Category: News

Polaris 26 is scheduled for 4th November, 2023 at Southampton Central Hall and one of our champions will be making his return to the mats. Craig Jones is the reigning Polaris light-heavyweight champion and was previously the middleweight champion before he vacated the title to move up in weight permanently. Jones is often referred to as the second-best grappler in the world and he's definitely earned that title over the years. He reached the podium at ADCC 2019 and ADCC 2022, earning silver medals in the under 88kg and under 99kg divisions respectively. His opponent is a UFC veteran who is known for his fantastic grappling ability. Gerald Meerschaert has had over 50 professional MMA fights and has been signed to the UFC since 2016, fighting the best middleweights on the planet since then. Meerschaert has a 35-17 MMA record with an astonishing 27 submission wins to his name, and he currently holds the record for most submission wins in the UFC middleweight division. He will be a fresh opponent and a tough challenge for Jones as he makes his return to the United Kingdom and the Polaris mats.

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Polaris 25 is just a matter of days away but the lineup has undergone a few minor changes at the last minute. One of the early favorites, Eoghan O'Flanagan, has been forced to withdraw from the absolute grand prix taking place at the event. He is being replaced by Jason Rau, one of the best leglockers and most well-respected instructors on the planet. Rau joins an incredibly tough tournament, with ADCC world champions Kaynan Duarte and Giancarlo Bodoni standing out as the most difficult opposition he might face on the night. Elsewhere, Nathaniel Wood has also withdrawn from the card. He was scheduled to take on former UFC bantamweight world champion Aljamain Sterling in the main event superfight and he's now been replaced by another UK MMA veteran, Mike Grundy. While Nathaniel has had more success in his MMA career, Grundy has a much higher level of grappling experience. He's a former wrestler for Team GB and a Judo Commonwealth games medalist who will undoubtedly be eager to make a statement by beating Sterling.

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Polaris 25 is scheduled for September 30th, 2023 and although the main attraction is the absolute grand prix, the superfight also features two big names. Aljamain Sterling is the former UFC bantamweight world champion and one of the best MMA fighters on the planet, primarily using his grappling to succeed at the highest level. He was a two-time NCAA Division III All-American at the beginning of his combat sports career and he's been able to develop his fantastic wrestling to include an impressive submission-threat as well. He's racked up several submission wins throughout his MMA career, including some notable ones over Cory Sandhagen and Cody Stamann. Sterling is travelling to the UK in order to take on one of the most popular MMA fighters in the country, Nathaniel Wood. Not only does Wood also compete in the bantamweight division of the UFC, but he also won a Cage Warriors title in the division before he signed with the world's biggest MMA promotion. Wood also has several submission wins in the UFC bantamweight division, but he's recently moved up to featherweight and won his first 3 fights there too.

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With Polaris 25 fast-approaching, the final two competitors who are being invited to Absolute Grand Prix can now be confirmed and only one spot remains for the winner of the Contenders tournament. Kaynan Duarte is not only a two-time IBJJF world champion and a two-time ADCC world champion, but he's no stranger to absolute divisions either. Duarte has reached the podium of absolute tournaments on several occasions and he will be one of the heaviest competitors in the bracket, so he stands a great chance of winning. It's tough for anyone to beat Duarte but the Absolute Grand Prix is stacked with elite grapplers and they're all capable of stopping him on the right day. The second grappler invited to Polaris 25 is also the lightest competitor so far, Fabricio Andrey. Although he generally competes at 70kg or less, Andrey is still an IBJJF world champion in his own right. He has a fast-paced style that always produces exciting matches and even though he'll be at a size disadvantage, he has what it takes to outwork bigger opponents. Andrey is also a Polaris veteran too, as he had three matches where he helped Team Brazil storm to victory at Polaris...

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The lineup for the absolute grand prix at Polaris 25 has grown even further as two more elite grapplers will be competing for the $30,000 grand prize on September 30th, 2023. Eoghan O'Flanagan has been one of the top talents in the UK for quite some time and is a Polaris fan-favorite thanks to his exciting style. He won the ADCC European Trials in 2021 with a clean sweep of heel hook finishes in all 5 of his matches, booking his place at ADCC 2022 at 88kg. He went 2-2 at the event with a stunning submission win over Mason Fowler and only narrowly missed out on a medal after suffering an ankle injury in his semi-final match. Most recently he defeated Hunter Colvin at Polaris 24 and he'll be coming into this tournament eager to avenge his loss to Giancarlo Bodoni at ADCC 2022. Alongside O'Flanagan is Roberto Jimenez, a man known for being one of the most entertaining competitors on the planet. Jimenez won the ADCC South American Trials at 77kg, eventually going 1-1 in his weight class at ADCC 2022 and challenging himself in the absolute division shortly after. Jimenez is the reigning Polaris middleweight champion after...

