Team USA and Team Brazil now have their first athletes competing at under 75kg, with one representing each nation.
Stepping in for Brazil is Fabricio Andrey, who will be joining his teammate Mica Galvao in the squad. Andrey is the reigning IBJJF world champion at 70kg and the 22 year-old has been dominating elite competition since he was promoted to black belt at the end of 2020. Andrey has already got off to a fantastic start this year as he managed to reach the podium on his first attempt at ADCC trials, only to do even better on his second attempt and winning gold.
The USA will also be keeping the event as a close-knit affair as another Tenth Planet representative joins them at under 75kg, Keith Krikorian. He has also been a force to be reckoned with at ADCC trials over the years, as Krikorian narrowly missed out on a place at ADCC 2019 when he finished with a pair of silver medals from both North American trials. After another silver medal in the 2021 East Coast trials, Krikorian finally managed to clear the final hurdle earlier this year with a gold medal at the West Coast edition.
