If there's one thing we've learned from the Polaris Squads format, it's that beating the home team is easier said than done.
For the second consecutive event, Team Polaris defended its turf and proved why the unique team format has become one of the promotion's biggest successes. Powered by a string of spectacular submissions and a dominant second-half performance, Polaris defeated BJJ Stars 20-10 in front of a packed National Basketball Arena in Dublin, Ireland.
The night started with fireworks.
Lucas Kanard opened the team competition against Julio Martins and continued his impressive run in the Squads format. Kanard has become one of Polaris' most reliable performers, and he delivered one of the standout moments of the evening when he locked up a brutal Z-lock submission that left the Dublin crowd roaring.
Polaris was forced to overcome adversity before the event even began. After Mateusz Szczecinski was forced to withdraw due to food poisoning, purple belt Callen O'Mahony stepped in on short notice to fill the vacancy.
The young Irishman made the most of his opportunity.
Matched against ADCC veteran Ruan Alvarenga, O'Mahony put together the performance of his career, surviving several dangerous exchanges before locking up a slick triangle choke and scoring a massive upset victory for Team Polaris.
From there, Polaris continued to build momentum.
Taylor Pearman and Pawel Jaworski each added highlight-reel leg lock finishes, helping Polaris establish a commanding lead. By the end of the first half, Team Polaris had surged ahead 12-5 and put BJJ Stars in a difficult position heading into the break.
Helena Crevar Continues Her Dominance
At halftime, the focus shifted to the lone title fight of the evening as Polaris Lightweight Champion Helena Crevar defended her crown against Amanda Pamela Nicole.
The champion wasted little time asserting herself.
Working from closed guard, Crevar used a hip bump sweep to reverse the position and immediately transition to mount. From there she attacked a deep tarikoplata, forcing a wild scramble that carried both athletes off the competition area as the first round expired.
It was a dominant opening frame and the judges reflected that, awarding Crevar 10-8 scores across the board.
Round two was more of the same.
Crevar methodically advanced position from top, eventually securing back control before locking in a rear naked choke to finish the fight and retain her Polaris Lightweight Championship.
The victory moves Crevar to 5-0 under the Polaris banner and further solidifies her status as one of the brightest young stars in the sport.
Polaris Pulls Away
The second half of the team competition began exactly how the first half ended, with another spectacular submission for Team Polaris.
This time it was Pawel Jaworski producing perhaps the most creative finish of the night, catching his opponent with a twisting submission that had the crowd erupting as soon as the tap came.
From there, Taylor Pearman put together one of the strongest performances of the event. Pearman rattled off three victories for Team Polaris, helping maintain the team's comfortable lead. Although Julio Martins eventually managed to submit him and halt the streak, the damage had already been done.
BJJ Stars continued to battle and traded victories throughout the closing stages of the competition, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
When the final points were tallied, Team Polaris had secured a convincing 20-10 victory.
The win adds another chapter to Polaris' growing dominance in the Squads format and leaves the rest of the grappling world searching for an answer.
The question remains:
Can anyone stop Team Polaris?