ADGS Istanbul: Masters fight for gold and glory on the second day of the tournament

June 8, 2024

After welcoming the Amateur category on its first day, the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Istanbul 2024 returned to the Basaksehir Genclik ve Spor Ilce Mudurlugu Tesisleri this Saturday, June 8th, for another action-packed afternoon of competition. This time around, Youths and Masters were summoned to the mats, with the former group taking its first strides in the sport while the latter used its experience to put on a show to fight fans.

Among the many warriors that rose to the battlefield, the black belts were the highlight of the day, with new and old names rising to the podium after showing their prowess and mettle in the AJP mats. Without further ado, check out below the highlights of the Master 1 Black Belt category, and for the full results, click here.

MEN'S GI / BLACK

56kg - Emerson Cassio vs Marko Oikarainen

Rivals Emerson and Marko faced each other once again on the mats. Emerson opened with an armbar and Marko defended well, with the former still earning one point for the attempt. After almost sweeping and increasing the scoreboard to 2-0, Emerson used a DLR hook and, when Marko attacked with an armbar, used the movement to sweep and score three more points. By the end of the match, Emerson almost managed to sweep again, closing the score at 6-0 to take the win.

62kg – Giorgi Razmadze vs Tommy Yip

Giorgi and Tommy had a match that was decided in the details. Giorgi quickly attacked with a footlock from the one-leg, but Tommy defended and kept positioning himself to go up throughout the fight. After Tommy almost managed a sweep in the final stretch of the bout, earning one point for the attempt, Giorgi went up with his foot still caught by the opponent, tying the score at 1-1 and winning by scoring last in the duel.

69kg - Thiago Marques vs Thiago Macedo

In another clash of rivals, Thiago Marques and Thiago Macedo had a very technical battle in the ADGS Istanbul. Macedo opened the scoreboard by going up from the double pull, but Marques made a double attack on the omoplata and then went up without sweeping, tying at 1-1. In the final moments, Marques managed to lock a triangle and, despite being unable to complete the submission, got another point and closed the score at 2-1 to conquer the title.

77kg - Artem Kaygarodov vs Talison Costa

In a duel decided by sweeps from the 50/50 guard, Talison and Artem showed their unwavering resolve as both athletes went up again and again, scoring multiple times during the bout. Nearing the end, with the scoreboard at 11-10 for Talison, Artem took his opponent's foot and went up, scoring last in the 11-11 tie and taking the gold medal.

85kg - Bruno Lima vs Luca Anacoreta

Stepping onto the mats with a lot of confidence, Bruno Lima stuck to his tried and true game to become the champion in Istanbul. After pulling and gripping the belt with pressure, Bruno swept and controlled from the top, giving Luca no chances to score back and ending the match with a 2-0.

94kg - Jackson Sousa vs Dante Cano

Jackson Sousa showed his best performance to take the gold from his Brazilian countryman Dante Cano. After earning two points with a single-leg takedown, Jackson went straight for the back take and placed his hooks to increase his advantage to 6-0. Dante managed to sweep and earn two points by the end, but a 6-2 score kept Jackson at the top of the 94kg division.

120kg - Felipe Bezerra vs Wallace Costa

Facing Wallace Costa in the 120kg final, Felipe Bezerra landed a takedown to open the scoreboard at 2-0 in the first minute. With a lot of pressure from above, Felipe earned two more points by almost passing and then three more once he got the pass, putting the score at 7-0. In the final stretch, Felipe put his knee on the opponent's stomach and got another point, closing the scoreboard at 8-0 to take the division title.

WOMEN'S Gi / BROWN / BLACK

55kg - Alexa Yanes vs Simona Rinkova

Alexa Yanes added another victory to her stacked resumé in the AJP. Facing Simona Rinkova, Alexa started off by going up from the double pull and then passing the guard, putting the scoreboard at 5-0 at the end of the move. Throughout the match, Alexa got two more points, one for almost putting her knee on Simona's stomach and another for the danger of submission with a loop choke. At the end of it all, a 7-0 score gave Alexa Yanes the win and the 55kg division title.

62kg - Marina Ribeiro vs Violeta Angelova

A very balanced duel between Marina and Violeta. Pulling guard, Marina avoided Violeta's pressure and tried her attacks from below, both in regulation time and in the golden score. In the end, the referees decided that Marina had a more effective performance throughout the match, thus deciding in her favor and giving her the title.

95kg - Jessica Silva vs Marwa Alhousani

Jessica Silva and Marwa Alhousani fought for the 95kg division gold in a best-of-three bracket, with the latter taking the first win and the former conquering the second one. In the third and final battle, Jessica managed to pass the guard and mount with a katagatame. Marwa managed to avoid the submission, but Jessica worked from the top with guard passes and closed the scoreboard at a sound 14-0 to take her spot atop the podium.

With its second day down for the count, the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Istanbul 2024 now shifts its attention to the next day of competition. This Sunday, June 9th, the tournament will receive the long-awaited Professional category, with some of the greatest athletes on the international scene joining the fray to fight in the Black Belt category. Watch the tournament live at TX7.com, and follow @ajptour for all things ADGS.