In the wake of IBJJF Worlds, a lot of promising up-and-comers (including 18-year-old Gabi Pessanha and Atos standout Jonnatas Gracie) have been promoted to the coveted rank of black belt. And among them is 19-year-old top-of-the-podium regular Thalison Soares.
The athlete has had an absolutely dominant jiu-jitsu career since he came on to the competition scene. His win at Worlds this year was his fourth so far, coming about a month after a win at the UAEJJF World Pro. This promotion was far from rushed — as a brown belt, Soares’ accomplishments include wins at Pans, No-Gi Pans, Euros, and No-Gi Worlds. Having conquered virtually every major title and submitting his way to the top at Worlds over the weekend, the next logical step for him was that highly coveted belt promotion.
In a social media post, Soares expressed gratitude for those who had helped him on his journey, thanking his professors and his academy, Unity.