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The absolute grand prix at Polaris 25 now has another two veterans of ADCC 2022 joining the reigning 88kg champion Giancarlo Bodoni. Izaak Michell actually competed in the same weight class as Bodoni after winning the only edition of the ADCC Asia and Oceania Trials, and he engaged in one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament. He lost in the opening round against eventual bronze medalist Vagner Rocha, but he announced his arrival at the highest level of the sport and now gets another opportunity to compete against the best in the world. Owen Livesey was called up to compete as a short-notice replacement at under 99kg at ADCC 2022 after an impressive performance in the European Trials. He drew an incredibly tough match in the opening round against the reigning over 99kg champion and the eventual winner of the division, Kaynan Duarte. He gave a good account of himself regardless and has come back with a vengeance, coming into the absolute grand prix fresh off an incredible decision victory over Chris Weidman at Polaris 23.

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The first entrant for the absolute grand prix at Polaris 25 on September 30th, 2023 can now be announced, and he's a reigning ADCC world champion. Giancarlo Bodoni won the under 88kg division at ADCC 2022 after putting in one of the best performances of the entire event. Bodoni is a BJJ black belt under Lucas Lepri and moved to train under John Danaher at New Wave Jiu-Jitsu back in 2021. Later that year he won the ADCC North American Trials and earned his place at ADCC 2022, although he was still considered a long shot to win the division at the time. Bodoni won his first match 6-0 on points before submitting the remaining three opponents in his weight class in order to become the new ADCC world champion. He's no stranger to absolute divisions either as he entered it at ADCC 2022 and submitted the larger Haisam Rida in the opening round. Bodoni has established himself as one of the best grapplers on the planet already and he will be tough for anyone to beat at Polaris 25, no matter the size advantage they might have.

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Polaris 25 is now scheduled for September 30th, 2023 and the main event will be an absolute grand prix tournament. The tournament will feature 8 of the best grapplers on the planet from any weight class, and they'll all be battling it out for a $30,000 grand prize. While 7 athletes will be invited to compete based on the strength of their competitive performances and achievements on the past, the final spot will be left open. This is because another edition of Polaris Contenders will take place on August 26th, 2023 at Great Britain Top Team Headquarters in South London and the winner will claim the final spot. As always, there will be several other superfights throughout Polaris 25 serving as both the preliminary card and a break in the action during the absolute grand prix.

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Both Ashley Williams and Ryan Hall have been forced to withdraw from the main event of Polaris 24, so a new title-fight has now been booked to replace them. The lightweight title will still be on the line for the main event, but with the belt now vacated it is guaranteed to be going to a new home. One of B-Team Jiu-Jitsu's founding members, Ethan Crelinsten, will be facing 10th Planet legend Nate Orchard for it. Crelinsten came within inches of winning a Polaris title before but lost a close decision to Williams, and he'll no doubt be eager to not leave it in the hands of the judges this time. He's a two-time ADCC veteran and he's known for a fast-paced and exciting grappling style. His opponent in the main event, Nate Orchard, also has experience on the Polaris mats as he helped drive Team USA to victory at Polaris Squads 3 with a submission win over Kieran Davern. Orchard is known for his unique and innovative approach to grappling, making him a notoriously difficult opponent to prepare for. While Crelinsten has plenty of fantastic training partners in Austin, Texas, it will be tough to be fully ready for...

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Two more matches have just been added to the main card for Polaris 24 on 3rd June, 2023, bringing the total number of main card matchups to five. Opening the main card of Polaris 24 is an exciting women's match featuring Rosie Clarke and Martina Zola. Clarke is actually fresh off making her debut on the Polaris mats at the last event and the talented BJJ purple belt is no doubt eager to build on that success. Zola on the other hand is a 10th Planet brown belt from Italy who trains in London, and she's looking to break through to the top level of competition in Europe after earning some impressive wins on the UK competition circuit. The second match added to the main card also features a competitor who's been making waves on the competition circuit, Matty Holmes. He is a BJJ black belt from Next Generation MMA in Liverpool and he'll have his hands full with a very tough opponent at Polaris 24. Holmes will be facing Jason Rau, one of the most well-respected grapplers and proficient leglockers in the US. Rau is known for the incredible depth of knowledge he possesses and many of the world's...

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The preliminary card of Polaris 24 has doubled in size now, as five more matches can be confirmed for 3rd June, 2023. Dinu Bucalet is returning to Polaris for an individual match after representing Team Europe at two Squads events, and he will be facing top prospect Ollie Webb. Another talented youngster Will Nichols is competing in the second preliminary match announced, and he will be taking on Elite Jiu-Jitsu's Leo Blum. The third match announced is between a pair of Polaris veterans known for their exciting styles and fast pace, Dominic Dillon and Nathan Kay. Next up is actually a gi match between two incredibly well-respected and prolific UK competitors. Matt Inman and Yousuf Nabi will be competing against one another in what is sure to be a close match, as both men have seen it all by now. The final preliminary match confirmed in this batch is the first women's match of Polaris 24, between professional MMA fighter Shanelle Dyer and Carlson Gracie Hull product Julia Scardone.

