BJJ Stars 15 went down today in São Paulo, Brazil. And man, it was a rollercoaster before it even started.
First, PJ Barch pulled out. Then, at the last minute, two more guys — Gabriel Almeida and Isaque Bahiense — also dropped.
You might anticipate that the tournament would lose its appeal, correct? Nope. They replaced them with Roberto Jimenez and Rafael Paganini—two heavy hitters—which somehow made the bracket even better.
Here’s How the Middleweight GP Shaped Up:
- Mica Galvao vs. Jon Blank
- Elijah Dorsey vs. Rafael Paganini
- Izaak Michell vs. Roberto Jimenez
- Jonnatas Gracie vs. Oliver Taza
Mica Galvao coming in was already the guy everybody had their eyes on. His recent performance has been impressive, positioning him as one of the top grapplers in the pound-for-pound division.
But adding Roberto Jimenez last minute? Now you’ve got real chaos potential. Styles make fights, and Jimenez is wild enough to throw a wrench into anyone’s plans.
But Wait, There Were Also Super Fights
The card wasn’t just about the GP. They threw in some super fights that would’ve been worth a ticket on their own:
- Diogo Reis vs. Meyram Maquine
- Gabi Pessanha vs. Tayane Porfirio
- Adam Wardzinski vs. Erich Munis
- Leonardo Ferreira vs. Hygor Brito
Diogo Reis, a two-time ADCC champ, is always fun to watch.
And Gabi Pessanha? Absolute monster in the gi and no-gi scene.
Seeing her match up against Tayane Porfirio was a heavyweight clash we didn’t even know we needed.
Where You Could Watch
The main event streamed live on FloGrappling at 6 p.m. ET. And if you didn’t want to pay? Some of the earlier matches had a free live stream (which was a nice bonus).
Final Thoughts
BJJ Stars 15 showed again why Brazil still feels like the heart of the sport.
Even when plans blow up hours before showtime, they somehow pull together a lineup that makes you excited to roll out of bed and watch.
Crazy matchups.
Big names.
Wild scrambles.
It’s the kind of chaos we love in grappling.
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