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Articles by Roy Billington
Galactic Fight League Set for January 20 Mint Date
Highly anticipated MMA-inspired NFT, Galactic Fight League is set to launch with a mint on January 20. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA, January 12, 2022 / EINPresswire.com/ -- Mixed martial arts is about to meet the metaverse. The Galactic Fight League have announced that they will be opening the initial mint of their ambitious project on January 20.
John Lawrence Releases Highly-Anticipated Sequel to Best Selling Debut Memoir "Playing Doctor"
John Lawrence's debut memoir "Playing Doctor" was critically acclaimed and in the second instalment of the series John explores his time as a medical resident. I stayed up far too late, often crying with laughter, reading about the medical mishaps and blunders.” — Lauren Weisberger (The Devil Wears Prada) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA, January 5, 2022 / EINPresswire.com/ -- In 2020, John Lawrence released his debut to critical acclaim.
Sophie Thomas Releases Debut Book "Fitlosophy" With DartFrog Blue
Sophie Thomas releases her debut book with leading independent publisher DartFrog Blue. The ways that Sophie Thomas integrates philosophy into her approach to fitness is both interesting and unique. She sets a new standard for those seeking meaningful and lasting change in their lives.” — Gordon McClellan (Founder of Dartfrogbooks.com) LONDON, ENGLAND, November 30, 2021 / EINPresswire.com/ -- Sophie Thomas had an interesting childhood and adolescence.
Nuclear Nerds NFT set for Highly Anticipated Launch on November 11
Story-driven post-apocalyptic NFT, Nuclear Nerds, is set to be released on November 11th. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA, October 27, 2021 / EINPresswire.com/ -- Nuclearnerds.io are set to launch an eagerly anticipated diverse NFT universe on November 11. Nuclear Nerds was founded by a pair of creative directors who were pivotal in creating internationally renowned advertising campaigns for brands including Coca Cola and BMW.
Polaris announces UK vs. Europe team event
Polaris were scheduled to put on a blockbuster Grand Prix on April 4th, but the Coronavirus pandemic limited international travel to the UK and the event was cancelled. Since then they have returned with a UK based tournament, but the promotion has announced today that international athletes will be returning for an interesting new team format. Polaris were the original Quintet champions and now they are about to put their own spin on team grappling.
Ross Nicholls & UFC’s Tom Breese sign on for Polaris UK tournament
Back in February, Polaris 13 was announced as an ‘Absolute Grand Prix’ openweight tournament. Unfortunately, however, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated a change of course for the pro-grappling promotion. However, the even it still set to go ahead, just with a slightly more limited scope. While social distancing still remains in the UK, Polaris have elected to hold a show behind closed doors featuring some of the best grapplers on the British circuit.
Polaris set to return with a tournament in the United Kingdom
Polaris’ blockbuster GP was called off due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but Europe’s leading grappling promotion has announced they will be returning with a show next month. While the world GP remains postponed, the promotion has decided to return with a behind-closed-doors tournament featuring some of Europe’s best grapplers.
BJJ star Tom DeBlass returns to MMA, signs with ONE Championship
One of the BJJ world’s most popular athletes is returning to MMA competition. Tom DeBlass last appeared in the cage in 2013, when he put together a two-fight win streak at Bellator before retiring to focus on BJJ. Years later, and the 38-year-old has now signed with ONE Championship. DeBlass debuted in the UFC on short notice and dropped a decision loss to Cyrille Diabate, before cutting to 185 lbs and losing to Riki Fukuda at UFC Macau in 2012.
ADCC 2021 set for Las Vegas
There is no bigger event in submission grappling than ADCC. The bi-annual tournament which attracts a who’s who of grapplers and MMA fighters is set to touchdown in the fight capital of the world in the Fall of 2021, according to their lead organizer Mo Jassim. ADCC traditionally changes country for each iteration, but 2021 will build on from 2019’s highly successful event in California by moving to Las Vegas.
Grappling Report: Chael Sonnen wants Craig Jones to face Rafael Lovato Jr. at SUG 14
Forget about ‘Fight Island,’ this week has been all about Chael Sonnen’s secret gym and the Submission Underground. While to many Vinny Magalhaes is known for his TUF run and his stint in the PFL, to grappling fans he is known firstly as an ADCC champ and for his maxim that leglocks aren’t effective in grappling.
