The controversial disqualification of Tainan Dalpra at the 2024 IBJJF World Championships has sparked outrage from top black belts in the jiu-jitsu community.
Dalpra, a two-time IBJJF world champion, was eliminated from the Adult Black Belt Middleweight division quarterfinals for allegedly using an illegal “reaping” leg position. As one of the heavy favorites, his DQ for the “dangerous knee position” left fans and competitors alike questioning the ruling.
Leading the criticism was black belt world champion Guilherme Mendes, who broke down the sequence on his Instagram, stating “it’s a rule that has lots of room for interpretation…Tainan did not have to use this technique in that match, but he was fired by the intensity he wanted to display and ended up attacking and connecting his hands. He could win that match using any other kind of guard, it sucks but it is what it is.”
Mendes’ detailed post included photos that seemed to show Dalpra’s legal positioning.
He wasn’t the only one to criticize IBJJF Worlds 2024.
Notably, black belt Rodolfo Vieira commented “With all due [respect] though I don’t like to get into these, this World Cup was the most disturbing time I didn’t feel like watching too?”
The controversial ruling against Dalpra raised questions about interpretation inconsistencies at the IBJJF’s premier event. Meregali was among those who heavily criticized IBJJF’s unclear rules.
“Watching the event today hurt my heart. I can’t explain how we came out of this era in 2004 to what we live today from kimono Jiu Jitsu. We are all congratulating, as we are able to destroy a sport.”
“Every year kimono jiu jitsu gets more confusing.
- The rule gets more confusing.
- We have more downgrades in events
- We have more closures in categories
- We have more fake fights where victories are made
- Referee scandal
- Do ping cases
- Fights are more fought on
- More athletes fully unprepared and fortunately win events
- The list could be long but I’ll stop here…”
“I’m probably guilty of this, maybe having stopped fighting in kimono helped in a small way this decay we live in. Sport is increasingly commercial and cheap, and unfortunately, in the hands of people who play business with mastery and make everything that takes the brilliance of the sport look like “Martial Art”. As a passionate and eternal Kimono Jiu Jitsu representative, I hope to help the industry, but I’m not sure if that’s possible. Rooting for the best in sport”
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As debate rages in the grappling community, black belt champion Nicholas Meregali slammed the decision, stating in his own Instagram post “it’s a rule that has lots of room for interpretation and I have posted videos of multiple people using it and not getting disqualified.”
With high-level black belts openly criticizing the decision, it remains to be seen if the IBJJF will address the incident or potentially revisit the rules and enforcement around reaping and leg positioning.
Black belt / adult / female:
- Bantamweight: Mayssa Bastos defeated Jhefiner Aquino 10-0 on points
- Featherweight: Thamires Aquino defeated Amanda Canuto by referee decision
- Featherweight: Nathalie Ribeiro defeated Ana Rodrigues by referee decision
- Lightweight: Luiza Monteiro submitted Brianna Ste-Marie with a footlock
- Middleweight: Andressa Cintra submitted Larissa Martins with a choke
- Light-heavyweight: Thamara Ferreira defeated Maria Vicentini 4-1 on advantages (after 0-0 on points)
- Heavyweight: Tamiris Silva defeated Amanda Magda 2-0 on points
- Super heavyweight: Gabi Pessanha submitted Yara Soares with a footlock
- Absolute: Gabi Pessanha submitted Yara Soares with a footlock
Black belt / adult / male:
- Bantamweight: Bebeto Oliveira submitted Zayed Alkatheeri with a choke
- Featherweight: Diego Pato submitted Jonas Andrade with a choke
- Featherweight: Meyram Maquine submitted Ademir Barreto with a choke
- Lightweight: Mica Galvão defeated Andy Murasaki 2-0 in the advantages (after 2 to 2 on points)
- Middleweight: Jackson Nagai submitted Francisco Lo with an armbar
- Light heavyweight: Gustavo “Braguinha” Batista submitted Jansen Gomes with a kneebar
- Heavyweight: Adam Wardzinski submitted Vinicius Liberati with a katagatame
- Super-heavyweight: Anderson Munis submitted Erich Munis with a leg lock
- Heavyweight: Yatan Bueno defeated Pedro Alex 5-0 on points
- Absolute: Erich Munis defeated Jansen Gomes by WO
