2018 IBJJF World Championship

Did you know?

• ▸ Across 201 recorded matchups at the 2018 Worlds in Long Beach, only 33 percent ended by submission. The rest went to the judges' criteria, with 75 wins decided on points and another 41 on advantages alone.
• ▸ The most common finish on record at this event was the gi choke from the back with 15, ahead of the armbar at 13. That tells you where the finishing threat lived: on the back and in the closed positions, not in flashy leg attacks.
• ▸ Nicholas Meregali went 4 wins with 4 submission wins here, meaning every recorded victory came by finish. That is a rare stat line at black belt Worlds, where advantages and points usually decide things.
• ▸ The absolute final was a repeat of the year before, Marcus Almeida against Leandro Lo, and Buchecha took it by advantage. Lo also lost his Super Heavyweight final to Mahamed Aly by injury, a rough day for one of the sport's best.
• ▸ Buchecha led all competitors with 8 recorded wins but just 3 submission wins, and both of his notable finals, against Leandro Lo and Joao Gabriel Rocha, went to advantage and decision. Even a finisher of his caliber won the close ones on the scoreboard here.