BJJ and the Coronavirus: Deciding to close your gym
Nobody could have anticipated the random appearance and rise of COVID-19. Over the last decade, BJJ has risen from a sport on the periphery to a popular and thriving ecosystem. There are very few major towns across the globe without a gym and in recent years, the gyms have moved from some garage operations to regularly catering to 200+ members. With this growth, gym owners have been investing more money than ever and with the emergence of COVID-19 the sport is in real trouble.
Polaris 13 to go ahead behind closed doors amid coronavirus pandemic
The global spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) has caused disruptions world wide and the martial arts community has been hit hard. Across the globe, leading promotions such as the UFC and KSW have been forced to postpone or cancel shows . BloodyElbow.com can exclusively announce that one major player in martial arts is proceeding with an event on April 4th, albeit with some major changes.
Victor Hugo vs. Felipe Andrew set for Pantheon 3 main event
One of the biggest stories of the year in grappling so far is the rise of Felipe Andrew. At the Europeans in January, Andrew tore through the field winning a silver medal in his weight class before winning gold in the absolute. In the final of the absolute division, Andrew tapped out the notoriously tough Keenan Cornelius and now it looks like he’s set to make his return to Europe for Pantheon 3.
Report: BJJ promotion that featured Rumble vs. Blaydes sumo bout unable to pay athletes
Promoting takes skill. When Substars, a relatively new promotion, announced a blockbuster card featuring ADCC champions and UFC fighters some people in the BJJ community were skeptical. Submission grappling is a notoriously difficult sport for promoters to turn a profit and all the major players either stream through UFC Fight Pass or Flograppling. Substars decided to stream via pay-per-view and it looks like they didn’t sell as many as they hoped.
Geo Martinez vs. Ash Williams set for Pantheon featherweight title
The UK is fast becoming a hotbed for professional grappling. Promotions like Polaris and Grapplefest have been putting on shows for years and now there seems to be a new player on the scene. Pantheon have put on two shows to date, but it looks like their third iteration is going to be something special. BloodyElbow.com has learned that in the co-main event of Pantheon 3, Ashley Williams will be defending his featherweight title against Geo Martinez.
Nick Rodriguez signs on for Polaris Absolute Grand Prix
After an impressive performance against former UFC champion Luke Rockhold in the main event of Polaris 12, Nick Rodriguez has made a quick turnaround and signed on for the upcoming Polaris Absolute Grand Prix (h/t mmafighting.com). Rodriguez has won 3 straight in the promotion, previously defeating UK stars Ben Dyson and Ash Amos.
ADCC vet Mike Perez joins Polaris for openweight grand prix
Another name has signed on the dotted line for the highly-anticipated Polaris GP. While all eyes are on Kaynan Duarte, another challenger has joined the field alongside Patrick Gaudio, Adam Wardzinski and Freddie Vosgrone. Michael Perez, a black belt under Andre Galvao has become the latest participant to be announced for the tournament and he might just be a dark horse that can go far.
ADCC champion Kaynan Duarte flagged by USADA, stripped of IBJJF title
BJJ is one of the least regulated combat sports. Only one major organisation regularly tests and the IBJJF announce their tests ahead of time. Much to the surprise of the BJJ community, it has been announced that one of the sports biggest stars, Kaynan Duarte has been flagged for a drug test violation. According to USADA, Duarte tested positive for Ostarine, which is a SARM that has been the cause for many UFC athletes’ drug test failures in the past.
ADCC champ Kaynan Duarte signs on for Polaris GP
Everybody loves a grand prix and Polaris have announced a monumental one for April 4. While Polaris is primarily known for their super fights, the promotion has elected to host its first grand prix and the brackets are starting to fill out. Reigning European champion Patrick Gaudio recently signed on and the fan-friendly Freddie Vosgrone has also been announced, but the last participant to be announced is likely going to be the favorite to take home the $20,000 prize.
Polaris switches to tournament format, announces 8-man openweight grand prix
Submission grappling just got a whole lot more interesting. When the Eddie Bravo Invitational popped up onto the scene with professional tournaments, it garnered a lot of popularity and helped to create stars like Eddie Cummings, Garry Tonon and Gordon Ryan. In recent years, Eddie Bravo has switched his focus to combat jiu jitsu, and the pro tournament scene in BJJ has been missing a premier show, but it looks like that could change.
