In a repeat of last year’s black belt Open Weight final, Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida and Leandro Lo will face off for the world championship.
Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida’s semi-final match against Nicholas Meregali was a nail biter as the two battled for top position. The match started with Buchecha scoring two points for a take down and nearly securing back control before rolling out of bounds. Meregali recovered after the reset and scored two points with a sweep. After Buchecha accidentally kicked Meregali in the back of the head during a scramble, the match quickly started to favor Buchecha. Winning by a startling point differential, Buchecha will move on to the final match on Sunday.
Leandro Lo’s battle against Victor Silverio was a grinding, slow ordeal. Penalties were given on both sides, and there was little progress throughout the match. It looked like the victory would go to Silverio, but in the last seconds Lo made it to the back and was able to secure his hooks just long enough to lock in four points. He was named the opponent for Buchecha in the finals.
Both competitors looked exhausted by the end of the day, so cardio will likely play an important role in tomorrow’s final. This rematch from the 2017 IBJJF World Champtionship is definitely one you don’t want to miss.
