The conclusion of the Spyder Invitational is upon us and the 2018 Absolute Champion will be soon be crowned.  After two previous events in the year, eight athletes remain in the mix: Paulo Miyao, Inseong Jang, Jonatha Alves, Victor Hugo, Kaynan Durate, DJ Jackson, Masahiro Iwasaki, and Victor Hugo.

The matches are 8-minutes long, using IBJJF rules, and the champions of the -76 & +76k division will meet in the absolute final for a chance to win an additional $5,000.  Below is the running order and the analysis of what we can expect from the first four matches of the day.

Watch Spyder LIVE Nov. 3 11:30am (Local time: Seoul, Korea)

Match 1: Paulo Miyao vs Inseong Jang -76kg

Inseong Jang made waves as a brown belt in July at the Spyder Invitational Quater Finals when he took out the favorite AJ Agazarm in a razor-thin match, which earned him the berth to the finals happening Saturday.  A Previous Spyder Silver medalist (2017), Jang also has a big win over Zenith representative Rafael Domingos, and the jiu-jitsu athlete is considered to be one of the best jiu-jitsu athletes in Asia. 

Paulo Miyao is an athlete who needs little introduction.  One of the most dominant athletes of his generation, Miyao is looking to add yet another title to his Illustrious list of accomplishments.  One has to pick Miyao as the favorite here – but the never count out the hometown advantage and rigors as travel as key factors that could swing Inseong Jang's favor. They are the first match of the day and will set the tone for the rest of the show!

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Match 2: Masahiro Iwasaki vs Jonatha Alves -76kg

Masahiro Iwasaki is a force to be reckoned with. The Carpe Diem athlete from Japan holds wins over superstars like Edwin Najmi, Renato Canuto, and Gilbert Burns – all of which have taken place in 2018. Iwasaki's dramatic last-second reversal over Hugo was one of the highlights of Spyder's Quarter Final event, and a shining example of Iwasaki's skilled half-guard game.

Jonatha Alves is an AOJ prodigy training under Gui and Rafa Mendes and one of the hottest brown belt prospects in the world.  His pressure passing game is honed to perfection, and he appears to have the strength of a significantly larger frame as he flattens out his opponents with unflinching weight. Alves pulled off what could be the upset of the year when he beat 2018 World Champion Jamil-Hill at the Spyder Invitational Quarter Final in July by a lone advantage, giving Alves a chance to win the Spyder title this weekend in Seoul. 

Shane Jamil Hill-Taylor vs Jonatha Alves – Spyder Quarter Finals

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Match 3: DJ Jackson vs Victor Hugo +76kg

DJ Jackson is another supremely accomplished competitor from TLI who's approach to the gentle art makes him presents his opponents with a stylistic nightmare. Jackson compliments his elite-level wrestling with a pressure passing game, effectively place his opponents between a rock and a hard place. Do they try and wrestle the man who rarely gets taken down? Or do they invite DJ on top – right where he wants to be? 

However, Victor Hugo does present an interesting dilemma for Jackson. For starters – he's significantly bigger, and as a student of Saulo and Xande Ribeiro, it's safe to stay that his standup game is also highly refined. It's also true that Hugo's passing is extremely nimble for a man of his size, and he's happy to mix in flying submissions with his torreando attacks. 

Match 4: Vinicius Ferreira vs Kaynan Duarte +76kg

It's tough to think of another athlete who's made such an impact just months after getting their black belt than Kaynan Duarte from Atos.  Awarded his faixa preta by Andre Galvao after taking gold home from the 2018 Worlds, Kaynan has gone on to win numerous events, including the World Series of Grappling where he beat 2017 world Champion Nicholas Meregali in the opening round.  Kaynan also had one of the very best no-gi matches of the year against none other than Gordon Ryan at the 2018 No-Gi Pan Champions. Keenan Cornelius has called Kaynan as one of his 'toughest training partners' and we believe its a safe bet that we'll see him at the top of the podium.

However, chance favors the bold, and Vinicius Ferreira has the opportunity to make himself a household name with a big win over Kaynan Duarte. The Alliance representative has won worlds as a brown and purple belt (2017, 2016), placed second at ADCC trials, and is an IBJJF No-Gi World champion.  Notable wins at black belt include a points victory of Adam Wardzinski and Leo Lara, and a victory of Kaynan Duarte would propel "Tractor" to new heights.  

Kaynan Durate vs Gordon Ryan – 2018 No-Gi Pan Championships

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