We caught up with Isaque Bahiense just one day before he enters the stacked middleweight division at the 2019 IBJJF European Championships. 

The Alliance star won gold and was crowned the 2018 IBJJF World champion, and he revealed to us that his 2019 plans would eclipse his past achievements. 

Bahiense is aiming to do the Super Grand Slam, “Like Cobrinha did,” he says. That would mean winning gold at the IBJJF European, Pan, Brazilian National and World Championships, along with conquering the ADCC 2019 World Championships in September. 

That would mean a busy year for Bahiense, who will need to compete at Euros in January, twice in March (Pans and ADCC Trials in Brazil), twice in May (Abu Dhabi World Pro and Brazilian Nationals), at Worlds in June, and finally in September at the ADCC Worlds should he qualify. Plus, the 23-year-old has a superfight with DJ Jackson in Brazil lined up in February! 

Bahiense went undefeated from January to September in 2018, winning 27 straight matches. And he’s likely looking at a lot more than that if he wants to complete the Super Grand Slam. 

Bahiense will compete in the middleweight division at Euros, which is loaded with strong opposition. On his side of the bracket there are athletes such as Diego Ramalho (who Bahiense submitted at the Abu Dhabi King of Mats just last weekend) and Andris Brunovskis. Waiting on the other side for a potential showdown in the semifinals are Leo Lara of Atos, Manuel Ribamar and 2016 European champ Michael Liera Jr. 

Watch the 2019 IBJJF European Championships

Jan. 15-20 | Lisbon, Portugal