Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Los Angeles 2017Sep 24, 2017 by MichaelSears Sears
GF Team Invades Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Los Angeles
GF Team Invades Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Los Angeles
Rio de Janeiro based Grappling Fight Team, or GFT, has for a long time been one of the top competitions team in jiu jitsu. This weekend they sent a stacked squad to the UAEJJF Los Angeles Grand Slam and took five of the twelve black belt gold medals.
Rio de Janeiro based Grappling Fight Team, or GFT, has for a long time been one of the top competitions team in jiu jitsu. This weekend they sent a stacked squad to the UAEJJF Los Angeles Grand Slam, led by veteran competitor Vitor Oliveira.
Oliveira would take gold in the Master 1 77 kg division, but the real story is GFT taking home 5 out of 12 possible gold medals in the adult black belt categories.
The GFT women kicked things off by taking three out of five golds in the brown/black belt divisions. Ana Carolina Vieira looked untouchable, not giving up a point and submitting two of her three opponents.
Mayssa Bastos followed up on her Tokyo Grand Slam first place finish with another gold medal at 49 kg in Los Angeles. Immediately after Mayssa's submission finish in the final, her teammate Amanda Monteiro would win the championship match in the 55 kg division.
In the men's divisions GFT would produce a champion in the lightest and heaviest weight classes. Jose Lima won a referee's decision at 56 kg to give GFT their 4th gold medal on the day. The very last black belt final of the day left no question as to what team it would go to, as teammates Igor Silva and Max Gimenis battled it out at 110 kg. The veteran Silva would win a close match over Gimenis, giving GFT the top two spots on the podium.
As the next stop on the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam tour takes place in the birthplace of GFT, Rio De Janeiro, it should be expected that they will roll out a stacked squad on November 10-12. After showing up with their big guns in Tokyo and Los Angeles, it is clear that this team is all in on UAEJJF events and the cash prizes that winning them entails.
Oliveira would take gold in the Master 1 77 kg division, but the real story is GFT taking home 5 out of 12 possible gold medals in the adult black belt categories.
The GFT women kicked things off by taking three out of five golds in the brown/black belt divisions. Ana Carolina Vieira looked untouchable, not giving up a point and submitting two of her three opponents.
Mayssa Bastos followed up on her Tokyo Grand Slam first place finish with another gold medal at 49 kg in Los Angeles. Immediately after Mayssa's submission finish in the final, her teammate Amanda Monteiro would win the championship match in the 55 kg division.
In the men's divisions GFT would produce a champion in the lightest and heaviest weight classes. Jose Lima won a referee's decision at 56 kg to give GFT their 4th gold medal on the day. The very last black belt final of the day left no question as to what team it would go to, as teammates Igor Silva and Max Gimenis battled it out at 110 kg. The veteran Silva would win a close match over Gimenis, giving GFT the top two spots on the podium.
As the next stop on the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam tour takes place in the birthplace of GFT, Rio De Janeiro, it should be expected that they will roll out a stacked squad on November 10-12. After showing up with their big guns in Tokyo and Los Angeles, it is clear that this team is all in on UAEJJF events and the cash prizes that winning them entails.