We look at key competitors to keep an eye on at the 2024 IBJJF No-Gi Pans, which takes place this weekend in Fort Worth, Texas.
The IBJJF no-gi season is now in full swing, and next up is the 2024 IBJJF No-Gi Pans. The event takes place on November 1-3, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas, with adult black belts competing on Saturday and Sunday.
As usual, the event will draw plenty of elite competitors from around the world. Before the action gets underway, we dive into seven athletes fans should keep an eye on this weekend.
View the full lineup of competitors at every age and belt level here.
Sophia Cassella
Still just a few weeks into her black belt career, New Jersey native Sophia Cassella could make waves in the light-feather division.
An EBI strawweight champion known for her elite leg-locking game, Cassella has been a mainstay of the no-gi competition scene for several years. She made her IBJJF black belt debut just one week after being promoted and promptly lived up to the lofty expectations surrounding her, going 1-1 against decorated veteran Amanda “Tubby” Alequin at the Cleveland Open.
Cassella could face stiff competition in the form of AoJ standout Shelby Murphey but certainly has all the skills to make an immediate impact at the black belt level.
Elisabeth Clay
In the heavyweight division, multiple-time IBJJF No-Gi Worlds and Pans champion Elisabeth Clay will return to action less than three months after giving birth to her first child.
Before taking a leave of absence from competition due to pregnancy, Clay had firmly established herself as one of the sport’s top pound-for-pound submission hunters. Renowned for her seemingly impassable guard and world-class leg locks, she is an ADCC veteran and Polaris Grand Prix champion who boasts victories over ADCC champions Ffion Davies and Amy Campo, as well as no-gi world champions Luiza Monteiro and Brianna Ste-Marie.
Simply put, Clay is one of the most accomplished grapplers on the circuit today, and her return to competition is significant.
Clay can look forward to a potential showdown with ADCC Trials winner and 2023 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds champion Elizabeth Mitrovic.
Paige Ivette
New Legion AJJ black belt Paige Ivette will make her much-anticipated black belt debut in the super-heavyweight division.
A brown belt no-gi world champion who is no stranger to competing against elite black belts, Ivette employs her natural athleticism and relentless guard passing game to drown her opponents with pressure. While she’s been largely away from competition for the past year, she stands to make a statement at the 2024 IBJJF No-Gi Pans.
She will be competing in a four-woman division, and even though she might not be the field’s top seed, she is likely the odds-on favorite to take home gold.
Junny Ocasio
Unity Jiu-Jitsu representative Junny Ocasio will look to extend his incredible run of dominance in the light-featherweight division as he aims for his second straight No-Gi Pans gold.
A master technician with one of the sport’s most dynamic and dangerous guard games, Ocasio won gold at the 2023 IBJJF No-Gi Euros, Pans, and Worlds to assert himself as a pound-for-pound contender. He has continued his success into 2024, winning gold at the 2024 IBJJF No-Gi Euros.
Fans of creative leg locks won’t want to miss any of Ocasio’s matches. In addition to his deep repertoire of heel hooks and Aoki locks, he’s made a name for himself with his trademark “Junny lock,” as well as his brutal Z-lock.
Cole Abate
Long recognized as the sport’s top young prospect, Art of Jiu-Jitsu phenom Cole Abate will make his long-awaited black belt debut at an IBJJF no-gi major this weekend, as he’s set to compete in the talent-stacked featherweight division.
Abate is an ADCC Trials winner boasting victories over the likes of Geo Martinez, Keith Krikorian, and Sam McNally. He is an incredibly well-rounded grappler who has shown a penchant for finding the leg-lock finish and will certainly have a target on his back at the No-Gi Pans.
Importantly, the 19-year-old will face top-tier competition in the featherweight division. He can look forward to potential clashes against multiple-time No-Gi Pans champion Gianni Grippo, Tom DeBlass black belt Cam Mellott, and no-gi Brasileiros champion Ismael Santos, among others.
Luiz Paulo
In the loaded men’s middleweight division, fans should keep an eye on Brazilian submission hunter Luiz Paulo.
After coming up under longtime coach Melqui Galvao, Paulo joined Dream Art in late 2023 and has looked great ever since, winning the ADCC South American Trials with victories over ADCC and CJI veteran Magid Hage, brown belt world champion Fabyury Khrysthyan, and veteran black belt Fabio Caloi.
Paulo is an excellent guard player who loves to put a tireless pace on his opponents, making him one of the division’s most exciting competitors.
Jacob Couch
Finally, in the medium-heavyweight division, watch for ADCC veteran Jacob “The Hillbilly Hammer” Couch to make waves.
The Pedigo Submission Fighting product ranks among the sport’s most dangerous leg lockers – a skill set he complements with a world-class closed guard. Couch took third at last year’s No-Gi Pans and he’s undoubtedly hungry to win his first IBJJF major at the black belt level.
Among Couch’s potential opponents are ADCC veterans Jon Blank and Jeremy Skinner, in addition to no-gi world champion Sebastian Rodriguez and rising star Harrison Woods.
How to watch: The 2024 IBJJF No-Gi Pans take place on November 1-3, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas, and will air live on FloGrappling (subscription required).
