American B-Boy Victor Montalvo takes BC One crown in Rome
Saturday night November 14th, in Rome, B-Boy and Orlando native Victor (full name Victor Montalvo) beat out the best breakdancers from Siberia to Japan and a host of other countries, to become the 2015 Red Bull BC One World Champ and claim the title as the top breakdancer in the world. Victor defeated Portuguese b-boy “Bruce Almighty” in the final round of the Red Bull BC One World Final to cap off a year which including prestigious wins at the Red Bull BC One North America Final (in his hometown of Orlando), the Silverback Open and Freestyle Sessions World Final.
Victor Montalvo of the USA celebrates with the winner's belt during Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151115-00052 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
The 2015 winner's belt during Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151116-00649 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Victor Montalvo (L) of the USA faces off against Alexander (Bruce Almighty) Ponevezhskiy (R) of Portugal during the Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151115-00136 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Spectators react during the Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151116-00664 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Victor Montalvo of the USA celebrates winning during Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Mauro Puccini/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151115-00107 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
The judges score a battle during Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Nika Kramer/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151115-00113 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
The 2015 World Final was held at Rome’s Palazzo dei Congressi, which was packed wall-to-wall with a soldout crowd. Hiphop radio icon Sway Calloway also joined the massive celebration of breaking alongside popular duo Les Twins who performed a killer show that brought the entire audience to their feet. “To win Red Bull BC One means so much to me because I’ve been trying to win this battle since I was a young kid,” said Victor . “I used to dream about just being on this stage and finally I won this. It feels so good.” “Victor did really everything, from the basics to originality to musicality, he was always on point,” said Cico, World Final judge and BC One All Star. “He’s the ultimate BBoy because he’s going with the flow. He doesn’t stress out. He’s just calm. American BBoys have it in the blood. They have this way to dance where they don’t put pressure on themselves. They have a natural talent.”
Victor’s win impressed Sway , “I’ve been a big fan of BBoy Victor for a long time. He won North American Final. He’s done the entire journey. He’s an American BBoy, but he represents the world. He represents the culture.”
“Red Bull BC One is the most incredible competition there is,” said Sway . “I come from Hip Hop culture. I grew up in BBoy culture. To see how far it has advanced, to see the kind of hard work and determination that these dancers put into their routines, there’s nothing that compares to it, nothing. Red Bull does an excellent job at organizing it, and investing in the culture, and I think everybody is happy.”
Kareem Jabraun Gwinn of the USA (L) competes against Menno van Gorp of the Netherlands (R) during the Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Mauro Puccini/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151118-00190 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Nikolay (Killa Kolya) Chernikov of Kazakhstan competes during the Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Mauro Puccini/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151118-00187 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Michele Satriano, Cico, Virginia Tomarchio, Eleonora Abbagnato and Neguin perform at the opening act during the Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Mauro Puccini/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151118-00186 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Gijoo (Pocket) Kim of Korea competes during the Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Mauro Puccini/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151118-00184 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Gustavo Henrique (Ratin) Cabral of Brazil competes against Victor Montalvo of the USA (not in photo) of the USA during the Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Mauro Puccini/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151118-00183 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
The Ebony perform at Spazio Novecento during the Theatre Night prior to the Red Bull BC One World Final in Rome, Italy on November 12, 2015. // Damiano Levati/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151114-00099 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
B-Boy Cico, Michele Satriano and Virginia Tomarchio, pose for a portrait after the rehearsal for the Red Bull BC One World Final Opening Act at Teatro dell'Opera in Rome, Italy on October 25th, 2015. // Mauro Puccini/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151027-00078 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
B-Boy Cico, Eleonora Abbagnato and Virginia Tomarchio pose for a portrait after the rehearsal for the Red Bull BC One World Final Opening Act at Teatro dell'Opera in Rome, Italy on October 25th, 2015. // Mauro Puccini/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151027-00076 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Virginia Tomarchio, B-Boy Neguin and Eleonora Abbagnato pose for a portrait after the rehearsal for the Red Bull BC One World Final Opening Act at Teatro dell'Opera in Rome, Italy on October 25th, 2015. // Mauro Puccini/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151027-00074 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Soccer Team AS Roma participating in a preshoot for the Red Bull BC One World Final in Rome, Italy on October 22, 2015 // Fabio Rossi / Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151106-00169 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Jong Ho "Leon" Kim of Korea poses for a photo at Outdoor Festival, prior to the Red Bull BC One World Final, in Rome, Italy on November 10, 2015. // Nika Kramer/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151111-00221 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
This year’s competition brought in the newest generation of B-Boys who continue to evolve the artform, raising the stakes higher and making the competition tougher. Rome’s Top 16 included USA’s Victor, Morroco’s Lil Zoo, UK’s Sunni, South Korea’s Pocket and Leon , Japan’s Issei and Kazuki , Latin America and Brazil’s Ratin and Portugal’s Bruce Almighty.
The semifinals were incredibly intense. Bruce Almighty destroyed his opponent Pocket in the first semi, but the second clash between Lil Zoo and Victor was nearly too close to call, leaving the judges with a very hard decision. In then end, Victor got to take on Bruce Almighty and the two created an extremely entertaining World Final with their heavily clashing styles. After five hardfought rounds, the judges voted three-to-two in favor of Victor’s flamboyant and technical style, and he was crowned the 2015 Red Bull BC One World Champion.
Mouloud-Nacim (Nasso) Bayazid (R) of France competes against Issei Horei (L) of Japan during the Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151116-00677 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Victor Montalvo (L) of the USA competes against Fouad (Lil Zoo) Ambelj of Morocco during the Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151115-00124 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Victor Montalvo of the USA celebrates winning during Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Mauro Puccini/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151115-00107 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
The spectators react during Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Nika Kramer/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151115-00106 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Victor Montalvo of the USA celebrates with the winner's belt during Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy, on November 14, 2015. // Nika Kramer/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151115-00059 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Victor Montalvo of the USA performs during Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy, on November 14, 2015. // Nika Kramer/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151115-00060 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Victor Montalvo of the USA competes against Alexander (Bruce Almighty) Ponevezhskiy (not in photo) of Portugal during the Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Mauro Puccini/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151115-00112 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Victor Montalvo of the USA celebrates with the winner's belt during Red Bull BC One World Finals at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Rome, Italy on November 14, 2015. // Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool // P-20151115-00053 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
MC Supernatural (USA) hosted the evening’s festivities and DJ Marrrtin (France) was spinning all original tracks for the first time ever at a World Final. The judges for the evening were Cico (Italy), Wing (South Korea), Poe (USA), Lamine (France) and Focus (Finland). Missed the live stream? Watch all of the excitement on redbull.tv again!
Red Bull BC One was founded in 2004 in Biel, Switzerland. Over the years, the championship has moved from Germany to Brazil, South Africa, France, the USA, Japan, Russia and South Korea. Today it remains a key event in Hip Hop culture, helping to push the culture forward while respecting the original format of one-on-one battles.
Want updates?
Online community: www.redbullbcone.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/redbullbcone
Twitter: www.twitter.com/redbullbcone.com #bcone
Instagram: www.instagram.com/redbullbcone #bcone
TweetAbout the Author
Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.
Related Posts
Taia Rashid and Daphane Carter Normalize Luxury and Diversity with Daphane Limoncello Brand →
July 2022 Food, Drink, Health, Lifestyle & Music Discoveries From The “Paltrobox” (Video) →
Antonio Sabato Jr. On The Film “God’s Not Dead: We The People,” Trailblazer Films & Future Plans →
