Welcome to the voting portion of the TXMMA Awards – BJJ Edition 2016
2016 has been another great year for BJJ competition in the state of Texas. This competition season has been full of exciting moments with top competitors from great teams performing at a very high level. From city to city and throughout the world, Texans are rising to the top at tournaments. Texas athletes have been involved in some amazing matches and great submissions this year. And as always, and a new crop of stars continues to emerge at every level. The goal of these awards, especially with the people’s choice portion, is to give the community a space to highlight the performers that stood out this year.
Winning People’s Choice is indicative of massive community support. It’s a great honor, just like winning the Official Stats-Based Awards which is entirely decided based on 2016 competition stats.
Please join us is showing your support for who you think should win this year.
Before you go through the ballot below to vote via our Facebook Group Page, take quick note of these directions:
- You have to be logged in to Facebook to vote. This helps keep things accountable / 1 account = 1 vote.
- Join the TXMMA Group Pageso you can access the poll. Hit join, Wait patiently to be approved.
- Go through the links below and vote.
note:If your phone doesn’t show the poll, do it from a computer. Comments for anyone other than write-ins not on the ballot do not count. If voting OTHER (write-in), you MUST click the “other” button or your vote will not count. - Voting will end on Sunday, January 29th.
BJJ Edition Official Ballot 2016
ASSOCIATION OF THE YEAR
- Gracie Barra Texas
- Soul Fighters Texas
- Lead BJJ Association
- Brazilian Top Team Texas
- Checkmat Texas
- Elite MMA
- Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu Association TX
- Alliance
- GF Team
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Association of the Year
ACADEMY OF THE YEAR
- Soul Fighters Dallas / Siam Star MMA
- Gracie Barra Westchase
- Bruno Bastos BJJ Midland
- Alvarez BJJ
- Pablo Silva Jiu-Jitsu Academy
- Team Tooke HQ
- Gracie Barra Texas
- Travis Lutter Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Mohler MMA – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Boxing
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Academy of the Year
BLACK BELT OF THE YEAR (ADULT)
- Diego Gamonal Nogueira (Brazilian Top Team)
- Samuel Snow (Alliance)
- Manuel Ribamar (RPBJJ)
- Inacio Neto (GB Westchase)
- Thiago Macedo (RPBJJ)
- Michael Alexander (Lutter)
- Lucas Pinheiro (AMBJJ)
- Pedro Araujo (Gracie Barra Heights)
- Jose Llanas (Team Tooke)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Black Belt of the Year (Adult)
BLACK BELT OF THE YEAR (MASTERS)
- Daniel Alvarez Jr. (Alvarez BJJ)
- Alex Martins (AMBJJ)
- Raul Jimenez (Alliance Team Gacho)
- Bruno Bastos (LEAD BJJ)
- Pablo Silva (PSBJJ)
- Eddie Ricardo (Cobra BJJ)
- Robert Yamashita (Elite MMA)
- Leonardo Machado (BTT)
- Marcus Antelante (Soul Fighters)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Black Belt of the Year (Masters)
BROWN BELT OF THE YEAR (ADULT)
- Hunter Newton (Gracie Barra Westchase)
- Lucas Valente (Gracie Barra Texas)
- Roniel Oliveira Costa (LEAD BJJ)
- Isai Cabrera (Gracie Barra Texas)
- Alex Lane (PSBJJ)
- Matthew Fox (Team Lloyd Irvin)
- Sebastian Black (Checkmat)
- Matthew McCormick (LEAD BJJ)
- Ighor Luis (Brazilian Top Team)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Brown Belt of the Year (Adult)
BROWN BELT OF THE YEAR (MASTERS)
