Below is the event schedule for tournament day with further detail found here.
Event Schedule – Saturday, November 26, 2011
► 9:00am – 10:00 – Final Weigh-ins* (ALL competitors need to weigh-in either Friday or during this time. No other weigh-ins allowed)
► 10:00am – Junior, Teen, Juvenile Divisions
►11:00am – Adult White Belts, Adult Blue Belt Divisions
► 1:00pm – Seniors, Female White/Blue Belts Divisions
► 2:00pm – Adult Purple Belts, Female Purple/Brown/Black Belt, Adult Brown/Black Belts Divisions
► 4:00pm – ALL Absolutes (*must advance to division quarter finals to be able to enter)
Competitor List and Advanced Division Preview
The full list of competitors can be found here with brackets expected to be released on Friday prior to the tournament. Below is a summary of the advanced divisions for both men and women along with a few notes on what to expect from each class.
MEN’S BROWN/BLACK BELT
-143
• Gustavo Dantas / Nova Uniao
• Gustavo Carpio / Marra Senki
• Pablo Da Silva Santos / Gracie Barra Tx “Draculino”
• Milton Nascimento / Paragon BJJ
• Mike Reyna / Champion Jiujitsu
This should be a hotly contested division. Pablo Silva and Gustavo Carpio are both competing fresh off their superfight at the 2011 Battle of H-Town in Houston and will both be looking for a win here. 2009 No Gi Worlds 1st place finisher Milton Nascimento and Arizona’s Gustavo Dantas will also have something to say about this class along with Mike Reyna who rounds out the field.
-163
• Joshua Lauber / Relson Gracie JiuJistu
• Wellington “Megaton” Dias / Gracie Humaita
• Bruno Amaral/Brazilian Top Team
• Joe Scovel / Longman Jiu-jitsu
• Maajid Abdullah AL-Kush / Jiu jitsu Academy of Health and Fitness
• Vitor Henrique Silva Oliveira / GFTeam
• Darrin Lillian / Paragon Texas
• Jason Soliz / TX 3rd Coast MMA
• Travis Tooke / Travis Tooke MMA
• Travis Serna / Lovato Jiu Jitsu
• Albert Hughes / Fight Sports
• Samir Chantre / Gracie Fighter
The busiest adult brown/black belt division of the day, this class should be fun to watch. Vitor Henrique de Oliveira of GF Team enters the competition fresh of a 1st place finish at the 2011 American Nationals while guys Wellington “Megaton” Dias enters the competition as a 4x World medalist and 7x medalist at the Pans. Representing Texas will be formidable competitors like Travis Tooke, Albert Hughes, Jason Soliz, and more.
-183
• James Harbison / Team Lloyd Irvin
• Alberto Juarez / Ricardo Barros BJJ
Jim Harbison is one of the up and comers out of Team Lloyd Irvin’s BJJ Camp while 26 year old Alberto Juarez comes in as a veteran of World Pro tryouts earlier this year in San Diego.
-202
• Rafael Lovato Jr. / Lovato Jiu-Jitsu
• Jon Wagner / Nova Uniao
• Ricardo Bastos Cruz / Nova Uniao
• JJ Holmes / Alliance
• Alexandre Santos / Gracie Barra
Prominent American black belt Rafael Lovato Jr. comes in as the undoubted favorite after winning at ADCC earlier this past summer. Challenging him in the division will be guys like Bruno’s brother Ricardo Bastos and ADCC qualifier JJ Holmes.
Over 202
• Luis Rubalcava / Arsenal Jiu-Jitsu
• Ricardo Barros / Ricardo Barros BJJ
It’s a two man battle at over-202 with Texas up-and-comer and Arsenal BJJ instructor Luis Rubalcava takes on former Ryan Gracie (RIP) brown belt and Ralph Gracie black belt Ricardo Barros – a former IBJJF Masters 3rd place finisher.
Under 140
• Mackenzie Dern / Gracie Humaita
• Nathalia Azoff / Brazilian Top Team
• Kristina Barlaan / Nova Uniao
• Ana Michelle Tavares Dantas / Gracie Humaita
• Tessa Simpson / Team Ronny Lis BJJ
• Laurah Hallock / Paragon Texas
• Ariadne Burkhart / Joao Crus BJJ
This might be one of our most anticipated divisions of the day. Top-rising purple belt Mackenzie Dern enters the competition with wins at many international competitions as of late, including the mundials and No-Gi Worlds. Meanwhile Gustavo Dantas purple belt Kristina Barlaan will look to challenge for the 1st place medal along with a trio of talented Texas competitors in Tessa Simpson, Laurah Hallock, and Ariadne Burkhart. Rounding out the field are Nathalia Azoff (3rd place finisher in this year’s 2011 World Pro Montreal Trials) and Michelle Tavares.
Over 140
• Sijara Eubanks / Team Lloyd Irvin
• Christina Thomas / Relson Gracie
• Kelly Faszholz / Nova Uniao
It’s a three woman race at over-140. Christina Thomas is a 2-stripe brown belt under Master Relson Gracie and Phil Cardella and has been an active competitor for many years and has defeated the likes of Michelle Nicolini among others. Meanwhile, Sijara Eubanks was a 2010 world champion at the blue belt level competiting out of Team Lloyd Irvin. Rounding out the field is Kelly Faszholz of Nova Uniao, who’s been a revelation as of late on the Texas competition scene. This should be a very interesting field as it could be anyone’s game.
That’s it for our pre-tournament look at the 2011 Abu Dhabi World Pro San Antonio Trials. We’ll be there to cover this event LIVE so stay tuned for results, photos, and more right here on TXMMA.com.
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