The IBJJF Madrid Open 2023 took place on November 25th, 2023 and there were plenty of exciting matches taking place between talented grapplers. There were no default gold medals handed out in the adult black belt divisions, as every one had at least two competitors fighting for the top spot on the podium. There were only gi matches at the event though, as it took place on a single day and there no gi brackets weren’t available. Out of all the BJJ black belts competing, it was Jhonathan Pessanha who put on the most impressive performance and managed to leave with a pair of gold medals.
Pessanha stood on top of the podium in the medium-heavyweight division above some tough opposition, including a pair of Roger Gracie Academy representatives. Shortly after that, he returned to compete in the absolute division and managed to leave undefeated there as well. He had to beat tough Gracie Barra black belt Pedro Leonardo Silva in the final of the absolute division, although Silva had done incredibly well to even make it that far. Silva was actually the lightest competitor to medal in the absolute division, as he had won gold at lightweight earlier that day.
Faris Ben-lamkadem managed to take home a bronze medal from the absolute division, shortly after he won the heavyweight division in impressive fashion. There were some top competitors outside of the absolute too, as Jonas Andrade emerged victorious in the only match at light-featherweight and claimed the gold medal from that division. Sadly, the turnout for female competitors at the IBJJF Madrid Open 2023 was incredibly low and there weren’t any matches between black belts at the event. In fact, there were no purple or brown belts competing either and the only matches between women took place in white or blue belt divisions.
