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New Jersey hosted ECI 3 with 185 lb. bracket and super fights

The Emerald City Invitational returned on Saturday, December 4^th to Martinsville, New Jersey for its third event, this time featuring a 16-man 185 lb. bracket and a pair of super fights. The 185 lb. bracket included Giancarlo Bodoni, Steve Kasten, Enrique Galarza, Steve Joachim, Josh Hayden, Isiah Wright, Nick Ronan, Matteo Martinez, Oliver Taza, Nick Domgjoni, Aaron Harris, Jay Rodriguez, Andre Petroski, Sean Yadimarco, Alan Sanchez, and Jon Piersma. The super fights were a 145 lb. match between Amanda Leve of Precision Jiu-Jitsu and Lauren Jones of Black Hole Jiu-Jitsu and a 135 lb. match between Estevan Martinez of ZR Team and Eric Naples of Robson Moura Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The matches were contested under EBI rules, with 10 minute submission only rounds and overtime rounds where competitors could start either on their opponent’s back or in the arm bar position.

Taza continues to impress with well-rounded game ahead of ADCC

Coming into the 185 lb. bracket Oliver Taza had faced some of the toughest 77kg grapplers in the world. He qualified for the 2022 ADCC World Championships by winning the European Trials in September and has since had super fights with Levi Jones Leary and Dante Leon. He’s shown a very well rounded skillset in his recent performances, scoring takedowns, sweeps, guard passes, and submissions.

Taza started out strong in the bracket, submitting his first opponent with an outside heel hook and his next two opponents with inside heel hooks, all in relatively short order. His opponent in the final was former teammate Nick Ronan, who had quite the day himself, defeating ADCC Trials winner Giancarlo Bodoni by heel hook in the semifinals. The regulation period was action packed, with Taza often dictating the pace and scoring takedowns, sweeps, and guard passes, but was unable to lock in a submission.

In overtime, Nick Ronan chose to start from the back position. Ronan moved to the body triangle and Taza was able to pummel his legs inside, breaking apart the triangle and getting the angle he needed to escape and come up in Ronan’s closed guard. Taza started from the arm bar position, but Ronan was able to escape, setting up a second overtime round. Ronan again chose the back control and Taza escaped again, utilizing great leg pummeling and defensive skills. Taza chose the arm bar position for a second time, but this time was able to lock up an inverted triangle, forcing the tap from Ronan. Look for Taza to continue competing regularly in the lead up to the 2022 ADCC World Championships in September.

Giant slayers Estevan Martinez and Amanda Leve score wins in OT

Estevan Martinez and Amanda Leve are the most prolific giant slayers in jiu-jitsu. Estevan’s nickname is the “Giant Slayer” as he often competes in the open class despite being a rooster weight. Amanda Leve recently beat Gabi Garcia at the WNO Championships, likely being outweighed by around 100 lbs. In the first of the two featured super fights of the night, Estevan faced Eric Naples of Robson Moura Jiu-Jitsu. The regulation period started pretty even, with Estevan spending most of the time on top trying to pass Eric’s tough reverse de la riva guard. In true Estevan fashion, he attempted to pass Eric’s guard with cartwheels and backflips, getting around the legs but not securing a submission.

In overtime, Estevan chose the back position and finished a rear naked choke in just 22 seconds. Naples had to finish Estevan in less time to win, but Estevan was able to work his way to the feet and shake Naples off to escape and secure the win.

The second super fight of the event saw Amanda Leve of Precision Jiu-Jitsu take on Lauren Jones of Black Hole Jiu-Jitsu. Jones pulled guard and Amanda passed to side control less than a minute into the match. Lauren recovered momentarily, but Leve utilized an over under pass to get around the legs for a second time. She used a gift wrap control to get Jones to turn away, inserting one hook and immediately attacking the neck. Jones cleared the hook and escaped, but Leve went right back into a similar sequence, stacking Jone’s hips and passing again to the back position. This time Leve got both hooks and eventually secured a body triangle. Although she had some solid attempts at a rear naked choke, Jones was able to turn and face Leve and come on top into the closed guard.

In overtime, Amanda Leve chose to start on the back but was unable to finish. Jones chose the arm bar position and Leve got to her feet and pulled her arm out to escape. Amanda again chose the back position but Jones did a great job hand fighting and avoiding the choke. Jones once again selected the arm bar position and Amanda utilized a similar route to escape, winning the match via ride time in overtime.

