Fight To Win

5 Fight To Win Pro Moments That Shocked Us In 2016

5 Fight To Win Pro Moments That Shocked Us In 2016

Over the past year the Fight to Win Pro series has brought hundreds of exciting matches to jiu-jitsu enthusiasts everywhere.

Dec 31, 2016 by Averi Clements
5 Fight To Win Pro Moments That Shocked Us In 2016
Over the past year the Fight to Win Pro series has brought hundreds of exciting matches to jiu-jitsu enthusiasts everywhere. 

There have been some crazy moments and jaw-dropping submissions amid all the fights that happened on that famous stage in 2016, but these are the ones that we'll never be able to forget.

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Isiah Wright vs Renato Canuto. Photo: Mike Calimbas

5. Isiah Wright slams Renato Canuto at Fight to Win Pro 18 (Denver)

Even though slams are legal in Fight to Win matches, not many athletes actually do them. Wright and Canuto's match was aggressive, technical, and highly entertaining, but Wright really took things to the next level when he slammed his opponent to the ground not once but twice. 

Amazingly, Canuto continued to fight as though nothing had happened, but the WWE-style vibe that Wright brought to the match was enough to make any spectator wince.

Watch Isiah Wright vs. Renato Canuto

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Jeff Glover in playful mode vs. Justin Rader. Photo: Mike Calimbas 

4. Jeff Glover does a handstand against Justin Rader at Fight to Win Pro 11 (Oklahoma City)

To be fair, what most people would consider "shocking" is just standard fare for the playful, unorthodox Glover. His match with Rader was packed with unique and even downright goofy moments, but the one that surprised people most came right as the fight started. 

Glover turned his back on Rader, did a quick handstand, and propelled himself backwards to fight from guard while tumbling around the stage. The maneuver wasn't exactly enough to rival that of an Olympic gymnast, but it certainly wasn't what jiu-jitsu fans and practitioners are used to seeing in the middle of a match. Glover's antics may be unusual, but his skill is no joke -- he ended up winning the match by decision.

Watch Jeff Glover vs. Justin Rader

3. Mackenzie Dern and Talita Alencar roll off the stage at Fight to Win Pro 12 (Phoenix)

Most of the time when two grapplers reach the edge of the stage, the referee will reset them for their safety and to prevent a "ring-out" from happening. But when headliners Dern and Alencar were engaged in a fierce toehold battle just a few minutes into their match, resetting them might have robbed one of them of a submission. 

Neither of these tough women was about to give up her chance at a submission victory, and it resulted in them tumbling right off the Fight to Win stage. Neither fighter was injured, and they both got right back up to finish the match. In the end, Dern ended up winning by unanimous decision, and she and Alencar cemented their places in Fight to Win history by being the first competitors to take their fight from the stage to the ground.

Watch Mackenzie Dern vs. Talita Alencar 

2. Jake Watson submits JR Redfox in seven seconds at Fight to Win Pro 12 (Phoenix)

The Phoenix show was full of amazing fights and memorable moments, but if you blinked, you might've missed this one. Purple belts Watson and Redfox shook hands, Watson pulled guard and went for a straight ankle lock…and that was it. 

In a mere seven seconds, Redfox was tapping out, giving Watson the victory before either fighter had even broken a sweat. Fight to Win has brought us some quick and crazy submissions, but before that moment, none had ever been so quick. It even beat Mackenzie Dern's 12-second armbar all the way back at Fight to Win Pro 4. 

Watch Jake Watson vs. JR Redfox

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1. Vagner Rocha kicks AJ Agazarm off the stage at Fight to Win Pro 14 (Tampa)

Tensions were high between Rocha and Agazarm leading up to their match, but no one expected for things to explode the way they did. Mere seconds into the fight, Rocha attempted to slap Agazarm in the face, and when Agazarm turned away from him, Rocha kicked him in the back and sent him flying off the stage. 

The moment and the choices made after it were some of the most controversial in Fight to Win's history, with CEO Seth Daniels making the on-the-spot decision to let the fight continue so Agazarm had the chance to "get [Rocha] back." Rocha ultimately won the fight via decision, but Daniels later overturned the result, disqualifying the athlete and banning him from competing in future Fight to Win events. 

The moment created a lot of buzz for both athletes and Fight to Win, but Daniels made it very clear that such behavior wouldn't be rewarded at such a prestigious event.

Watch Vagner Rocha vs. AJ Agazarm



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