The 2019 IBJJF World Championship will take place from December 12th to the 15th in Anaheim, CA. The female black belt divisions will begin competing on Saturday on December 14th with division finals on Sunday December 15th. All matches will be streamed live through FloGrappling. The brackets are set, and listed below are the black belts for each division.
ROOSTER WEIGHT – 103LBS
- Mayssa Bastos – GF Team
- Amber Rymarz-Freitas – Gracie Barra
With only two competitors at the rooster weight class, the finals will take place on Sunday at approximately 2:30pm. Mayssa Bastos is the favorite to win this division as the returning black belt champion, in addition to winning Gi worlds earlier this year. As a relatively new black belt Mayssa has won all major titles including Gi and Nogi Pans, Gi and Nogi Worlds, UAEJJF Grand Slam, Europeans, Asian Open, American Nationals, Nogi Brazilian Nationals, EBI 18, and Abu Dhabi Pro to list only some of her accolades. Her opponent Amber Rymarz-Freitas a newly promoted black belt won’t make it easy for Bastos to gain another title. She is back to back Nogi World Champion at purple and brown belt in 2017 and 2018, an American National champion, and Pan American Champion. With two very decorated athletes, this will be a match to watch.
LIGHT FEATHER WEIGHT – 114LBS
- Fiona Watson – Notorious MMA
- Amanda Canuto – GF Team
- Patricia Machado – Brazilian Top Team
Another small division, there is no clear favorite here with the returning champion competing in Rooster. However, Patricia Machado won the brown belt light feather weight in 2018 before being promoted to black belt earlier this year. Fiona Watson is looking for her first world title, but is well versed in Nogi having competed on EBI and Fight2Win, and taking home silver at Nogi Pans earlier this year. 2019 Gi Worlds silver medalist and 2018 Gi World Champion Amanda Canuto could easily take home the Nogi World Champion title this year, after getting silver last year in feather weight. With accolades such as Pan American Champion, European Champion, and Fight2Win Champion, Canuto could easily be argued to be the favorite this year. Semifinals will take place on Saturday starting at 6pm on Mat 8.
FEATHER WEIGHT – 125LBS
- Talita Alencar – Alliance
- Gabriela Fechter – CheckMat
- Heather Raftery – Atos
- Livia Giles (Gluchowska) – Absolute MMA
- Karen Antunes – CheckMat
The feather weight division is full of talent with numerous world champions and ADCC veterans making up contending athletes. Talita Alencar is the returning 2016 and 2017 Nogi World Champion, with 2018 Champion Ffion Davies not competing, making Alencar arguably the favorite. She will be looking to add 2019 Nogi Worlds to the list. However this bracket is stacked full of talent including 5x (Gi & Nogi) World Champion, Pan American Champion, and Fight2Win Champion Karen Antunes. ADCC veteran Livia Giles will be looking to get her first black belt Nogi World title to her name, and 2018 bronze medalist and 2017 silver medalist Heather Raftery will be looking to finally take home gold. Gabriela Fetcher, the 2018 brown belt open class world champion will also be looking to make her mark this year. The division starts at 6pm on mat 3.
LIGHT WEIGHT – 136LBS
- Jena Bishop – Alliance
- Anna Nordeno – BJJ Revolution Team
- Kristin Mikkelson – Brazil 021 International
- Hannah Sharp – Silver Fox BJJ
- Nikki Sullivan – Atos
- Josephine Masiello – de Been 100% Jiu-Jitsu
With last years Nogi world champion Catherine Perret out, 2017 Nogi World champion, 2018 bronze medalist, and ADCC vet Jena Bishop may well be considered the favorite. However this division has a ton of talent including brown belt Nogi world champion Hannah Sharp, Masters world champion and 2018 brown belt bronze medalist Nikki Sullivan, and Kristin Mikkelson, 2016 Brown belt Nogi world champion. Anna Nordeno, and Josephine Masiello make up the rest of the division starting at 6pm on mat 9.
MIDDLE WEIGHT – 147LBS
- Raquel Canuto – CheckMat
- Jaqueline Amorim Ramos – CheckMat
- Gabi McComb – Gracie Humaita
- Amanda Loewen – SBG
- April Parks – RCJ Machado
- Hannah Rauch – Gracie Humaita
With no returning medalists to this division, the favorite would have to be 2017 Nogi world champion Raquel Canuto. Amanda Loewen, 2017 open class bronze medalist will be going for her first world title, and 2017 brown belt Nogi world champion and EBI vet Gabi McComb will be as well. 2019 Nogi Pan American Champion Jaqueline Amorim Ramos will also be an athlete to watch. April Parks and Hannah Rauch will also be competing on Saturday starting at 6pm on mat 7.
MEDIUM HEAVY WEIGHT – 158LBS
- Julia Boscher – Double Five
- Vedha Toscano – CheckMat
- Thamara Ferreira – Cicero Costa Internacional
- Andressa Cintra – Gracie Barra
2019 gi world champion Andreas Cintra is the clear favorite in this 4 person bracket. However three new black belts will be looking to make their mark. First up is Julia Boscher, the 2019 black belt Nogi Brazilian Nationals weight and open weight champion and 2018 brown belt Nogi world champion. Vedha Toscano, 2019 Nogi Pan American champion, and Thamara Ferreira, 2019 brown belt gi world champion and 2018 brown belt Nogi world champion finish up the division. With so much new talent, this division could easily be anyone’s. Fights start on Saturday around 6:45pm on mat 8.
HEAVY WEIGHT – 169LBS
- Veronica Macedo – Mako Team Paris
- Elizabeth Mitrovic – Cassio Werneck BJJ
- Jessica Guedry – Soul Fighters
- Talita Noguera – Ns Brotherhood
Bellator MMA fighter, Talita Noguera, is a gi world champion, which could make her the favorite in this division. Jessica Guedry representing Soul Fighters will also be a competitor to watch. Veronica Macedo, a UFC fighter representing Mako Team Paris and Elizabeth Mitrovic from Cassio Werneck BJJ finishes up the division. Fights start on Saturday at 6:15pm on mat 7.
SUPER HEAVY WEIGHT
- Jessica Flowers – Gracie Barra
- Kendall Reusing – Gracie Barra
- Tammy Griego – Gracie Barra
2018 Nogi world champion, Pan American champion, and ADCC silver and bronze medalist Jessica Flowers is a favorite in this division. 2018 Brown belt world champion Kendall Reusing will be looking to make her mark in her first black belt Nogi Worlds appearance. Veteran competitor Tammy Griego will be looking to take her first Nogi world title. Fights start Saturday at 6:15pm on Mat 3.
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