Paul Wilson Goes from 1,007 Jits to Three-Win Gold at Indianapolis Kids
A 2,723-Jits upset, a 12-match rivalry, and three separate 3,500+ Jits gaps. The IBJJF Indianapolis Kids International Open delivers 140 matches of Midwest grit.
Paul Wilson walks into the IBJJF Indianapolis Kids International Open rated at 1,007 Jits. He walks out with three wins and a gold medal. One of those wins comes against Frank Anthony Rochira Cardamone III, rated at 3,730 Jits — a 2,723-Jits gap that gives Wilson a statistical win probability well below 5%. He does it anyway.
The Indiana State Fairgrounds hosts 140 gi matches across a compact Midwest field. No method data from IBJJF, but the bracket results tell enough. This tournament is about upsets, a long-running rivalry, and a handful of fighters who earn their medals through multiple wins.
Top Performers
The tournament's widest upset. Estacio-Bryers has three career wins. Hernandez has 38. The Jits gap says 1.5% chance. The bracket says otherwise.
Leskovec has 100 career wins. Martinez has four. The record disparity is 96 wins apart, but the bracket only cares about this one.
Wilson does not just pull one upset -- he runs through three opponents for gold. Carlos Machado - Mollis Ars sends him in rated at 1,007 Jits and he leaves as a gold medalist.
Three upsets crack the 2,700-Jits barrier at a single 140-match tournament. Evan Elijah Estacio-Bryers leads with a 3,614-Jits upset over Adrian Cesar Hernandez of Behring Puerto Rico. Kevin Michael Martinez of Rilion Gracie Miami Lakes follows with a 3,587-Jits upset over Bentley Otto Leskovec, a fighter with 100 career wins. And Paul Wilson closes a 2,723-Jits gap against Frank Rochira Cardamone III — then keeps winning for gold.
Levi Danger Hagedorn of Team Shawn Hammonds wins three straight for gold at 4,263 Jits. His bracket run includes a win over James Daniel Heavner, a 12-2 fighter rated at 3,233 Jits. That loss breaks Heavner's strong career trajectory.
Hagedorn and Greysen Michael Farmer have now met 12 times. Hagedorn leads 9-3. Twelve meetings between the same two fighters across multiple tournaments — the data captures every one. This is what a multi-year youth rivalry looks like in the bracket record.
Results
Top Rated Gold Medalists
| Fighter | Rating | Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Damian Enrique Arriola | 9,403 | Rilion Gracie Miami Lakes |
| Alaiya Rose Robinson | 8,821 | Behring Puerto Rico |
| Maverick Lincoln Dietz | 8,083 | Gracie Barra Morgan Hill |
| Levi Danger Hagedorn | 4,263 | Team Shawn Hammonds |
Deep Bracket Gold Medalists (3+ wins)
| Fighter | Rating | Academy | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levi Danger Hagedorn | 4,263 | Team Shawn Hammonds | 3 |
| Paul Wilson | 1,007 | Carlos Machado - Mollis Ars | 3 |
| Micaiah Silva | 2,754 | — | 3 |
| Ezekiel Kirk-Ryan Phillips | 2,145 | — | 3 |
Academy Report
| Academy | Fighters | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Checkmat | 22 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 18 |
| BJJ Coach Intl. Association | 22 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 16 |
| Team Shawn Hammonds | 13 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 11 |
| Reaction MMA / SAS | 15 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 10 |
| Gracie Barra | 18 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 10 |
Checkmat and BJJ Coach International Association each send 22 fighters, but the medal composition tells different stories. Checkmat converts at a 45% gold rate — 10 of their 18 medals are first place. BJJ Coach leans wider: 9 golds, but also 3 silvers and 4 bronzes, distributing hardware more evenly across their team.
Team Shawn Hammonds brings just 13 fighters and walks away with 11 medals, an 85% medal rate. Hagedorn's three-win gold anchors their effort, but the depth behind him matters. Four golds from 13 entries means nearly one in three Hammonds fighters wins their division.
This is a compact tournament — 140 matches, no massive delegations — and the academy battle reflects that. The gap between first (18 medals) and fifth (10 medals) is only eight. Everyone here came to compete.
By The Numbers
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| TOTAL MATCHES | 140 |
| FORMAT | Gi only |
| UPSETS ABOVE 2,700 JITS | 3 |
| 3-WIN GOLD MEDALISTS | 4 |
| HAGEDORN vs FARMER | 12 meetings (9-3) |
| LOWEST-RATED GOLD | 1,007 Jits (Paul Wilson) |
Full results and fighter profiles available on every competitor's page.
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