The announcement of the seeding for BJJ Stars 10’s absolute bracket has stirred up some heated discussions, and for good reason.
According to the bracket, the top and middle seeds of the tournament include grapplers who have been caught and suspended by USADA and International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF).
Former 2022 Worlds champion Mica Galvão, who was stripped of his title for unauthorized PED use, has been given a top seed in the absolute bracket. Meanwhile, Cyborg Abreu, who is currently serving a 3-year suspension from IBJJF competition, has been seeded in the middle.
Social media has been flooded with anti-doping jokes since the Instagram announcement, with some fans describing the lineup as “the battle of the sauce,” and “the açaí seeds sure are juicy.”
However, not everyone is amused. ADCC Euros champ Tom Halpin voiced his disapproval, stating, “So are we fully ignoring and endorsing cheating now?? This sport is a joke sometimes.”
Michelle Nicolini is an accomplished competitor, known for her dynamic style and impressive record. She has won numerous world championships in both gi and no-gi competitions, and is considered one of the most successful female BJJ competitors of all time.
Nicolini has also had success in mixed martial arts (MMA), with a record of 6 wins and 3 losses as of September 2021. She has competed in several organizations including ONE Championship and Invicta FC, and is known for her slick ground game and submission skills.
Nicolini recently made a post questioning the lack of repercussions for those who are caught using PEDs:
“If the athlete is caught in doping… should he or shouldn’t he be suspended in all organizations? If only one organization punishes and others turn a blind eye to what happened and still treat him as a “star” in another event, I think this athlete will not be polite. In my time being caught in doping meant losing contracts, titles, getting suspended and embarrassing others.”
