2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Rio De Janeiro

How Consistency & Activity Are Taking Two Grapplers to a $25,000 Cash Prize

The 2018-19 UAEJJF points race looks to be a two-man competition between ZR team members.

Nov 16, 2018 by Michael Sears

How Consistency & Activity Are Taking Two Grapplers to a $25,000 Cash Prize

The 2018-19 UAEJJF points race looks to be a two-man competition between ZR team members Joao Gabriel Sousa (960 points) and Diego Ramalho (920 points).

The teammates occupy the top two spots and are nearly 500 points ahead of third place Jorge Nakamura (480 points). Sousa and Ramalho have been nearly flawless this season, and have records of 15-1 and 18-1 in UAEJJF tournaments respectively.

Sousa will have to get through a 22-man bracket including last season’s fourth-place overall finisher in Hiago George (Cicero Costha) at 62kg. Sousa and George met in the final of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Los Angeles, with Sousa coming out on top 2-0.

Meanwhile Ramalho will have a formidable test in Rio, a 23-deep bracket that contains 2018 World and Abu Dhabi World Pro champion Isaque Bahiense (Alliance). Ramalho and Bahiense have faced only once in their careers, with Bahiense winning by north/south choke at the 2018 Worlds.