Some of the most talented grapplers from all around Brazil traveled to compete in the IBJJF Brasilia Open 2023 on the weekend of December 2nd and 3rd. There was plenty of action on the mats and most of the gold medalists had to win several matches in order to reach the top of the podium. There were four different adult absolute champions across both the gi and no gi divisions, and each of them had to put on some impressive performances in order to earn their titles. The men’s gi absolute champion was Gabriel Brod, and he claimed that title shortly after he won the heavyweight gi division as well.
Brod did return the next day to attempt to repeat that achievement, but he stopped a little short of having a perfect weekend. He did win another gold medal in the no gi heavyweight division, before standing in second place on the absolute podium. It was his teammate at Gracie Barra who left the IBJJF Brasilia Open 2023 with that title, Leonardo Goncalves. Not only did Goncalves managed to win that bracket, but he also took home a gold medal from the no gi super-heavyweight division earlier on in the day.
There were some great female competitors taking to the mats as well, with Barbara Souza really excelling in the gi. She managed to win the absolute division despite being the lightest competitor in the bracket, as she was the only featherweight at the event. Izabel Seki won the only match in the no gi absolute division and she too faced a huge disadvantage as a lightweight coming up against a super-heavyweight. Seki did compete in the lightweight division in the gi on the first day too, but she had to settle for a silver medal there after losing to Swanny Batista in the final.
