This is a one-sided series on paper. Erberth Santos holds a 5-0 record against Rodrigo Cavaca across their recorded meetings, and every one of those matches came in the gi at the top of the bracket or close to it. Four of the five were decided on points, with the lone finish coming by Gi Choke From Back in the final of the 2015 Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship. The stakes were consistently high: they met in three finals and two semi-finals, including the final of the 2017 IBJJF Pan Championship.

The gap in these meetings tracks with the broader picture. Santos sits at an 80% win rate over 212 recorded matches, while Cavaca is at 52% over 77. Both are heavyweights, but Santos competed as Super-Pesado and built his run at a time when he was collecting titles at the World, Pan, and Brazilian National level.

Stylistically they finish from different places. Santos leans on back control, and his gi choke from the back is his most frequent submission with 13 wins. Cavaca is known for his work on the Straight Ankle Lock, though his most recorded finish is the Triangle Choke with 5 wins. In their head to head, though, the deciding factor was usually control and scoring rather than the submission.