Grappling Bulletin: A 2x ADCC Champ Will Make His Tezos WNO Debut On Feb 25

Grappling Bulletin: A 2x ADCC Champ Will Make His Tezos WNO Debut On Feb 25

The Tezos WNO: Ryan vs Pena II card is nearly complete. Plus: the lineup for the return of Spyder BJJ and more!

Feb 6, 2023 by Corey Stockton
Grappling Bulletin: A 2x ADCC Champ Will Make His Tezos WNO Debut On Feb 25

Tezos WNO: Ryan vs Pena II presented by Fat Tire is now less than three weeks away, and we can finally announce matches further down main card, which will include six bouts in total. In the titular main event, Gordon Ryan and Felipe Pena are set to cross paths for the fourth time in their storied rivalry — the second time they will face off on Tezos WNO in a no-time limit match.

In the co-main event, also previously announced, 2022 ADCC champion Giancarlo Bodoni will be the first to challenge WNO light heavyweight champion Pedro Marinho for his belt.

The four remaining matchups on the main card include a two-time ADCC champion, two additional ADCC veterans, an IBJJF no-gi world champion, and four of the most promising talents of this generation.


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Before Bodoni and Marinho joust for the title, two-time ADCC world champion JT Torres will make his long awaited Tezos WNO debut in a 15-minute match against Magid Hage.

Torres' two-season reign atop the 77kg division at ADCC makes him one of the most dominant American no-gi grapplers ever. Time and time again, he's used his precise passing and his overwhelming pressure passing to success.

But he came up short in his campaign for a three-peat at ADCC 2022, falling to PJ Barch in the quarterfinal. This will be Torres' first competitive outing since that loss.

The match will also be Hage's WNO debut. Hage sured to notoriety during the ADCC trials season, where he competed in four separate tournaments with hopes of an ADCC berth, making the final eight on each try and arriving at the finals once. His unpredictable — but always submission first — style makes him a perfect WNO competitor, and an excellent opponent for Torres.

Earlier on the card, 2022 No-Gi Worlds black belt silver medalist Jasmine Rocha will face brown belt No-Gi Pans champ Amanda Bruse. And 2022 No-Gi Worlds champ Jonnatas Gracie will take on multiple-time WNO and ADCC veteran Oliver Taza.

And leg lock mastermind Kieran Kichuk will make his WNO debut against WNX veteran and buggy choke expert Rene Sousa.

Tickets are on sale now for Tezos WNO: Ryan vs Pena II. Get them here.


Kaynan's Double Gold At Euros Was Truly Remarkable

Since his rookie black belt year in 2019, Kaynan Duarte has racked up some of the most important titles in the sport of jiu-jitsu. He's a two-time ADCC champion, a two-time IBJJF world champion, he's struck double gold at No-Gi Pans, he won the Spyder grand prix in 2019, he won the IBJJF Absolute GP last November.

In that time, Duarte has earned his position among the top athletes pound for pound. He's become notorious as a positionally perfect technician with crushing top pressure and a precise sweep game.

Still, Duarte's opening performance of his 2023 season at the IBJJF European Championships may have been one of his most impressive to date.

The Atos representative, who moved up to super heavyweight for the first time in his career at IBJJF majors, appeared untouchable, flexing his patient positional control and punctuating it with clean, fundamental submissions in each match.

Watch every match from Kaynan's run here

Duarte went seven for seven on submissions, earning his first black belt title at Euros, and also securing his first absolute title at a major IBJJF gi tournament.

His run included victories over opponents including Mason Fowler, Rider Zuchi and Harryson Pereira.

The double gold could be a sign of things to come for the two-time heavyweight world champ, Duarte, who explained that he made the jump to super heavy in order to offer a better performance in the open weight category.

The 2023 IBJJF season is just getting started, but Duarte would appear an early favorite to double gold at Worlds, and could also be a contender at Pans and Brasileiros if he choses to enter those tournaments.


Spyder BJJ Returns In Unique New Format

Sypder BJJ, now operating under the name Chaance, is set to return with two stellar brackets and more on Sunday, February 12 in South Korea.

The tournament, which will feature an eight man bracket at 65 kg and another at 75 kg, will feature decorated competitors such as Fabricio Andrey, Lucas Pinheiro, Marcio Andre, Lucas Valente, Andy Murasaki, Meyram Alves, Samuel Nagai and more.

In the 65 kg bracket, Diego Sodre, Fabricio Andrey and Keven Carrasco will have thier first pick of opponents from a pool of five:

  • Meyram Alves
  • Lucas Pinheiro
  • Jamil Hill-Taylor
  • Samuel Nagai
  • Wanki Chae

The two leftover athletes will face each other, completing the bracket.

In the 75 kg division, Johnatha Pessanha, Boncheol Koo and Seungmoon Baek are the top three seeds, allowed to choose their first match from a pool including:

  • Marcio Andre
  • Natan Chueng
  • Andy Murasaki
  • Lucas Valente
  • Inseong Jang

The winner of each bracket will earn a grand prize of $10,000.

Also on the card, a feature super fight between Damien Maia and Sangwook Kim.


Joanna Dineva Qualifies For Stacked Polaris GP

Joanna Dineva submitted all five of her opponents at the Polaris Contenders tournament on Saturday, earning her spot in the 8-woman Grand Prix at Polaris 23 on March 11.

Dineva rounds out the bracket, which includes ADCC champions, IBJJF world champions and more.

Here is the roster:

  • Ffion Davies
  • Amy Campo
  • Brianna Ste-Marie
  • Elisabeth Clay
  • Giovanna Jara
  • Jaidyn Mueller
  • Julia Maele
  • Joanna Dineva

Also on the card, ADCC veteran Owen Livesey will face UFC veteran and former middleweight champion Chris Weidman.


Upcoming Events

Midwest Finishers 12 | February 11

Summit Grappling 9 | February 11

Battle Grappling VI | February 11

A teams of three female tournament, plus an eight man absolute bracket and superfights in the EBI ruleset.

Finishers Kombat IV | February 26

Kemoy Anderson & Sean Yadimarco are set to decide who walks away with the unified middleweight belt, plus additional superfights in the EBI ruleset.

IBJJF FloGrappling Grand Prix | March 3

A men's lightweight grand prix, a women's heavyweight grand prix, and several mega superfights including a 30-minute showdown between Tainan Dalpra and Isaque Baheinse.