A rundown of the biggest headlines and news from the world of competitive grappling.
After the unfortunate announcement that the ADCC World Championships would be delayed until 2022 in order to give ample time for the trials events to be completed, said trials have finally had their dates announced. BJJ competitors from all around the world gather together to compete for the chance to step on the mats at the ADCC World Championships, and it’s vital to the competition that this tradition continues.
The ADCC trials are normally separated over continents and ran both the year before, and the year of the finals. The pandemic has necessitated a change to these plans however and instead, there will be three trials events scheduled to take place between September and December this year. As always, eager fans will still be able to get a sneak-peek at some of the dark horse competitors for the finals.
Fight 2 Win Sets Up a Running Start for 2021
Fight 2 Win had a difficult year as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, as did every other grappling promotion on the planet. It seems as though they’re determined to do as much in 2021 as possible however, as they’ve already scheduled three events for January, starting with F2W 160 headlined by William Tackett and Vagner Rocha on the 16th. The next two weekends in a row will also feature high-level grappling matches courtesy of the promotion.
F2W 161 will then see Roberto ‘Cyborg’ Abreu return to action against ADCC veteran Tim Spriggs. The first month of the year is then going to be rounded out by F2W 162, which will actually break new ground for one of America’s most successful grappling promotions. For the first time ever, F2W will feature a card stacked solely with female grapplers from the main event all the way down to the preliminary matches.
BJJ Fanatics Starts a Fund for Struggling Gyms With a $25k Donation
BJJ Fanatics is the most popular instructional site for grapplers all around the world, and once again they’re giving back to the community in a huge way. Co-Founder and IBJJF World Champion Bernardo Faria announced the news that the organisation will be starting a charity fund to help gyms that are struggling to make it through the pandemic and they’ve kickstarted it with a massive $25,000 donation.
The majority of gyms around the planet are unlikely to be making anywhere near the income they would’ve this time last year and it’s notably rare that any new gyms can afford to risk starting now. This isn’t the first time that BJJ Fanatics have helped out the community as they recently worked with Matheus Gonzaga to raise over $2,000 for charity and have supported Feeding America in the past by donating enough to fund 59,000 meals.
Rafael Lovato Jr. Dreams of Making a Return to MMA in 2021
Rafael Lovato Jr. is an elite BJJ competitor first and foremost, but ever since he first announced his transition to MMA, that has been his singular focus. In five years of fighting, Lovato Jr. put up a ten-fight undefeated career that ended with him winning the Bellator Middleweight World Championship, before he was forced into an indefinite hiatus from the sport after being diagnosed with a rare brain condition.
Since then, he has made a return to professional grappling by taking up superfights along with an appearance at the IBJJF Masters World Championships where he made it all the way to the final of the absolute division against Gregor Gracie. Now, Lovato Jr. has made it clear that he has no intention to call it a day on his MMA career and he still has aspirations of making it back into the cage for at least one more fight in 2021.
Quick Hits
- IBJJF World Champion Beatriz ‘Bia’ Mesquita and ADCC veteran Patrick Gaudio have just announced their engagement, congratulations to the happy couple!
- Dillon Danis was asked about a potential grappling match against Khabib Nurmagomedov and he apparently believes it would be ‘easy work’.
- Elite grappler Charles Oliveira isn’t happy to settle for anything less than a shot against the McGregor-Poirier winner for the vacant UFC Lightweight belt.
- ONE FC Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee was forced to delay the grand opening of her gym, United BJJ Hawaii, after a senseless act of vandalism.
Technique Corner
Two Heelhook Entries, One from Top and One from Bottom
Spiral to Crab Ride to the Back
Closed Guard Attacks using the Lapel