The seeding on BJJ Stars 10’s absolute bracket has officially been announced, per FloGrappling — and it’s generated some controversy, due to the inclusion of multiple recently revealed violators of USADA’s anti-doping policies. Notably, top seeds include former 2022 Worlds champ Mica Galvão, who was stripped of his title for unauthorized PED use, while middle seeds include Cyborg Abreu, who is currently serving a 3-year suspension from IBJJF competition due to anti-doping violations.
Comments on the the Instagram announcement have been overrun with anti-doping jokes. One fan described the lineup as “the battle of the sauce,” while another commented, “Them açaí seeds sure are juicy.”
“So are we fully ignoring and endorsing cheating now??” wrote ADCC Euros champ Tom Halpin. “This sport is a joke sometimes.”
Participants in BJJ Stars do not appear to be subject to the same anti-doping protocols as those competing in IBJJF events — and given the recent high-profile rise of steroid use in the sport, we may be seeing an increase in known PED users flocking to non-IBJJF competition.
BJJ Stars 10 streams live on April 22, and will be available for PPV.
