Epic Dominance: Four World Champions Complete Triple Crown at 2025 Brasileiros

The mats were on fire at the 2025 Brasileiros, and the BJJ world is still buzzing about the incredible performances we witnessed. In what can only be described as a display of absolute dominance, four world champions—Diego Pato, Tainan Dalpra, Adam Wardzinski, and Janaina Maia—all secured their third major IBJJF title for the year, cementing their status as the sport’s elite.

As someone who’s been covering combat sports for years, I can tell you this is something special. These athletes aren’t just winning tournaments; they’re rewriting what we thought was possible in modern jiu-jitsu.

The Fantastic Four: Breaking Down Their Triple Crown Achievements

Let’s talk about what makes this feat so remarkable. Winning a single major IBJJF title is a career highlight for most competitors. Winning three in a single year? That’s the stuff of legends.

Diego “The Berimbolo Master” Pato

Pato’s run through the lightweight division was nothing short of spectacular. His guard passing has evolved to an entirely new level this year, and his signature berimbolo transitions left opponents looking like they were stuck in quicksand. What I found most impressive was his composure in the finals—the man didn’t break a sweat while dismantling a former world champion.

Tainan Dalpra: The Middleweight Phenom

If you’re an MMA fan looking to see what technical perfection looks like, study Dalpra’s matches. His pressure passing game would translate beautifully to the cage, and several UFC middleweights could learn a thing or two from his seamless weight distribution. His final match was a master class in positional control that would make Khabib Nurmagomedov nod in approval.

Adam Wardzinski: Poland’s Pride

Wardzinski becoming the first Polish athlete to achieve this triple crown is a momentous occasion for European jiu-jitsu. His butterfly guard has always been elite, but this year he’s added devastating submission chains that remind me of prime Demian Maia. MMA fighters facing skilled grapplers should take notes on how Wardzinski manipulates his opponents’ balance.

Janaina Maia: The Queen of Pressure

Maia’s performance was perhaps the most dominant of all. She didn’t just win—she steamrolled through the division. Her top game pressure is reminiscent of Charles Oliveira at his best, and her choke setups were clinical. Women’s MMA divisions should be on notice; this is the level of grappling that’s evolving in the sport.

Why MMA Fans Should Be Paying Attention

If you’re primarily an MMA enthusiast, you might be wondering why this matters. Here’s the simple truth: tomorrow’s MMA grappling innovations are happening today on the competition BJJ circuit.

Remember when nobody knew what a “berimbolo” was in MMA, and then Ryan Hall started hitting modified versions? Or when Charles Oliveira brought modern guard passing to the UFC? The techniques these four champions are perfecting will inevitably influence MMA’s grappling meta within the next few years.

I’ve already heard whispers of several UFC prospects training with Dalpra to improve their ground game. Wardzinski’s butterfly guard innovations could revolutionize how fighters recover from bad positions in the cage.

What This Means for the Future of Submission Grappling

The triple crown achievement isn’t just impressive—it signals a changing of the guard in professional jiu-jitsu. We’re witnessing the emergence of a new generation of super-athletes who combine traditional technique with modern athletic training and strategy.

For context, only six athletes in the previous decade managed to win three major titles in a single year. Having four achieve it simultaneously suggests something special is happening in the sport’s evolution.

Could we see any of these four transition to MMA? Rumors have swirled around Dalpra potentially making the jump, and with his athleticism and pressure game, he could be a serious problem for established contenders.

The Brazilian Connection: What Makes These Champions Special

It’s worth noting that three of these four champions have deep connections to Brazil’s jiu-jitsu tradition, even though Wardzinski hails from Poland. This Brazilian championship highlighted the country’s continued dominance in the sport it created, even as jiu-jitsu has globalized.

The technical innovations displayed at this tournament will likely become the fundamentals taught in academies worldwide within months. I’ve already seen Instagram flooded with breakdowns of Pato’s newest guard passing sequence.

What’s Next for These Champions?

The question now becomes: where do these four go from here? Having conquered the IBJJF circuit so completely, will they turn to super fights, ADCC, or possibly even MMA?

Whatever path they choose, one thing is certain—they’ve written their names in the history books with performances that will be studied for years to come.

I’ll be following their careers closely, and if you’re a true combat sports fan, you should too. These are the kind of athletes who push the boundaries of what we think is possible in martial arts.

Want to see these champions in action?

Check out the IBJJF’s highlight reel from the tournament and witness the technical mastery for yourself. Trust me, even if you’re mainly an MMA fan, you’ll appreciate the level of skill on display.

Who do you think has the best chance of making an impact in MMA if they decided to transition? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!