Heavyweights Buchecha, Galvao prepare for IBJJF Grand Prix

Get the Full StoryMarcus Buchecha, Leandro Lo, Andre Galvao and others set for the big event on August 26th. August and September are two big months for the competitive grappling space. While everyone is excited for the ADCC tournament coming in September, there s an event in August that will be equally as exciting. The IBJJF 2017 Pro League Heavyweight Grand Prix brings together some of the biggest names participating in the sport today and pits them against each other with 40,000 as the grand prize.

The roster for this year s event is as star-studded as one could get. Ten-time champion, Marcus Buchecha Almeida could be considered the headliner due to his legacy in the sport. Buchecha is looking to rebound after suffering a defeat at the hands of Roger Gracie in their Gracie Pro super fight. Almeida has faced and defeated many of the men in this tournament in the past, but that doesn t mean any of them should be counted out at any point here.

Two five-time champions are also joining the field in Leandro Lo and Andre Galvao. Galvao is a staple in the sport and one of the foremost leaders in the world. The 2011 ADCC champion continues to compete at a high level, showing the ability to keep up with all of the younger athletes in the game today.

Lo is also coming off of recent defeats at the hands of Nicholas Meregali and Buchecha at Worlds in the finals of the 94 kilos and absolute weight divisions. Lo has continued to build on the performances that helped him earn the Black Belt of the Year award as he s picked up big wins against the likes of Gordon Ryan, Matheus Diniz, Guilherme Augusto, and Tanner Rice in 2017.

Mahamed Aly walked out of the European Championship with gold in both the gi and no-gi divisions in 2017. He s had a strong year with wins over some of the best in the sport and the Grand Prix is an opportunity for him to upset some of the men that have defeated him in the past. Joao Gabriel Rocha brings experience as both a Pan-Ams champion and ADCC silver medalist into the event.

Ricardo Evangelista, Dimitrius Souza and Marcio Cruz round out the group of competitors for this event. The eight-man bracket will be revealed that day and all matches are contested under 10-minute, IBJJF rules. The event is set for August 26 and starts at 7:00 p.m. EST. The IBJJF 2017 Pro League Heavyweight Grand Prix will be broadcast live on FloGrappling.

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