From over at ADCombat:
As I've done previously, bio's for the more notable competitors are linking in YELLOW.
In another ridiculously stacked division, who will reign?
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I'll have to go with Pablo Popovitch to win it. I think Calasans will take 2nd and Avellan will three-peat at bronze.
Lucas Leite, Checkmat Black belt, Black Belt Mundial silver medalist, 2x nogi world champion, and multi-time world champ at the lower belts and Pan-Ams now resides in the US.
Keenan Cornelius, recent promotion to Faixa Preta and export of Team Lloyd Irvin now trains at Atos along with JT Torres who left the embattled team of the internet marketing guru. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts to the leg lock and wrestling specific game of the ADCC with guys who have probably been black belts as long as he's been doing Jiu-Jitsu. Keenan won the Grand slam at purple belt - winning his weight and absolute at the Euros, Mundials, Pans and the Brasileiros.
He also has a superfight with Lucas Leite after the ADCC at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo.
Claudio Calasans: perennial contender. Pan Am and Euro IBJJF Champion. Mundials silver medalist. He's that guy always near the top, but always not quite there. He has a dangerous game and wrestling and Judo skills to accompany a very tuned tournament game. I'm interested to watch him in this ADCC.
Rafael Lovato is another guy who almost needs no introduction. World champion. NoGi world champion. Brasileiro champion at weight and absolute. Former ADCC competitor. I don't see him winning it but he will beat some guys along the way.
David Avellan is most known on the internets as that guy who Toquinho brutally heel hooked at the last ADCC. What people also forget is he's a 2x ADCC bronze medalist. He clearly has some legit NoGi Grappling skills to match his internet marketing expertise as a devotee of Lloyd Irvin in the ensuing months after the scandal broke.
The most photogenic guy in Jiu-Jitsu, Clark Gracie, brings a ton of titles with his resume. World NoGi Champion. Pan and World champion medalist. His omoplata game is perhaps less effective in the NoGi but only barely so.
Romulo Barral - 4x world champion. 5x world silver medalist. NoGi World champion. He's another guy I think will win a few matches but I don't see him winning this one.
Pablo Popovitch - former ADCC champion. 3x world NoGi Champion. It's interesting that in the bio's I've included and linked there are some serious grapplers. But so few of them have medaled or won the ADCC. It's a testament to the prestige and difficulty of the tournament. I think Popovitch will win or medal. It's always amazing to me that he makes weight because he usually dwarfs his opponents.
"-87.9 kg
1. Lucas Leite – Brazil
2. Oskar Piechota - Poland
3. Keenan Cornelius - USA
4. Doorwang Jeon – Korea
5. Claudio Calazans - Brazil
6. Josh Hayden - USA
7. Shinsho Anzai - Japan
8. Rustam Chsiev - Russia
9. Rafael Lavato Jr. - USA
10. Clark Gracie - USA
11. David Avellan - USA
12. Romulo Barral - Brazil
13. Kim Dong - Korea
14. Rodrigo Caporal - Brazil
15. Pablo Popovitch - USA
16. Lukasz Michalec - Poland"
2. Oskar Piechota - Poland
3. Keenan Cornelius - USA
4. Doorwang Jeon – Korea
5. Claudio Calazans - Brazil
6. Josh Hayden - USA
7. Shinsho Anzai - Japan
8. Rustam Chsiev - Russia
9. Rafael Lavato Jr. - USA
10. Clark Gracie - USA
11. David Avellan - USA
12. Romulo Barral - Brazil
13. Kim Dong - Korea
14. Rodrigo Caporal - Brazil
15. Pablo Popovitch - USA
16. Lukasz Michalec - Poland"
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