Posted on

Polaris 27
Team Brazil is now complete as Isaque Bahiense and Marcelo Fausto join their teammates in representing their country at Polaris 20. Bahiense is one of the more experienced competitors to join Team Brazil, and he will be weighing in at under 95kg. He's a black belt under the legendary Fabio Gurgel and he owns several impressive wins over elite competitors like Davi Ramos, JT Torres and Lucas 'Hulk' Barbosa. Bahiense reached the highest point of his career in 2018 when he won an IBJJF world championship but was most recently seen emerging victorious at the ADCC South American trials. Fausto represents the opposite end of the scale as the young competitor has only been a black belt for a little over a year. He won several major IBJJF tournaments during his journey through the coloured belt divisions and is looking like one of the most promising young prospects from Brazil. He hasn't managed to compete much at black belt yet, but already owns a win over Polaris triple champion Ashley Williams from earlier this year.

Posted on

Polaris 27
With Team USA already completed, Team Brazil is nearing it's conclusion too with two more athletes announced for the country at Polaris 20. Diogo Reis will be representing his home country at 75kg as the ADCC trials winner looks to make his Polaris debut. At just 20 years old, Reis is one of the most exciting young Brazilian competitors around right now and is part of a team of elite young grapplers training under Melqui Galvao at Dream Art. Reis has only been a black belt for a little under 18 months but has plenty of experience on big stages as a multiple-time IBJJF world champion at the lower belt levels. Joining the 95kg group is Kywan Gracie, a member of the world's most famous Jiu-Jitsu family and black belt under the legendary Roger Gracie. Kywan has been grappling for as long as he can remember and as the son of Marcelo Behring, has had plenty of elite-level instruction since the beginning. Both of these competitors will be eager to help Team Brazil take the title from Team USA on June 25th.

Posted on

Polaris 27
Team USA has now been finalised for Polaris 20 as both the under 75kg and 95kg groups have gained one more member. Nick Ronan is the final 75kg member of Team USA and as a winner of Polaris Contenders, he has plenty of experience with the promotion. Ronan is a BJJ black belt under UFC Hall of Famer Matt Serra and has been an impressive young talent, with plenty of room for improvement in the future at just 26 years old. The final 95kg member of Team USA is Hunter Colvin, who will be returning from three fantastic matches at the last Polaris Squads event. Colvin is a professional MMA fighter who is a veteran of the Combat Jiu Jitsu world championships and recently won a silver medal at the ADCC North American West Coast Trials. Both of these men will make fine additions to an already-impressive Team USA, as they attempt to defend their title against Team Brazil at Polaris 20.

Posted on

Polaris 27
Both Team USA and Team Brazil have gained another athlete for the fourth Polaris Squads event as Nathan Orchard and Fabricio Andrey will now be representing their respective countries. Nathan Orchard will now be the fifth Tenth Planet member to join Team USA as he returns from a fantastic performance at the third Polaris Squads event. Orchard is a veteran of the Combat Jiu Jitsu world championships and holds a 2-0 professional MMA record, employing a brutally effective style of grappling that includes his signature submission; The Dead Orchard. He will no doubt be a welcome addition to Team USA as he looks to repeat his last performance and register at least one more submission win for his country. Joining Team Brazil is Fabricio Andrey, one of Melqui Galvao's young prodigies who has risen to the top of the sport incredibly quickly. He won the IBJJF world championships several times during his journey through the coloured belts before winning it at black belt on his first attempt in 2021. Andrey has wasted not just a gi competitor though as he also earned a bronze medal at this year's first South American ADCC trials before earning gold in the second edition...