing in the 88kg division around the same time, so it’s a surprise that they only came up against one another once. They met at the semi-final of the medium-heavyweight division at the IBJJF World Championship and although Estima won, there were no points scored at all. It wasn’t long before Maia left to pursue MMA professionally and has since retired from that sport, while Estima eventually retired from grappling a little over a decade later. It’s unlikely these two men compete against each other again, but it would definitely attract a ton of attention.
Gordon Ryan vs Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida
Gordon Ryan was already one of the most successful no gi competitors around when ADCC 2019 began but that tournament was the moment he really solidified himself as the best around. Becoming a double champion is an impressive feat at any time, but he beat Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida in the final to finish the event in style. Ryan won on penalties in his closest match of the tournament and that has actually remained his closest match to date. It was also the last time Buchecha competed in grappling, as he left to pursue an MMA career as a heavyweight at ONE Championship. He’s shown no signs of returning to BJJ any time soon and is already in his mid-30s so with retirement on the horizon and Ryan often kept out of competition for health reasons, this is one of the most unlikely rematches that fans would love to see.
Keenan Cornelius vs Roberto ‘Cyborg’ Abreu
ADCC 2013 was a very special edition of the tournament with several incredible matches taking place, including this semi-final match from the absolute division. Keenan Cornelius and Roberto ‘Cyborg’ Abreu both beat their first two opponents and put on a fantastic show once they stood across from one another. Although Abreu won on points, Cornelius left it all on the mats and earned the right to another match against him at black belt. They both won their next matches and stood on the podium next to one another, but sadly they never actually competed against each other again.
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