The 2026 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu season has already begun to take shape with two names gaining momentum on the international circuit: Francisco Papasideiro and Tarcisio Santos. Competing in different divisions but delivering equally impactful performances, both athletes have positioned themselves as early protagonists ahead of the Pan Championship, the second major tournament of the season, scheduled for March in Florida.
Francisco Papasideiro builds momentum with consecutive absolute titles and a win over Roberto Cyborg
AOJ heavyweight Francisco Papasideiro has been steadily building his career since the colored belt ranks. The Argentine athlete left his life in his home country to pursue his career in the United States, a decision that is now paying off at a high level.
Promoted to black belt in 2024 after winning gold at the Pan Championship as a brown belt, Papasideiro had already compiled a strong résumé that included a world title in the lower belts. However, his second season as a black belt has shown a noticeable leap in performance.
In February, he captured two consecutive absolute titles, first at the Miami Open and then at the Atlanta Open, both in the same weekend.
The most symbolic moment came in Miami. In the absolute final, Papasideiro faced Roberto Cyborg, an ADCC legend and Pan champion in the gi. In a tightly contested match, the AOJ athlete secured the victory by advantage in a battle that solidified his presence among the elite heavyweight black belts.
With confidence rising and momentum on his side, the question naturally emerges: could Papasideiro’s breakout performance come at the Pan Championship?
Tarcisio Santos captures weight and absolute titles at the LA Open
While Papasideiro has been making noise among the heavyweights, Tarcisio Santos has emerged as a standout in the lightweight division. Representing MAJJ, he has quickly made an impact.
What makes his rise even more impressive is that Tarcisio has less than three months as a black belt. He won the No Gi World Championship in December and was promoted shortly after by his professor, Marcio Andre.
Despite his recent promotion, he has already shown that he is ready to compete at the highest level of the division. At the LA Open, Tarcisio was the standout black belt of the event. He won the lightweight division and went on to claim the absolute title, navigating a bracket filled with high-level competitors.
In the lightweight division, he defeated strong AOJ representatives Guilherme and Daniel Sathler, as well as Dudu Granzotto, one of the most talked-about athletes in the category. In the absolute division, he continued his run by defeating Jonnatas Gracie, who recently returned to gi competition, Thiago Saboia and once again faced Dudu Granzotto in the final, securing another victory.
This performance positions Tarcisio as one of the most promising names of the new generation in the lightweight division, a category currently led by reigning world champion Matheus Gabriel.
If this is how the season has started, the Pan Championship could serve as the perfect stage to confirm the arrival of another major contender on the international scene.