BJJ legend Relson Gracie arrested on drug charges in Brazil
One of the biggest names in Brazilian jiu jitsu history could be facing up to 15 years in prison. Relson Gracie, older brother of UFC Hall of Famer Royce, has been arrested in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on suspicion of drug trafficking (HT: grapplinginsider). Relson has numerous affiliate gyms in the US and has acted as a coach to a number of MMA fighters. Notable black belts under Relson include Steve Maxwell and the Migliarese brothers.
Gordon Ryan announces he will retire from BJJ in 2020
It looks like the self-proclaimed king of grappling is about to hang up his crown. After an amazing 2019, which saw him win double gold at ADCC and win super fights at SUG and Quintet, Gordon Ryan has taken to Instagram to announce that he is stepping away from grappling to enjoy his life: View this post on Instagram Thank you and farewell. Its been years since i did anything besides training. I haven't taken a vacation in 5 years.
Quintet Ultra Results and Highlights: UFC edges past Strikeforce
Quintet made its US return last night with an event pitting ZUFFA-owned MMA brands against each other. The opening round saw Strikeforce face-off against the WEC and PRIDE go toe-to-toe with the UFC. The card also featured super fights starring grappling phenoms Craig Jones and Gordon Ryan. Check out the full results below (h/t grapplinginsider.com): Singles Matches Results: Craig Jones def. Fredson Paixao by rear naked choke Danielle Kelly def.
Opinion: Nick Rodriguez could become BJJ’s biggest star if he beats Luke Rockhold
The business of professional grappling is booming. For the first time ever, being a pro grappler is actually financially feasible. In the past we saw great athletes supplement their jiu jitsu lifestyle by running gyms on the side, but over the last five years, we have began to witness the first generation of grapplers whose sole focus is competition.
BJJ vs Wrestling: Gordon Ryan to face U23 world champ Bo Nickal under modified rules
ADCC season is over, but it looks like Gordon Ryan is going to need to get back into wrestling mode. After a number of pull-outs, it seems Third Coast Grappling have settled upon a main event match for their December 7th show and it’s something special. Reigning world U23 and 3x NCAA champion, Bo Nickal has signed on the dotted line to face the biggest name in nogi grappling (HT: grapplinginsider.com).
Luke Rockhold vs. Nick Rodriguez targeted to headline Polaris 12
It looks like Luke Rockhold is set to put his grappling to the test in Europe’s biggest BJJ promotion. Over the past few weeks, there have been rumors circulating that Rockhold has been eager to transition to the grappling world. He was very nearly was a late entrant in ADCC, but he wasn’t medically cleared. Now the switch is closer to reality.
Quintet set to return with PRIDE vs UFC event
Quintet is back and this time the promotion is picking MMA teams rather than its traditional focus on BJJ affiliations. While 2019 saw Kinecktic take up the mantle for team grappling on Fight Pass, many fans have called for the Sakuraba-led Quintet to return. According to a recent announcement, Quintet will be back and bigger than ever.
UFC veteran Marcin Held vs. PJ Barch set for Polaris 12
Marcin Held is set to meet a 10th Planet black belt again, but this time it’s scheduled to take place at Polaris. At Quintet 3, Polish leg lock phenom Marcin Held scored an upset by submitting Geo Martinez in just over a minute. While Held has always been known for his MMA grappling, tapping out Martinez was the highlight of his grappling career and showcased that he could hang with the elite of the grappling world.
Gilbert Burns vs. Tommy Langaker set for Polaris 12
It looks like Gilbert Burns has finally got the fight he’s been clamoring for but it’s not in the Octagon. Bloodyelbow.com can exclusively announce that the former world gi and nogi champ, Gilbert Durinho Burns has signed on to face one of the most popular names in grappling at Polaris 12. While Burns is fresh off his victory over Gunnar Nelson at UFC Fight Night Copenhagen, he has elected to go back to his roots and show his versatility by taking on Tommy Langaker in a gi match.
Joao Miyao vs. Ashley Williams set for Polaris 12
Now that ADCC is over, nogi jiu-jitsu junkies are clamoring for another fix, but fear not as Polaris have announced a match between grappling greats for their next show. Joao Miyao, fighting out of Unity Jiu Jitsu in New York, is a numerous time world champion, winning black belt gold in both the gi and nogi divisions. Miyao holds wins over some of the biggest names in BJJ and recently won the KASAI bantamweight tournament.