Full results for the 185lb. bracket can be found below:

Giancarlo Bodoni def. Steve Kasten via submission (rear naked choke)

Enrique Galarza def. Steve Joachim via submission (Estima lock)

Josh Hayden def. Isiah Wright via submission (outside heel hook)

Nick Ronan def. Matteo Martinez via ride time in OT

Oliver Taza def. Nick Domgjoni via submission (outside heel hook)

Jay Rodriguez def. Aaron Harris via submission (inside heel hook)

Sean Yadimarco def. Andre Petroski via submission (inside heel hook)

Alan Sanchez def. Jon Perisma via submission in OT (arm bar)

Quarterfinals

Giancarlo Bodoni def. Enrique Galarza via submission in OT (rear naked choke)

Nick Ronan def. Josh Hayden via escape time in OT

Oliver Taza def. Jay Rodriguez via submission (inside heel hook)

Sean Yadimarco def. Alan Sanchez via submission (rear naked choke in OT)

Semifinals

Nick Ronan def. Giancarlo Bodoni via submission (inside heel hook)

Oliver Taza def. Alan Sanchez via submission (inside heel hook)

Finals

Oliver Taza def. Nick Ronan via submission in OT (inverted triangle)

Beneil Dariush thinks Khabib Nurmagomedov’s recent comments implying the UFC is favoring his opponent Islam Makhachev are ‘funny.’

Life in the top five of the UFC lightweight rankings isn’t easy for anyone, but #3 ranked Beneil Dariush has it harder than most as he’s set to face #4 ranked Islam Makhachev on Feb. 26th, 2022. Makhachev is a staggering 21-1 and on a nine fight UFC winning streak. He’s adopted the mantle of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s successor, and thus far has been living up to the hype.

There’s plenty of perks of being on Team Khabib, and these days that seems to include Khabib helping out with the hype and trash talk.

“UFC told Islam, if [he beats] Dariush, he’s going to fight for the title,” Nurmagomedov said in an interview with ESPN. “And UFC told – you know, like what’s interesting, if Islam finishes him, they’re going to give him like double bonus. It’s very interesting. This is like just private news. I just want to share with you and fans because it’s very interesting, and UFC really, really wants this fight, and they told him if you’re going to finish him, they’re going to give him double bonus.”

Dariush doesn’t seem too phased when it comes to the prospect of grappling with Makhachev in the cage, or Khabib through the media.

“I don’t know if I feel like I’m in competition with [Khabib], but I feel like, maybe, he’s trying to do a little bit of a drama show,” Dariush said in his own interview with ESPN. “Like when he talks about contracts and how Islam is getting a bonus to finish me and stuff like that. You know, I feel like he’s throwing a little digs in there, which, in reality, I think is funny.”

As for the suggestion that the UFC is favoring Makhachev by offering him extra cash for a finish?

“In reality, I get the same thing,” Dariush revealed. “I have the same thing in my contract… I have that double bonus in my contract. Yeah, yeah, I have the same assurances… It has nothing to do with the name of the fighter, it’s just in your contract. So, you know, drama show, everywhere you go it’s a little bit of a drama show. But at least the way Khabib does it, it’s not like, personal. So I don’t mind it, I actually appreciate it.”

But Dariush is pretty pragmatic when it comes to earning a title shot off a win.

“I don’t know about if I’m going to get a title shot,” he said. “Listen, with me, just because the way I am, you never know when I’m gonna get this title shot. And I don’t think it’s because Dana or Sean [Shelby, UFC matchmaker] don’t like me. I think they like me, but like, they’re businessmen. They have to make the right choice for their business; what’s gonna sell more pay-per-view, what’s gonna get more eyes on the fights, and I recognize that.”

“If I continue doing what I’m doing inside that Octagon, I’m eventually gonna get the eyes and the people to open up their pocketbooks and pay for that pay-per-view.”

Anthony Pettis shared a screenshot of him winning nearly $30,000 on a $10,000 bet he made on his brother, Sergio Pettis, to beat Kyoji Horiguchi at Bellator 272.

Being confident in your teammate is one thing, but betting $10,000 on them at a +175 moneyline is a whole other. Former UFC lightweight champion, Anthony Pettis, shared a screenshot of him making that exact bet on his brother, and Roufusport training partner, Sergio Pettis — who was defending his bantamweight belt as a betting underdog to Kyoji Horiguchi in the Bellator 272 main event. Dropping ten-stacks at +175 produces a profit of $17,500 for a total return of $27,500. Talk about a come up! It has also got to feel good for Sergio to know that his squad believes in him enough to gamble that amount of guap on him against one of the greatest 135-pounders on the planet.

So in the fourth round of the fight, the younger Pettis brother found himself down on the scorecards and really needed to make something happen. Boy did he ever! Pettis missed with a head kick but had spinning backfist following directly behind it. It all happened so fast that Horiguchi was caught with both of his hands down by his side, and the strike landed without any resistance. Horiguchi fell limp to the canvas, and Sergio stepped in to deliver a ferocious ground strike, but once he recognized that Guchi was already out he elected to respectfully holster his weapon. Classy and savage!

Take a look at this screenshot of Anthony Pettis showing a payout of $27,500 on a $10,000 bet on his brother Sergio Pettis:

Here’s a clip of Sergio Pettis’ epic spinning backfist knockout of Kyoji Horiguchi from Bellator 272:

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