Nicholas Meregali, a three-time IBJJF world champ and four-time Brasileiros champ, has actually signed up for the 2023 IBJJF Pan Championships, marking his very first entry at an IBJJF competition because he made his IBJJF open class world title in June 2022. Meregali has actually been on a rollercoaster trip of a black belt profession ever since, winning titles and dealing with disqualification for unsportsmanlike conduct in 2021, however making redemption in 2022 with gold at Euros and his very first outright title at Worlds. He has actually likewise just recently released into effective no-gi competitors, under the assistance of John Danaher. Meregali is most likely to go into the outright department at Pans, where he might deal with Erich Munis, Pedro Marinho, Roberto Jimenez, Fellipe Andrew, Francisco Lo, Elder Cruz, and others.
Five of the finalists who contended at the 2022 IBJJF No-Gi World Championships, consisting of gold medalists Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu, Henrique Ceconi, and Jonnatas Gracie, have actually been suspended from IBJJF competitors through early 2025 following screening by USADA, the anti-doping firm, and will be removed of their titles. The firm likewise enforced sanctions on Vagner Rocha and Igor Feliz, who evaluated favorable for prohibited compounds or declined to send to screening. This follows precedent in previous doping cases where a minimum of 3 brand-new champs need to be called.
In other competition news, Elisabeth Clay sent 2 of her 3 challengers in the eight-woman bracket at the Polaris GP to take the title and the $20,000 reward. Owen Livesey beat Chris Wideman in a superfight in between ADCC veterans. And crucial professional athletes such as Rolando Samson contended in Los Angeles Open, in preparation for the IBJJF Pan Championships.
