Article by Michael Sears

An elite purple belt class from 2017 combined with some holdovers from last year’s brown belts has resulted in some exciting divisions this year at the European Championships.

The brown belt divisions will take place first thing Sunday morning, 9:30 am Lisbon time (3:30 am cst). The estimated start time for the brown belt open class is 4:00 Lisbon time (10 am cst).

The heavyweight bracket contains two of the brightest up and coming stars in jiu-jitsu, purple belt World champs Kaynan Duarte (Atos) and Fabio Alano (Alliance). Duarte is coming off a solid 2017 No-Gi season that saw him submit Pablo Popovitch at ADCC and win his weight and the open class at No-Gi Worlds. In the gi last year he also took home double gold at the Pans in March. Alano was a blue belt World champ in 2015, purple belt World champ in 2016, before falling short up a weight at super-heavy and taking silver at the 2017 Worlds. River Dillon (Atos), Pedro Elias (NS Brotherhood), and Joshua Valles (School BJJ) should add some depth to this division.

Kaynan Duarte. Photo: Michael Sears

The middleweight bracket is home to the 2017 World purple belt open class champion in Jonnatas Gracie (Atos). Gracie has won Worlds the last two years at lightweight as a blue and purple belt. His Atos teammate Leonardo Lara is sitting on the other side of the bracket and took third in the world at brown belt lightweight in 2017. Tarik Hopstock (Frontline) was the 2017 European champion at purple middle. Tarik displayed how dangerous he can be in the 2017 Worlds open class, when he prevailed over Kaynan Duarte on his way to a double bronze performance.

In the Super Heavyweight division we see Devhonte Johnson (Unity) return to Portugal this year after taking home the open class gold at purple belt a year ago. Johnson is coming off an exceptional 2017 in which he also won the purple super-heavyweight division at Worlds and Pans. 2017 purple belt Pans champ Marcus Vinicius Siqueira (Alliance) and Brazilian Nationals champ Jose Neto Junior (Cicero Costha) should be favorites to reach the medal rounds and challenge Johnson.

2017 World champion at light-featherweight Alexssandro Sodre (Nova Uniao) is up a weight class at featherweight for this tournament. Sodre will have to contend with 2016 brown belt World silver medalist and Brazilian Nationals champ Richar Nogueira (Cicero Costha). Jonata Gomes (Checkmat) is a purple belt Worlds runner-up and Brazilian National champ. Gabriel Alves (Alliance) has reached the podium as a purple belt at both Europeans and Pans and should be an athlete to keep an eye on.

Jonnatas Gracie. Photo: Michael Sears.

At medium-heavyweight, Dominique Bell (Atos) is attempting to capture his second European title at brown belt after winning this event in 2016. The former purple belt World champ will have to clash with a loaded bracket containing 2017 brown belt World silver medalist Gabriel  Almeida (Checkmat), along with Kaniela Kahuanui (Brasa CTA), Philippe Pomaski (Checkmat), Kristof Szucs (ZR Team) and Jacob Zajkowski (Gracie Barra).

Victor Hugo (Ribeiro) has been winning nearly everything at the heavier weights as a purple belt for the last two years. The two-time purple belt World champ won Europeans and Pans as well last year and is a heavy favorite to win the ultra-heavyweight division.Vic

Victor Hugo. Photo: Michael Sears

Guilherme Rocha (ZR Team) has taken second at Worlds the last two years at purple featherweight, this year for Euros he is competing in the brown belt lightweight division. Levi Jones-Leary (Unity) won Pans in 2017 up a weight at middle and has recently made the move down to lightweight. Natan Chueng (Cantagalo), Lars Friberg (Checkmat), Alef Brito (Zenith) and Olver Taza (Renzo Gracie) have medaled at major IBJJF events and should be in contention here.

Luciano Alex (Infight BJJ) will return to defend the brown belt roosterweight title he won here in Lisbon a year ago. Carlos Oliveira took second last year up at light-featherweight, and is registered at rooster this year. Light-featherweight contains 2016 purple belt World champ Joao Gabriel Souza (ZR Team).