The Best Blue Belts in America Today: 2021 IBJJF Pans Day 1 Recap
The Best Blue Belts in America Today: 2021 IBJJF Pans Day 1 Recap
The sheer number of participants in the blue belt divisions means it is equal part endurance event and contest of skill.
Non-stop action here on day 1 of the 2021 IBJJF Pan Championships – the first major gi event of the IBJJF calendar came later in the year than expected and you can see that the competitors were eager to let it rip.
If the black belts are chess masters then the blue belts are playing speed checkers. Their enthusiasm and energy make for entertaining bouts, and the sheer number of participants means competing as a blue belt is equal part endurance event and contest of skill.
Medium-Heavyweight & Openweight: Danylo Wruck
Blue belt medium-heavyweight champ Danylo Wruck of Alliance won five matches in his weight division and beat Jason Hackett of Six Blades in the medium-heavyweight final, putting 22 points on his opponent before winning via armbar. Wruck won another three matches to claim absolute gold, meeting Hackett again in the openweight final. Wruck won again via armbar although their second meeting was far more competitive.
El1: Danylo Ferreira Wruck vs Daniel Fredrick Rivera Lll 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
El2: Han Byol Kim vs Danylo Ferreira Wruck 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
QF: Gabriel Heise Vivan vs Danylo Ferreira Wruck 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
SF: Danylo Ferreira Wruck vs Jared Lee Shafer 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
Final: Danylo Ferreira Wruck vs Jason O'neal Hackett 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
Lightweight: Lisander Lopez
Lisander Lopez of Unity emerged the winner in the biggest division of the day, which was the blue belt lightweight absolute division with 71 registered competitors. Lopez had six matches throughout the day to become champion.
El1: Lisander Lopez vs Alexander Joseph Nieman 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
El2: Jared Alec Wade vs Lisander Lopez 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
El3: Ty Sequoia Wallace vs Lisander Lopez 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
QF: Lisander Lopez vs Brandon Richard Hartley 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
SF: Johnathan Scott Waid vs Lisander Lopez 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
Final: Lisander Lopez vs Qiao Yang Han 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
Featherweight: Jason Calvario
Joining him in taking gold was Unity teammate Jason Calvario, who won the equally-competitive featherweight division (52 competitors) with five consecutive wins.
El1: Jason Adrian Calvario vs Andres Eduardo G. Rondon 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
El2: Jason Adrian Calvario vs Tyler Ray Mckay 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
QF: Jason Adrian Calvario vs Aidan Daniel Dobbins 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
SF: Lennon Gabriel Gonzalez Lopez vs Jason Adrian Calvario 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
Final: Jason Adrian Calvario vs Jonathan Efrain Hart 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
Heavyweight: Jordan Butler
Jordan Butler of Pedigo Submission Fighting won four matches, all via submission. He tapped his first two opponents out in the opening minute of both matches and finished the last two in the final minute of each match. In the semifinal, Butler was down 5-2 and finished an armbar with just 13 seconds left on the clock.
El1: Jordan Michael Butler vs Noah Evan Walker 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
QF: Jordan Michael Butler vs Collin Grey Quarles 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
SF: Jordan Michael Butler vs Justin Donald Wade 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
Final: Jordan Michael Butler vs Brandon James Hill 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
WATCH: Jordan Butler Lands Four Submissions In Gold Medal Run At Pan
Middleweight: Carlos Heredia
The winner of the blue belt middleweight division was Carlos Heredia of Team Lloyd Irvin, who beat out a total of 61 entrants to take gold. He submitted two of his four opponents catching an armbar and a RNC en route to the final before earning a close win via advantage against Joseph Mora of Gracie Barra in the final.
El1: Carlos Oscar Heredia vs Matias Wajner 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
QF: Ian Thomas Mclain vs Carlos Oscar Heredia 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
SF: Carlos Oscar Heredia vs Thomas Steven 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
Final: Carlos Oscar Heredia vs Joseph Alfred De La Mora 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
Roosterweight: Quinton Dixon
Quinton Dixon of Team Lloyd Irvin won four matches (with two submissions) and beat Kobe Litov in the roosterweight final to become champ.
El1: Quinton Isaiah Dixon vs Manuel Israel Lopez 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
QF: Quinton Isaiah Dixon vs Jorge Luis Arispe Guzman 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
SF: Quinton Isaiah Dixon vs Vance Peyton Ward 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship
Final: Quinton Isaiah Dixon vs Kobe L. Litov 2021 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship