This article and the accompanying footage of Max Hanson vs David Cainas from Sapateiro Invitational 27 is part of Free Fight Friday, our ongoing project to bring the best in professional Jiu-Jitsu competition to everyone. To avoid spoilers for the match, scroll directly to the footage below.
This match served as the final for the 155lbs challengers tournament that Sapateiro Invitational staged on January 14, 2023. David Cainas is both a BJJ and Judo black belt who represents Gracie Tampa South and runs his own academy, Cainas Martial Arts. He was coming into this tournament fresh off winning a 170lb tournament that Sapateiro staged shortly before this, and was one of the favourites to win this division as a result. Max Hanson on the other hand was only just promoted to BJJ black belt a few weeks prior by Dante Leon and represents Adamas Jiu-Jitsu and Pedigo Submission Fighting. He was the reigning Finishers Sub-Only 155lbs champion at the time and is a veteran of Who’s Number One, so he was seen as the other favourite to win the tournament.
They started out on opposite sides of the bracket and both men had to defeat 3 opponents in one night in order to book their place in the final, when this match took place. Hanson won the match and the entire tournament, and has since returned to the Sapateiro mats to become a double champion too. He moved up in weight to the 170lbs division at Sapateiro Invitational 28 and has set up a potential rematch with Cainas that seems likely in the near-future.
Subscribe to the official JitsMagazine YouTube channel for more Free Fight Friday footage, and the full match between Max Hanson and David Cainas can be found below: