The Crazy 88 girls dominate at IBJJF New York Summer 2017, this time in the blue belt division. At the IBJJF New York Spring 2017, Crazy 88 girls closed out the adult Purple Belt Division. On July 15th, first-time Blue Belt Open Division entrant Leah Mays was able to get the wins and close out with veteran Blue Belt, a.k.a. Giant Killer, Roya Darvishian.
Highlights: Mays and Darvishian both return home undefeated, Darvishian with Double Gold (Absolute and Feather Division) and Mays with Gold and Silver by close-out (Absolute and Medium Heavy Division). Somewhere in Texas, Brett Barkley won his first Gold Medal at the IBJJF Austin Open.
Day 1 – Saturday, July 15
Mays hit the mats first in the Blue Belt Medium Heavy division, entering a weight class up from her normal Middle Weight Division. She won two matches to win Gold She got a double, pass, and submitted her first opponent with a bread cutter choke. Second match was the same as the first, May submitted her opponent with another bread cutter choke. In the Open Division, she won her first match 7-0, second match by 2-1 advantages, and third match by one advantage.
Darvishian went up a weight class to fight in the Blue Belt Feather Weight Class. She submitted her way through the division, the first match by Americana and the second two matches both with wrist locks. In the Open Division, she took out three larger opponents, all on points, and brought home Double Gold for the day.
Cory Walker fought up a weight class in the Purple Belt Light Feather Division. He won three matches doing what ‘Sky Walker’ does best and took home the Silver Medal.
Amanda Riggs also competed up a weight class in the Blue Belt Light Weight Division. She won her first match with an arm bar and her second match on points 8-2. She lost in the Finals and brought home the Silver Medal.
Leona Mansapit entered the Master 1 Middle Weight Blue Belt Division. She won her first match 11-0 and lost in the Finals. She took the Silver Medal in her weight class and Silver in the Master 1 Female Open Division.
Michael Silverman competed up a weight class in the Master 4 Blue Belt Light Weight Division. He won his first match 3-0 with a guard pass and lost in the Finals. He came home with the Silver Medal.
John Johnson also competed on Day 1.
Day 2 – Sunday, July 16
Jimmy Hoover, first-time competitor out of Owings Mills, entered the White Belt Middle Weight Division. He won his first match 6-0 and submitted his second opponent with an ezekiel choke. He lost in the Semi-Finals and came home with a Bronze Medal in his first tournament.
Philip Shaidenfish competed in the Blue Belt Middle Weight Division. He won his first match by the disqualification of his opponent and his second match on points 8-7. He lost in his third match.
Danny Mahoney competed in the Blue Belt Light Weight Division. He won his first match submitting his opponent with a choke and his second match on points. He lost in his third match.
Tial Zathang also competed on Day 2.
On the same day at the IBJJF Austin Open, Brett Barkley competed in the White Belt Heavy Weight Division. Despite dislocating his finger in the first match, he brought home his first Gold Medal at an IBJJF. He won his first match 10-0 and his second 6-0. Congrats Brett!