Anderson Kauan said yes to the IBJJF’s invitation and is in the ultra-heavyweight GP at The Crown, the tournament that brings the black belt elite together on November 8 at the iconic Pyramid in California, the same venue as the Worlds. The Infight black belt takes Helder Jr.’s spot and completes the eight-athlete bracket that will battle for the golden crown.
Better known as ‘Bolinho’, Anderson is a regular at major competitions around the world. He was developed from the ground up by Márcio de Deus, the leader of Infight, and forged for high performance in the same school as Gabi Pessanha, one of the greatest champions in Jiu-Jitsu history. In Long Beach, coach and team will have two representatives on the mat on the same night.
ANDERSON KAUAN OPENS AGAINST PEDRO MACHADO IN THE FIRST ROUND
The IBJJF has already released the brackets for every GP, and ‘Bolinho”s path is set. In the first round, he faces Pedro Machado. The winner advances to the semifinal against the winner of Seif-Eddine Houmine vs. Thierry Felipe, in a half of the bracket that promises plenty of size and pressure. If the two favorites come through, the semifinal could have a rematch feel: Seif-Eddine Houmine, the reigning ultra-heavyweight world champion, beat ‘Bolinho’ in this year’s Pans final with a guard pass and a north-south choke. In The Crown format, the champion must win three matches in the same night to lift the crown and the $20,000 prize.
The black belt has no shortage of big-stage experience, having already reached the podium at major IBJJF championships. The 2026 season was the strongest of his gi career. At the Pans, in March in Florida, he reached the ultra-heavyweight final after beating Lucas Montalvão in the quarterfinals and submitting Luis Cantareira with a footlock in the semifinal. In May, at the Worlds, also held at the Pyramid, he returned to the podium twice, with bronze at ultra-heavyweight and in the open class.
THE CROWN’S HEAVIEST BRACKET HAS THREE-TIME CHAMPION ERICH MUNIS AS THE TARGET
The challenge is as big as they come. On the other side of the bracket is Erich Munis, the ultra-heavyweight champion at all three editions of The Crown and unbeaten at the tournament. Ranked No. 1 in the IBJJF men’s rankings, he opens against Francisco Papasidero in pursuit of a fourth title, as The Mat Nation reported in the story on the champion’s confirmation, as he returns to the Pyramid unbeaten at the tournament chasing a fourth straight title. In Munis’s half, Alexander Sak faces Matheus Vetoraci, and the winner could be the three-time champion’s opponent in the semifinal.
Munis, by the way, has already crossed paths with the Brazilian in 2026: he was the one who ended ‘Bolinho”s open class run at the Worlds, with an arm triangle in the semifinal. To reach a potential final against the three-time champion, the Rio native must get past Pedro Machado and the winner of Houmine vs. Thierry. On the other side, Alexander Sak arrives on a roll after winning double gold at the Asian Championship and a masters world title in 2026, and he will also compete at the European No Gi in Rome days before The Crown. It’s the kind of scenario in which a late invitee has nothing to lose, arrives without the pressure on the favorites and can surprise anyone who underestimates him.
TEAMMATE GABI PESSANHA COMPETES THE SAME NIGHT TO KEEP HER REIGN
The night in Long Beach is also special for Infight because of Gabi Pessanha. The Rio native won all three editions of The Crown in the women’s super-heavyweight division and returns to chase a fourth straight title. In her opener, she faces Maria Ruffatto-Gilpin, one of the most anticipated first-round matchups in the bracket.
In its fourth edition, The Crown brings together 48 athletes in six weight classes, always by invitation, streamed on FloGrappling. For Anderson Kauan, the mission is clear: make the most of a last-minute opportunity and show that Bolinho belongs among the giants of Jiu-Jitsu.
This article was originally published in Portuguese: read the original version.
