A rundown of the biggest headlines and news from the world of competitive grappling.
UFC Fight Pass’ answer to Quintet debuts next weekend and Kinektic have just announced their inaugural teams. While Quintet has been wildly popular, it remains to be seen how big Kinektic can be. With ADCC fast approaching, we’re amidst the nogi grappling season, so everyone will be out to prove a point.
While Quintet was applauded for their diverse cards, it looks like Kinektic has some work to do. Check out the full teams below (h/t grapplinginsider.com):
Team BJJ Fanatics
- Craig Jones
- Nick Rodriguez
- Edwin Najmi
- Jake Shields
- Lachlan Giles
Team Lights Out
- Chris Lytle
- Ricco Rodriguez
- Joe Riggs
- Munch Khera
- Will Weed
Team SUG
- Gabriel Barbosa Checco
- Rafael Domingos
- Vinny Magalhaes
- Ronny Markes
- Alexandre Almeida
Team Lionheart
- Enrico Cocco
- Brian Sparrow
- Joe Warren
- James Brasco
- Scott Morton
While Anthony Smith and Chael Sonnen appear heavily in the promos for the event, it appears they will only be acting as team managers and not actually grappling. BJJ Fanatics has by far the strongest team with their whole squad either being ADCC vets or scheduled to appear at ADCC this year.
GRAPPLING STORIES
Rodolfo Vieira BJJ legend Rodolfo Vieira is set to make his debut this weekend. If you’ve never watched Rodolfo before you’re in for a treat and the best way to whet your appetite is to check out Tommy Elliott’s great breakdown.
No Leglocks Until Blue Belt On last week’s JRE MMA episode, BJJ legend Jean Jacques Machado appeared and buried among a treasure trove of great information was his interesting take on leglocks. According to Machado, focusing on leglocks too early can stunt a grappler’s development and they should wait until blue belt before embracing the dark arts.
Gabi Garcia Multiple-time world champion and MMA fighter, Gabi Garcia is set to face Nathiely De Jesus for the heavyweight title at Fight 2 Win 121 this weekend. De Jesus is widely considered one of the greatest grapplers of her generation, but Garcia’s sheer strength makes her a difficult challenge for anyone.
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