ADCC 2019 Results: Gordon Ryan wins double gold
Our friends over at grapplinginsider.com covered all the highs and lows of the final day of ADCC. If you’d rather a full play-by-play you can check it out here, but if you’re just after the results, we’ve got you covered. The story of the day was the dominance of Gordon Ryan, but a notable mention needs to go to Lachlan Giles, a 77kg athlete who scored submissions over the big guys in the absolute division and notably tapped the +99kg champion Kaynan Duarte.
ADCC 2019 day 1 results and play-by-play: Buchecha, Gordon Ryan, Craig Jones get wins
ADCC is the biggest show in the world of grappling and today we had the opening rounds. There were highs and lows as well as some big upsets, exciting finishes and questionable decisions. Our friends over at grapplinginsider.com have provided us with a copy of their play-by-play so you can check out all the action below: ELIMINATION ROUND Paulo Miyao vs Kent Iwaoto Miyao wastes no time getting into guard. Kent has a tight ankle lock for a second there, but Miyao stays cool.
Grappling Report: Dillon Danis and Keenan Cornelius withdraw from ADCC
ADCC week is finally here and as always there are some big name pull-outs. The week’s woes started when a rumor began to circulate about a mysterious eye infection making its way around the Renzo Gracie Academy in New York. Keenan Cornelius had flown to NYC to finish his ADCC camp, but unfortunately he ended up being the biggest victim of the infection and pulled out. To ADCC’s credit, they announced a strong replacement with James Puopolo getting the shot on the world’s biggest stage.
Grappling report: ADCC tried to book Anderson Silva vs. Georges St-Pierre
One of the biggest failures the UFC has made in the modern era is not booking Georges St-Pierre vs. Anderson Silva. When St-Pierre and Silva were in their prime, they were the best fighters on the planet and in the era of the super fight it’s sad that we never got to see the biggest champ vs. champ fight possible. ADCC, like us fight fans, were disappointed that GSP vs. Anderson never happened and decided to try to finally get the pair to face off.
Grappling Report: USADA to test at the IBJJF No-Gi World Championships
The IBJJF has just signed a deal with USADA and the BJJ world is suddenly on edge. Submission grappling has long been a open play ground for doping, but the IBJJF have decided to start cracking down. Traditionally, the IBJJF only test black belts at the gi world championships, but this year they have enlisted USADA to run a testing regimen at the no-gi world championships.
Polaris 11: A casual fan preview
This weekend, the eleventh installation of the highly-popular Polaris Professional Jiu-Jitsu Invitational goes down in Manchester, England. It features a who’s who from the world of submission grappling, boasting a wealth of world champions and even an Olympic gold medalist. The event is streaming live on UFC Fight Pass on Saturday, August 31. Submission grappling’s popularity and this card features a couple of fighters that might well become superstars in the coming years.
Grappling Report: Blue belt Aaron Baslangic steals $2m to fund BJJ habit
This week’s grappling report kicks off with the most bizarre BJJ story I have ever read. We all know how over zealous blue belts can be, but this guy takes the cake. According to a report from grapplinginsider.com, Aaron Baslangic, an executive of a large Australian firm has been arrested for fraud spiraling out to $2 million AUD. According to the report, Mr Baslangic was obsessed with BJJ and competing. To continue his development in the sport, Baslangic regularly flew internationally to compete.
Grappling Report: Gordon Ryan in as late replacement for Jake Shields at Kinektic 1
Remember last week when I wrote about how much of a mismatch Kinektic was? Well, things have got a lot more one-sided. Jake Shields was forced to pull-out with an injury (h/t grapplinginsider.com) and the BJJ Fanatics team have replaced him with the best nogi grappler in the world. While Gordon Ryan has been out with an injury for the better part of 2019, he is still perhaps the best talent in the world and is heavily backed to win a second consecutive ADCC title.
Grappling Report: Kinecktic teams are announced
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.
Reigning BJJ champ Rubens Charles Maciel pulls out of ADCC so his son can compete in his place
ADCC 2019 has suffered a string of pull outs this week, but none bigger than the latest one. According to a report by grapplinginsider.com, reigning champion Charles ‘Cobrinha’ has decided to pull out of the most prestigious no-gi grappling tournament in the world, after he was made aware that his son wouldn’t be invited to compete as long as he remained in the bracket.
