Weekend Recap: AJP lands at Angola, Peru, and Italy with explosive tournaments

May 5, 2025

The action never stops here at AJP, with the organization continuing its efforts to promote high-end tournaments worldwide and give practitioners the chance to hone their skills in an internationally recognized competitive setting. On the first weekend of May, three tournaments were hosted in three different countries, with a Regional in Angola and Internationals in Peru and Italy. Without further ado, let's check out the highlights from each championship.

AJP Tour South Angola Regional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025: Luis Silvestre and Evandro Lisboa take the gold in Lubango

On Saturday, May 3rd, the South Angola Regional landed at the Pavilhão do Benfica with three fight areas ready to house explosive performances across an entire afternoon of competition.

Highlighting the tournament, two local athletes from the Professional category showed their skills and left the mats as champions. First, Luis Silvestre (Gracie Barra Angola) left his mark in the 85kg division, entering a three-man bracket filled with his compatriots and landing a narrow 2-1 win over Marcelo Gomes (Z1 Academy) before going up against his teammate Helio Gonçalves in the gold round and taking the title with a 7-4 score.

Then, the brown belt Evandro Lisboa (Z1 Academy) entered a mixed 120kg bracket and got the better of two black belts, starting with a 4-0 win over Brett Carvalho (Brazilian Power Team International) in the semifinal. Up against his Z1 Academy teammate Ricardo Brito in the final, Evandro had a much harder time but still managed to come out on top, scoring last in a 3-3 tie to take the top spot on the podium.

Check out the full results here!

AJP Tour Tacna International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025: Professional black belts rise to the top of the podium in Peru

Also taking place on Saturday, the Tacna International brought the AJP to the South American continent with its destination set on Peru, welcoming athletes of all ages and graduations to put their skills to the test and fight for gold and glory in the Coliseu Cerrado.

With many competitors rising to the top of the podium, the Professional Black Belt category stole the show with their performances as each competitor strived to lead their respective weight division. Starting in the gi, the 69kg division saw the Argentine Lucas Canto (Cohab Chile) go through the bracket like a freight train as he faced two locals, first landing a quick submission on Christhopher Gomez (Zion BJJ AQP) during the semis and then getting the three taps from Bruno Carrillo (JFC Almeida JJ) halfway through the final. Meanwhile, the Peruvian Jeremias Echevarria (JFC Almeida JJ) went through an incredibly challenging battle against his compatriot Jeremy Palacios (Carpio Jiu Jitsu), taking the win and the 77kg title via decision after being locked in a stalemate throughout both the regulated time and the Golden Score.

On the no-gi side, the local Bruno Carrillo (JFC Almeida JJ) showcased his technical prowess in the final match against his compatriot Alejandro Plaza (Marra Senki Brazilian Jiu Jitsu), taking the upper hand and controlling the flow of the duel until the clock ran out to become the 69kg champion with a 4-0 score. Up on the 85kg division, the Peruvian Jafedt Tantalean (Zion BJJ AQP) went through a true war against the Chilean Pierpaolo Cotroneo (Cohab Chile), putting on his best performance in a very tough match and scoring last in a 4-4 tie to take the top spot on the podium.

Check out the full results here!

AJP Tour Milan International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025: Zara di Tofano becomes a double champion in Italy

On Sunday, May 4th, the Milan International took over the Centro Pavesi FIPAV to bring the AJP action back to Italy, welcoming colored and black belts from all corners of the world to compete for the gold and see the European country through the lens of Jiu-Jitsu.

Enter Zara Di Tofano, an Irish Professional brown belt representing East Coast Jiu Jitsu Academy who showcased her top-notch skills in the tournament and conquered the coveted double gold in the 62kg division. Starting in the gi, Zara faced the local Asia Sala (Stance) in a very challenging final round, scoring two points and then using her technique to control the match until the clock ran out.

Later, Zara entered the No-Gi 62kg bracket and started off by putting on a dominating display against the local Giulia Angiolini (Tribe Jiu Jitsu Italia), advancing to the final with a whopping 15-0 score. The gold round had Zara facing the Uruguayan Pierina Marchesoni (Ratão Jiu Jitsu Internacional) in another memorable duel, with Zara once again completely taking over the match and scoring 10-0 to climb the podium for the second time.

Check out the full results here!