Division Previews: The Biggest Stories At The IBJJF 2021 No-Gi Pans

The Featherweight Division At No-Gi Pans Is Full Of Wild Cards

The Featherweight Division At No-Gi Pans Is Full Of Wild Cards

The No-Gi Pans featherweight division will feature no-gi newcomers like Diego "Pato" Oliveira and IBJJF newcomers like Frank Rosenthal and Marvin Castelle.

May 12, 2021
The Featherweight Division At No-Gi Pans Is Full Of Wild Cards

The 19-man featherweight division at the 2021 No-Gi Pan Championships has more wildcards than outright favorites, as leg lock specialists have flocked to the tournament in droves following the new IBJJF rules sanctioning heel hooks and reaping attacks.

Joshua Cinseros has to feel confident in this division after his potential match of the year against the no.1-ranked lightweight, Kennedy Maciel. Although Cisneros lost that match, he had Maciel on the run for most of the bout. Cisneros is scrappy and well-rounded, and will want to collect a No-Gi Pans title in his rookie year to sit beside the Pans gold he earned in 2020.

Diego “Pato” Oliviera hasn’t competed much without the gi in his two-year black belt career. But he rarely loses, regardless of the ruleset. He’s a tricky guard player with heavy passing pressure and an uncanny ability to win scrambles. But he’ll have to prove that he’s adapted his game for no-gi in this bracket.

Two relative newcomers to the IBJJF scene could cause problems for featherweight regulars. 10th Planet’s Marvin Castelle will make his No-Gi Pans debut after a gold medal run at the New Orleans open, winning two matches with two submissions. He has a deep understanding of the leg lock game, and a plethora of tricks rooted in the 10th Planet game. Those qualities will make him a darkhorse in this division, and could put him on the podium.

Danaher Death Squad’s Frank Rosenthal could have a similar impact on this division. He has only had one prior match on the IBJJF mats, a loss at No-Gi Worlds in 2018. But with heel hooks now sanctioned, he has access to more of his best weapons. IBJJF rules are new territory for Rosenthal, but if he gets to his favorite positions, he could cause some trouble for his opponents. 


Adult / Male / Feather

TOTAL: 19

TEAMNAME
10th Planet Jiu JitsuMarvin Castell
AllianceDamion Shaun Oranday
Ares BJJDanilo Soares Moreira
Ares BJJJoshua Anthony Cisneros
BJJ Revolution TeamScott Dance
CheckMatCameron Wayne Adair
Fifty/50 Jiu-JitsuAdam Benayoun
Fight SportsOrlando Fernando Castillo Andaviza
Gracie AllegianceBrandon Woodly Walensky
Gracie BarraJohnathan Frank Rodrigues
Jiu-Jitsu For The People - Sheridan BJJKyvann J Gonzalez Jimenez
Ohana Jiu-Jitsu AcademyFernando de Jesus Soares
PSLPB Cicero Costha USADiego Oliveira Batista
Renzo Gracie AcademyFrank Rosenthal
Rodrigo Pinheiro BJJRichar Emiliano Nogueira
Soul Fighters BJJViki Viktor Dabush
Unity Jiu-jitsuThiago Aguiar Abud
Zenith BJJEmilio Alejandro Hernandez Rodriguez
ZR Team AssociationYaroslav Blazhko