- Jordan Shepler (Alvarez BJJ)
- Jesse Palmer (Soul Fighters)
- Ryne Sandhagen (Alvarez BJJ)
- Jordan Burton (PSBJJ)
- Jeffery Hammond (Caique JJ)
- Reed Shelger (GFT / Paradigm)
- Loronz Marion (Soul Fighters)
- Emre Demirors (Brazil 021)
- Jonathan Akard (Peak Performance)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Brown Belt of the Year (Masters)
PURPLE BELT OF THE YEAR (ADULT)
- Matheus Gabriel (Checkmat)
- Diego Almeida Ferreira (LEAD BJJ)
- Damion Oranday (Oranday BJJ)
- Bobby Alexander (Lutter BJJ)
- Dinko Bektic (BJJ Revolution Team)
- Jarrod Trotter (Soul Fighters Dallas)
- Michael Salazar (AMBJJ)
- Brandon Gutierrez (Rabadi BJJ)
- Michael Esquivel II (Presa BJJ)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Purple Belt of the Year (Adult)
PURPLE BELT OF THE YEAR (MASTER)
- Christopher L West (Alvarez BJJ)
- Dulces N Flaco Flores (AMBJJ)
- Joseph Castillo (LEAD BJJ)
- Wade Hutson (Soul Fighters)
- Andrew McNally (PSBJJ)
- DeNiro Kelly (GB Westchase)
- Chris Farias (Team Tooke)
- Danny Kou (Brazil 021)
- Jacob Herrick (Checkmat)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Purple Belt of the Year (Masters)
BLUE BELT OF THE YEAR (ADULT)
- Jorge Valladares (Team Mohler)
- Austin Oranday (Oranday Bros)
- Jesus Gutierrez (GB Brownsville)
- Jules Johnson (PSBJJ)
- Kade Lawson (Alliance)
- Axel Melartin (PSBJJ)
- Matthew Meyer (Soul Fighters TX)
- Andre Currier (Alliance)
- Thomas Standridge (Checkmat)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Blue Belt of the Year (Adult)
BLUE BELT OF THE YEAR (MASTERS)
- Vince Campiti (Next Generation Frisco)
- Brian Chou (BTT)
- Edgardo Caminos (Alliance)
- Daniel Shanks (BJJ Revolution)
- Jules Johnson (PSBJJ)
- Chukwunoso Nnamdi Ebede (Ground Dwellers)
- Carlos Lazo (BJJ Revolution)
- Marcos Ozuna (Paragon Austin)
- Jeff Horn (AMBJJ)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Blue Belt of the Year (Masters)
WHITE BELTS OF THE YEAR (ADULT + MASTERS)
- Dustin Shelhamer (LEAD BJJ)
- Travis Cole (10P Austin)
- Thomas Standridge (Checkmat)
- Jaime Sosa (AMBJJ)
- Troy Mercer (Octagon MMA)
- Cyril Jeffrey Smith Jr. (PSBJJ)
- Ryan Saldana (RPBJJ)
- Manuel Del Castillo (GFT)
- Silvino Gomez IV (BJJ Revolution)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – White Belt of the Year (Adult)
BLACK BELT OF THE YEAR (FEMALE)
- Fabiana Alves Borges (Gracie Barra San Antonio)
- Nathiely Karoline (RPBJJ)
- Monique Ricardo Carvalho (Cobra BJJ / Checkmat)
- Sue Ausman (Lutter BJJ)
- Tracy Dyan D’Arcy (Roberto Kaeli)
- Kristine Felts (Peak Performance)
- Taissa Drummond (Soul Fighters Dallas) * write-in to vote
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Black Belt of the Year (Female)
BROWN BELT OF THE YEAR (ADULTS + MASTERS)
- Danielle Alvarez (Alvarez BJJ)
- Karen Kovach Lingle (Genesis)
- Brenda Castillo Rodriguez (Presa BJJ)
- Veronica Manriquez (Soul Fighters Dallas)
- Veronica Mota-Messina (BJJ Revolution)
- Lana Hunter (Ohana)
- Brandy New (Soul Fighters Dallas)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Brown Belt of the Year (Female)
PURPLE BELT OF THE YEAR (FEMALE)
- Laura Ann Heiman Martins (Intergracao)
- Victoria Tome (LEAD BJJ)
- Jessica Jasper (Cobra BJJ)
- Chelsah’ Lyons (Alliance Marcelo Garcia)
- Victoria Maciel Antelante (Soul Fighters BJJ)
- Audrey Drew (Checkmat)
- Natalia Biasca-Shepler (Alvarez BJJ)
- Ketra Bartek (Gracie Humaita Austin)
- Charity Combs (Solis Martial Arts Club)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Purple Belt of the Year (Female)