Grappling report: Kinektic team grappling competition to launch on UFC Fight Pass
Another week, another new grappling promotion. It looks like the UFC have capitalized on the strength of Quintet and will be streaming a new team grappling promotion live on Fight Pass. Kinektic will be holding their first show in Anaheim on August 16 and the tournament features teams captained by familiar names. UFC veterans Chael Sonnen, Anthony Smith and Chris Lytle will all be at the helm of teams.
Grappling Report: Comedian Russell Brand gets his blue belt
We are back with another grappling report, but this week our focus isn’t on the upper echelon of competitive Brazilian jiu jitsu. Our feel good story of the week is that comedian Russell Brand has received his blue belt. While a celebrity getting a blue belt doesn’t seem like news, it’s important for the BJJ community to get the added exposure of stars studying our art.
UFC fighters Marc Diakiese and Chris Fishgold set to face off at Polaris 11
Two of the UK’s most talented MMA fighters are set to meet live on UFC Fight Pass, but it’s not going down in the Octagon. BloodyElbow.com has learned that leading BJJ promotion Polaris have signed a highly-anticipated match between Marc Diakiese and Chris Fishgold for the 11th edition of their popular submission grappling showcase. Liverpudlian Fishgold is a black belt under Paul River and has a lot of experience on the UK grappling scene.
Mansher ‘Munch’ Khera vs. Vagner Rocha title fight set for Polaris 11
Polaris 11 has just got a little bit more intriguing. In addition to their main event between grappling star Ffion Davies and Talita Alencar, Bloodyelbow.com has learned that Polaris has booked a title fight between UFC veteran and ADCC medalist Vagner Rocha and the defending welterweight champion, Mansher “Munch” Khera.
Grappling Report: No-gi world champion Keenan Cornelius to launch new gym
Keenan Cornelius is no longer a ronin. Instead of finding a new gym and a new professor, the multiple-time no-gi world champion has recently announced that he will be launching his own academy and becoming a professor in his own right. After Keenan left Atos 3 months ago, following a spate of disagreements with BJJ legend Andre Galvao, some predicted he would join another academy, but that isn’t to be the case.
Grappling Report: UFC fighters Anthony Pettis and Jorge Masvidal battle to a draw in charity BJJ match
It’s been a great year for Anthony Pettis and Jorge Masvidal in the Octagon, but last weekend the pair decided to duke it out on the mats. While Masvidal is just weeks away from a huge fight against Ben Askren and Pettis is preparing to scrap with Nate Diaz, the dynamic welterweights decided to duel for charity in Pensacola, FL. The Bully Proof Foundation put on a stacked grappling card with Pettis trying an array of flying techniques and Masvidal managing to play it safe throughout.
Grappling Report: Mikey Musumeci beats Bruno Malfacine en route to IBJJF world gold
Casual MMA fans have been gravitating towards nogi grappling over the past few years, but the gi continues to get no love. The slower paced action of the gi isn’t for everyone, but there is one young man who might be able to get more eyes on the sport. At just 22 years-old, Mikey Musumeci has won it all and last weekend he cut down a weight class and managed to defeat one of the greatest grapplers of all-time.
Grappling Report: Garry Tonon pulls out of ADCC to focus on MMA
Submission grappling’s biggest star looks to have taken a step away from the sport. Garry Tonon has been plying his trade in ONE Championship over the last year, and he has amassed an undefeated MMA record. Tonon was scheduled to make his grappling return and compete at the illustrious ADCC world championships in September, but it seems like that isn’t the case anymore. In an interview with BJJ news site grapplinginsider.com, Tonon let slip that his eyes are no longer fixed on ADCC gold.
Grappling Report: Urijah Faber set to face Nicky Ryan this weekend in Polaris 10 main event
Urijah Faber is one of the most experienced combat sports athletes in the world, but this weekend he’s facing a 17-year-old. In Saturday’s Polaris 10 main event, Faber is scheduled to face the most exciting prospect in grappling. At just 17 years of age, Nicky Ryan has defeated numerous black belts and won the Polaris title by submitting JMMA legend Imanari a few months ago.
Grappling Report: ADCC trials winner and top BJJ prospect Nick Rodriguez eyes WWE contract
Nick Rodriguez is probably the biggest phenomenon to ever enter the jiu jitsu world. With only one year of BJJ training, Rodriguez has qualified for ADCC, won the Fight 2 Win purple belt title and submitted multiple black belts. While Rodriguez has a decent background in high school wrestling, his achievements on the mats are unheralded. Two weeks after his first ever class he defeated a black belt in competition.
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