Pedro Marinho delivered a spectacular finish at the Komplexo Templo in São Paulo, capturing the BJJ Stars 16 No-Gi Absolute Grand Prix title with a dramatic last-minute guillotine submission over Yatan Bueno. The victory earned Marinho R$100,000 and capped off an impressive tournament run that showcased his renowned submission skills.
The final match appeared destined for a decision as both athletes engaged in intense collar ties and hand exchanges throughout the seven-minute contest. However, with time running out, Bueno made a crucial error while attempting to advance position, allowing Marinho to secure his signature guillotine choke for the spectacular finish.
Pedro Marinho hits a CRAZY guillotine at the last second to secure the win in the #BJJStars16 finals! pic.twitter.com/h0eQQzPc3e
— FloGrappling (@FloGrappling) July 27, 2025
“The match was dead-locked near the end when Yatan Bueno tried to move on Marinho before getting caught in the submission,” observers noted. “Marinho is known for his ruthless guillotine, a submission he’s used more than any other.”
Bueno’s path to the final proved equally impressive, as the late tournament addition pulled off consecutive upsets that stunned the Brazilian jiu-jitsu community. In the quarterfinals, he defeated veteran Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu in what many considered the night’s biggest surprise.
Yatan Bueno pulls off ANOTHER upset to score his place in the #BJJStars16 finals. pic.twitter.com/DVtyNOfgQE
— FloGrappling (@FloGrappling) July 27, 2025
“Yatan Bueno came out with a ton of energy at the beginning of the match, hand-fighting against the elder Cyborg and trying to exhaust him,” according to reports. The strategy proved effective as Cyborg was forced to pull guard, something commentators couldn’t recall seeing from the accomplished competitor in recent memory. Though Cyborg threatened with a heel hook attempt, Bueno escaped and earned the judges’ decision.
In the semifinals, Bueno continued his upset run by defeating Haisam Rida with a simple but effective arm drag that scored two points, proving sufficient for victory and securing his spot in the championship bout.
Marinho’s semifinal performance against highly-regarded Fabricio Andrey demonstrated his tactical prowess. The match remained scoreless throughout, but Marinho controlled the pace and positioning to earn a clear decision from the judges.
“Marinho didn’t allow Andrey to get anything going, using his strength and balance to deflect Andrey’s efforts, and pushing for his own takedowns,” the analysis revealed. Earlier, Marinho had advanced past Devhonte Johnson via decision in a match where he dominated without securing a submission.
The evening’s superfight action delivered championship-level competition across multiple weight divisions. Julia Alves claimed the featherweight title in controversial fashion, edging Ana Rodrigues in an extremely close decision that came down to a late penalty call as time expired. Despite Rodrigues’ protests to officials, the result stood in Alves’ favor.
Meanwhile, Thalyta Silva successfully defended her middleweight championship with a 2-0 decision victory over Helena Crevar. Silva established early control and maintained her advantage throughout the match, as Crevar was unable to create scoring opportunities from guard position.
The tournament format featured an eight-man, single-elimination absolute grand prix where athletes from all weight classes competed under modified ADCC-style rules. The structure required seven-minute matches with points awarded from the opening seconds, no guard-pulling penalties, and no overtime periods.
Additional notable performances included Haisam Rida’s lightning-fast rear naked choke submission of Eli Braz just 1:30 into their quarterfinal encounter, and Fabricio Andrey’s dominant 8-2 point victory over the larger Javier Zaruski, highlighted by impressive takedown sequences.
In supporting action, Meyram Maquine defeated Leo Souza 2-0 in their clash, though Maquine appeared disappointed at not securing a submission finish. The evening opened with Livia Barasine’s comprehensive performance against Eduarda Munis, accumulating 14 points before finishing with an armbar submission.
BJJ Stars 16 reinforced the unpredictable nature of absolute competition, where technique and strategy often triumph over size and reputation. Marinho’s championship performance, combined with Bueno’s remarkable upset victories, provided Brazilian jiu-jitsu fans with an unforgettable evening of high-level grappling competition.
Finals
Pedro Marinho submitted Yatan Bueno via guillotine choke
Semifinals
Haisam Rida defeated Yatan Bueno by points (2–0)
Pedro Marinho defeated Fabricio Andrey by decision
Quarterfinals
Yatan Bueno defeated Roberto Cyborg by decision
Haisam Rida submitted Eli Braz via rear naked choke
Fabricio Andrey defeated Javier Zaruski by points (8–2)
Pedro Marinho defeated Devhonte Johnson by decision
⚔️ Super Match Results
Julia Alves defeated Ana Rodrigues via advantage
Thalyta Silva defeated Helena Crevar by points (2–0)
Meyram Maquine defeated Leo Souza by points (2–0)
Sergio Rios submitted Luiz Marques with a collar choke
Pablo Oliveira defeated Mateo Ruiz by points (2–0)
Livia Barasine submitted Eduarda Munis with an armbar
