To say that Osvaldo ‘Queixinho’ Moizinho is on a roll would be a massive understatement. He’s become an annual fixture on the podium at just about every tournament he attends, and he’s done all of this while running a rapidly-growing academy in Modesto, California. 

But on Friday, January 27, he’ll take on a whole new challenge when he headlines Fight to Win Pro 23 with current lightweight champion Bruno Frazatto. 

The Fight to Win stage might be uncharted territory for Queixinho, but Frazatto isn’t a stranger; the two faced off at Pans in 2011, where Frazatto defeated him by points in the quarter-finals. Frazatto would go on to become the champion at Pans that year, cementing his position as one of the top featherweight black belts in the world. 

Five years later, and both competitors have come a long way. Quiexinho knows he’s a completely different fighter than he was before. 

“The last time I competed against Bruno, it was my first year as a black belt, and he was already one of the top fighters in the division,” he says. “Now I feel like I’ve improved a lot and have gained more experience.” 

Queixinho’s track record in recent years adds significant weight to his words – in 2016 alone, he was the champion at the Atlanta Open, British Nationals (in both gi and no-gi), and No-Gi Worlds. 

Fight to Win Pro is a different kind of test, but it’s one that Queixinho is excited to face. “I haven't really been doing submission-only tournaments, and I think they are great because they challenge you to go the extra mile. Fight To Win was the perfect opportunity for me to get back into it.”

Although this world champion is eager to add a Fight to Win title to his resume, he knows that the achievement isn’t going to be an easy one to accomplish. Like all Fight To Win match-ups, this one was meticulously selected by CEO Seth Daniels to ensure it would push the competitors to their limits and leave fans on the edge of their seats. 

“Frazatto has proven to be the most exciting lightweight on the Fight To Win Pro roster,” says Daniels. “I’m really looking forward to seeing what he can do against one of the best in the world in Queixinho.”

Despite Frazattoís undeniable expertise, Queixinho says he’s “really confident” going into the match. Part of this is due to the fact that it will be fought in the gi, which Queixinho states that he’s more comfortable competing in despite having won the majority of his more prestigious titles fighting no-gi. 

He’s not aiming to leave the outcome to the opinion of the judges, either: “I am going there to do the best that I can to get the submission and come out with a win,” he says, adding that both he and his opponent are going to put on a great show for the audience.

No matter who gets bragging rights to the Fight to Win lightweight champion title on Friday, Queixinho isn’t planning on hitting the ‘pause’ button on his busy schedule when it’s all over. He has many more goals both in the competition scene and for the Ares BJJ association, which he runs with his friend and business partner Samir Chantre (who, incidentally, will be competing at F2W 25 against Gianni Grippo). 

“I want to keep the same focus as before when it comes to competing; the only thing now is that I have a gym and the association to take care of, but it's not hard keeping up with both because Samir and I help each other.”

If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that the unexpected should always be expected when it comes to Fight to Win events. But when you have the experience of Bruno Frazatto facing off with Queixinho in a 10-minute submission-only bout, betting on either fighter is a risky decision. The only guarantee is that this is going to be one card that no die-hard jiu-jitsu enthusiast can afford to miss. 

Check out the live stream for Queixinho vs. Frazatto and many other exciting fights starting at 6:00 PM Pacific time on January 23, right here on FloGrappling.