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Polaris 24 was already set to star 3 ADCC veterans in the main and co-main events, and now 3 more will be joining the main card just beforehand. Keith Krikorian and Tom Halpin will be facing one another at 70kg during the main card of Polaris 24, although both men are known for competing in the 66kg division at ADCC. Halpin earned his chance at glory at ADCC 2019 by winning the European trials, while Krikorian achieved the same feat in North America to book his place at ADCC 2022. Both men are known as exciting grapplers with incredible depth of leglock knowledge, so it'll be interesting to see how they match up against one another. The second recent match added to the main card will feature the 4th place finisher from the 88kg division at ADCC 2022, Eoghan O'Flanagan. Not only is O'Flanagan a fan-favourite on the Polaris mats already, but he won his place at the tournament by winning European trials as well. Although he's been one of the best in the UK for a long time, ADCC 2022 announced his arrival at the very top of the sport as he took out both Xande Ribeiro and Mason...

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With the main card of Polaris 24 already starting to take shape, the first five matches of the preliminary card can now be confirmed too. First up is an exciting match between a pair of MMA veterans in Ash Grimshaw and Fabrizio Calio. Grimshaw fought for virtually every UK MMA promotion that existed in the last two decades and Calio is known for his exciting style in the cage. The second match to be confirmed features two rising stars of the professional grappling scene in the UK; London Grapple's Peter Sharmakou and one of Jed Hue's top students, Francesco Bartolotta. Aeon BJJ's Sam Gibbs will be facing the IBJJF no gi European champion at purple belt, Hejraat Rashid, in the third match of the preliminary card. Next up is Chris Macken and Jaye Paul, two competitors who are known for excitement and creativity in how they approach their matches. The final match of the first five preliminary card announcements will see Nathan Jones returning after an exciting debut at Polaris 19, to take on Jack Gover in what should be an incredibly tough match for both men.

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Along with the headline match between Ashley Williams and Ryan Hall, another title-fight has just been added to Polaris 24 as the co-main event. Jed Hue and Mateusz Szczecinski will be battling it out for the welterweight title on 3rd June, 2023, as Edwin Najmi has now vacated the title. Hue is a fan-favourite on the Polaris mats and has a perfect 4-0 record in superfights along with several matches representing Team UK & Ireland in Polaris Squads, and a fantastic run in the middleweight grand prix. Hue made it all the way to the final despite competing up in weight and really put the eventual champion Roberto Jimenez to the test in their match. Szczecinski also competed up in weight for the middleweight grand prix, although he wasn't able to make it out of the opening round. Regardless, the fearsome Polish leglocker is known all across Europe as being an incredibly difficult opponent for anyone. He was even invited to compete in the 77kg division at ADCC 2022 and pulled off a brilliant submission win in the opening round against William Tackett, announcing his arrival on the world stage in impressive fashion.

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Polaris 24 is set for 3rd June, 2023 and the main event is going to be a fantastic title-fight between elite grapplers. Ashley Williams will be putting one of his three belts on the line as he faces off against UFC veteran Ryan Hall. Ryan Hall will be challenging for the lightweight title in his first grappling match in several years, although he hasn't been completely out of combat sports. Hall has been busy making a name for himself in the UFC, where he won The Ultimate Fighter 22 and has since put together a 5-1 record in the promotion and a 8-2 professional record overall. Grappling fans will likely know Hall best from his ADCC trials win back in 2008 and subsequent bronze medal in the 66kg division at ADCC 2009. Ashley Williams on the other hand has been significantly more active on the professional grappling scene, including his journey to become the first Polaris triple-champion. Williams is the reigning bantamweight, featherweight, and lightweight champion while also winning the ADCC European trials in 2021. That booked his place in the 66kg division at ADCC 2022 where he lost out to the eventual champion, Diogo Reis, in an incredibly close...

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The women's under 66kg grand prix at Polaris 23 is now complete, as the final two competitors have joined the tournament. The first to join was Joanna Dineva, who had to fight tooth and nail to earn her spot in the tournament. Dineva had to defeat five other women at London Grapple on February 4th in order to win the latest edition of Polaris Contenders. She's a tough competitor who has only recently established herself at the highest levels of the sport, winning gold at the IBJJF European Championship at the beginning of the year. Although Dineva enters Polaris 23 as the biggest underdog at the tournament, she's more than capable of upsetting the balance and defeating some of the more experienced competitors. Dineva should have completed the division at Polaris 23, but unfortunately Jaidyn Mueller was forced to withdraw from the event due to injury. Stepping in to replace her is Fight Sports black belt Maggie Grindatti, who will be competing on the Polaris mats for the very first time. Grindatti is also an IBJJF European Champion and has won medals at both the Pan Championship and World Championship in the past.

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