The IBJJF Denver Open 2023 occurred on May sixth and 7th, 2023 and showcased a few of the leading grapplers in the sport. Francisco Lo was the standout rival of the weekend, winning numerous gold medals. He emerged triumphant in the no-gi medium-heavyweight department and the outright department, both in the gi and in no-gi. However, Lo needed to opt for a silver medal in the gi medium-heavyweight department, losing to Shane Fishman in the last. Lo got his vengeance the next day, beating Fishman in the no-gi department last.
Diego ‘Pato’ Oliveira likewise completed at the occasion and became the winner in the gi featherweight department. The middleweight gi department included an amazing last match in between Marcelo Fausto and Michael Liera Jr., with Fausto becoming the champ. In addition to his gold medal in the middleweight gi department, Fausto likewise protected a silver medal in the outright department. Liera Jr. returned on the 2nd day to win the master 1 middleweight department in no-gi.
Adam Wardzinski, another significant rival, stood apart in the males’s gi departments, winning the gold medal in the heavyweight classification. The females’s departments were likewise extremely competitive, with Melissa Stricker Cueto, Luciana Mota, and Emily Fernandez winning gold medals in the heavyweight, medium-heavyweight, and light-weight departments respectively.
All 3 females likewise completed in the outright department, with Fernandez making a bronze medal and Mota beating Stricker in the last to declare gold. The no-gi departments on the 2nd day were a little less hectic, however Eliot Kelly made a remarkable look, winning gold in the super-heavyweight department and protecting a silver medal in the outright department.
One surprise rival at the occasion was Samir Chantre, who led Ares BJJ and won gold in the master 1 light-weight no-gi department.
Overall, the IBJJF Denver Open 2023 was a magnificent occasion, including top-tier rivals and thrilling matches throughout numerous weight departments and disciplines.