PURPLE BELT OF THE YEAR (FEMALE MASTERS)
- Laura Ann Heiman Martins (Intergracao)
- Olympia Watts (Gracie Barra Texas)
- Georgina Staley (PSBJJ)
- Karen Kovach (Genesis)
- Crystal Tolentino (Checkmat)
- Tippamas Kromloy (Elite MMA)
- Bambi Oranday (Oranday Bros)
- Terri Reeve (Soul Fighters Texas)
- Jeane Ruiz (GF Team)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Purple Belt of the Year (Female)
BLUE BELT OF THE YEAR (FEMALE ADULT)
- Maddy Fernandez (LEAD BJJ)
- Mariana Azevedo (Gracie Barra Pearland)
- Carrie Spellious Duckworth (Alliance)
- Katie Egan (AMBJJ)
- Alexa Yanes (GB San Antonio)
- Verena Gasparin Arus BTT)
- Monica Salazar (RPBJJ)
- Luzimery Garcia (Paradigm / GFT)
- Madison Davenport Brennan (Next Generation)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Blue Belt of the Year (Female Adult)
BLUE BELT OF THE YEAR (FEMALE MASTERS)
- Melissa Lozano (Team Tooke)
- Karla Shellhammer (AMBJJ)
- Shellye Culpepper (Texas Punishment Crew)
- Misty Verschoor (Brazilian Top Team)
- Sylvia Ahn (PSBJJ)
- Lachasity Cloud (Team Lutter)
- Casey Martinez (LEAD BJJ)
- Evelyn Tadlock (Alliance Marcelo Garcia Dallas)
- Emma Martinez (GFT)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – Blue Belt of the Year (Female Masters)
WHITE BELT OF THE YEAR (Adult + Masters)
- An-An Chang (PSBJJ)
- Gabriela Lembcke (Snow BJJ)
- Monica Salazar (RPBJJ)
- Vanessa Lopez (TX3C)
- Carla Sosa (Alliance)
- Charlie Mcgill (Texas Punishment Crew)
- Robin Seyler (TLI)
- Rebecca King (Team Lloyd Irvin)
- Ashley Autrey (Shebaro BJJ)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – White Belt of the Year (Female)
TEEN MALE COMPETITOR OF THE YEAR
- Roberto Jimenez (Alliance Team Gacho)
- William Tackett (Team Rabadi BJJ)
- Darryl Lebus (Team Tooke)
- Tyler Brennan (Next Generation)
- Austin Oranday (Oranday Bros)
- Grayson Henley (Insight BJJ)
- Lee Crosley (Alvarez BJJ)
- Nestor Eduardo Jimenez Segovia (LEAD BJJ)
- Lucas Brennan (Next Generation)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – TEEN COMPETITOR OF THE YEAR (BOYS)
TEEN FEMALE COMPETITOR OF THE YEAR
- Mikayla Castillo (Warlord MMA)
- Jessie Crane (Alvarez JJ)
- Madison Wolfe (Soul Fighters Dallas)
- Alexandria Terrier (Oranday Bros)
- Cora Sek (10P Ronin / Ground Dwellers)
- Priscilla Eckhardt (PSBJJ)
- Ariel Palmer (Team Rivas BJJ)
- Doriane Alfon (LEAD BJJ)
- Kayla DeLeon (BJJ Revolution)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – TEEN COMPETITOR OF THE YEAR (GIRLS)
KIDS MALE COMPETITOR OF THE YEAR
- Joshua Hahm (Team Mohler)
- Dillinger Kovach (Team X)
- Cole Abate (RPBJJ)
- Blaice Prescott (RPBJJ)
- Sergio Guajardo (BJJ Revolution)
- Bryer Gray (PSBJJ)
- Chris Wilemon (Team Tooke)
- Dylan Hamill (LEAD BJJ)
- John Pineda (BJJ Revolution / Team Tooke)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – KIDS MALE COMPETITOR OF THE YEAR
KIDS FEMALE COMPETITOR OF THE YEAR
- Ryleigh Pirraglia (Warlord MMA)
- Noah Kovach (Genesis)
- Aeri Osha (BJJ Revolution)
- Mona Bailey (Ground Dwellers)
- Mckinzey Torres (Gracie Barra)
- Tiffany Butler (Team Rabadi)
- Zoe Farry (Brazilian Top Team)
- Carly Rodriguez (Presa BJJ)
- Emily Jackson (Alvarez BJJ)
- Other (Comment Write-In Votes)
2016 TXMMA Awards BJJ Edition Official Voting – KIDS FEMALE COMPETITOR OF THE YEAR
Additional awards to be presented along with our official stats-based winners for the above awards:
- Match of the Year
- Submission of the Year
- Upset of the Year
- Ironman of the Year
- Inspirational Community Member of the Year
- Lifetime Achievement Award / TXMMA Hall of Fame