ADGS Moscow: Gabi, Thalison and Victor Hugo to lead pack of newly promoted black belts ready to face new challenges in Russia

The 2019/2020 season of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tour kicks off June 15-16, in Moscow, Russia. Under the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro (AJP), the first of six stops on the tour will be a debut in many different ways. First of all, the debut of a new season. Then the debut of the ADGS Tour expansion, adding Moscow as the sixth host city alongside Tokyo, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, Abu Dhabi and London. On top of all that, the ADGS Moscow will also be the stage of several debuts for talented competitors making their first ever appearance as black belts.

Gabrieli Pessanha is the first name in our list. The Infight Team athlete has already been competing alongside black belts and the 2018/2019 season could not have gone better, as Gabi won all five ADGS events and crowned her season with her first ADWPJJC belt, this past April. At the beginning of June, Gabi finally received the coveted black belt. She will enter the new season wanting to defend her titles, now with a black belt around her waist.

Thalison Soares is another very well known face in the competition circuit. The Cicero Costha athlete had an outstanding run in the color belts, with an almost uninterrupted sequence of gold medals in ADGS events and the ADWPJJC. Thalison, a constant training partner of the Miyao brothers, will debut his black belt in the 56kg division, where competition is always fierce. It’s hard to believe that Thalison will not have success as a black belt. He has all the tools for it.

Among the 110kg division, a powerful new contender surely will make his presence felt. Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu’s Victor Hugo Moraes ruled his weight class in the 2018/2019 season. Just as Gabi and Thalison, Victor got his black belt in the beginning of June and the ADGS Moscow will be the first test to the new ranking. Watch out for Victor Hugo.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Moscow is scheduled June 15-16, at the Arena Triumph. The registration deadline is June 11. Know more at ajptour.com. Follow the compete coverage on Instagram @ajptour and @jiujitsuworldmag.