This field should see quite a bit of action this year as there are plenty of old rivalries in the division.ADCC 99 and Over Preview
Where the big boys play! The 99 and over category not only has some of the largest and most powerful competitors in the tournament, but also some of the most skilled as well. This field should see quite a bit of action this year as there are plenty of old rivalries in the division.
Over 99 KG#1 Marcio ‘Pe De Pano’ Cruz 2003 World Champion (Brazil)#2 Gabriel Napao 2005 Brazilian Qualifier (Brazil)#3 Karim Byron 2005 North American Qualifier (Canada)#4 Mustafa Al-Turk 2005 European Qualifier (UK)#5 Jun Ishii 2005 Japanese Qualifier (Japan)#6 Dennis Roberts 2005 Australian Qualifier (Australia)#7 Rhadi Ferguson (USA)#8 Jeff Monson (USA)#9 Miodrag ‘Pele’ Petkovic (Serbia)#10 Ricco Rodriguez (USA)#11 Craig Pumphrey (USA)#12 Haim Gozali (Israel)#13 Fabricio Werdum (Brazil)#14 Paulo Filho (Brazil)#15 Daniel Gracie (Brazil)#16 Marcio Corleta (Brazil)
Name: Marcio “Pe de Pano” CruzStyle Black Belt Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Gracie BarraADCC Record 8-4www.graciebarra.com.br
Pe De Pano may be among the most controversial athletes in the sport, but his accomplishments speak for themselves. An absolute horse (the nickname Pe de Pano is from a cartoon character) at 6`6 and around the 260 mark, Pe de Pano has one of the most feared guards in the game. An absolute BJJ champion, Pe de Pano has transitioned his game to no gi with surprising ease and although his triangle chokes and armlocks are to be feared, he has a fairly varied arsenal.
Name: Gabriel NapaoStyle: Black Belt Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Macaco Gold TeamADCC Record: First Appearance (2005 Brazilian Trail Champion)www.macacogoldteam.com.br
Napao was actually nursing injuries while competing in the Trials and played a very conservative game, but has vowed to be more submission hungry in the big tournament. Napao is champion level black belt with the gi and posseses very good takedowns.
Name: Karim ByronStyle Purple Belt, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Fabio HolandaADCC Record: First Appearance (2005 North American Champion)www.ronin-mma.com
Karim Byron won the round robin 3 man over 99 Kilo division, the only native Canadian to emerge victorious in the trials. At around 350 pounds, Karim is the largest of the big men in this division, and he knows how to use his weight well. When he sprawls hard any of his opponents will find it difficult to recover, then Karim will control with his size and surprising speed.
Name: Mustafa Al-TurkStyle U.K Shootfighting LondonADCC Record: First Appearance (2005 European Champion)www.londonshootfighters.com
Coming from the London ShootFighters Gym, Mustafa Al-Turk worked hard in each of his bouts to get entry to this years ADCC, winning in the finals via submission. He had a bye in the field of 14 based on his accomplishments in tournaments around Europe.
Name: Jun IshiiStyle: Choujin ClubADCC Record 0-1 (2003, 2005 Japanese Champion)
As it turned out, Jun only had to win one match to get his invite to ADCC, but he is a repeat champion. Jun must be looking for redemption as he lost his first and only ADCC bout 8-0. Jun has a record of 6-6 in MMA, he`s never won a match by submission, however he`s only lost one match by submission.
Name: Dennis RobertsStyle: Blue Belt Brazilian JiuJitsuADCC Record: First Appearance (2005 Australian Champion)www.sinosicperosh.com.au
Dennis Roberts wins a four man division at the Australian ADCC trials, scoring the throw of the day over an opponent who weighed in at 143 Kg before taking his back and securing the choke.
Name: Rhadi FergusonStyle Judo, Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu JitsuADCC Record First Appearancewww.rhadi.com
Rhadi Ferguson has been training in Judo since the age of 7 and represented the United States at the Olympics in 2004. One of the most superbly conditioned athletes in this weight class, Rhadi has explosive power and takedowns, very technical footsweeps. And controlling ne-waza (that`s groundwork). Rhadi is picked by many insiders as the one who`s liable to do serious damage in the competition.
Name: Jeff (the Snowman) MonsonStyle: Wrestling, Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu JitsuADCC Record 11-4 (1999 99 Under champ, 2000 99 under runner up, 2001 over 99 runner up)www.AmericanTopTeam.com
You`ve likely seen Monson in person competing, as he literally participates in some event, big or small every single weekend. The powerhouse Monson began his career as a collegiate wrestler and actually won his first ADCC before taking up Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, in the year and many competitions since then Monson has managed to take the best aspects of each game and make them work for him. Although when hard pressed he can control and slow down the ground game as anyone in the dame, he is very well rounded now, and can open up when the opportunity arises and look for submissions.
Name: Miodrag ‘Pele’ PetkovicStyle: SiCGADCC Record: First Appearance
Representing Serbia, Miodrag has a MMA record of (19-2-1) and is more noted for his kickboxing abilites than his grappling prowess. He won his first bout in the ADCC trials before losing a tough match the eventual champion Mustafa Al-Turk
Name: Ricco RodriguezStyle: Brown Belt Brazilian Jiu JitsuADCC Record 15-6 1998 Over 99 champ 1999 Absolute 3rd Place
After a lengthy layoff from competition (notwistanding a recent submission win at Rumble on the Rock) Ricco looks to begin his comeback trail in earnest at ADCC. Ricco has been in the game as long as anyone, and has trained at many different academies and acquired many skills. Once on the ground Ricco has a very well rounded game, and can crush from the top as well as play guard -the trick is getting his opponents to the ground -although Ricco may be the largest person to ever pull off a flying armbar.
Name: Craig PumphreyStyle: PankrationADCC Record First Appearancewww.grapplers-edge.com
Craig Pumphrey is a 2x Superheavyweight wrestling champion and currently trains Pankration. Takedowns and neck cranks seem to be the core of his game. Craig is also a champion arm wrestler and strongman as well.
Name: Haim GozaliStyle: Purple Belt, BJJ (Renzo Gracie))ADCC Record: First Appearance
Haim Gozali is a Purple Belt under RENZO and trains in a host of other martial arts as well.
Name: Fabricio WerdumStyle: Black Belt BJJ (Winner Behring)ADCC Record 6-2 (2003 99K Runner up, 2003 Absolute 3rd Place)www.behring.com.br
Fabrico Werdum has been very active on the BJJ, Submission Grappling and MMA circuits. An absolute speciman at 6`4 and 240 pounds, Fabrico is equally dangerous from top and bottom and posseses a dangerous triangle choke. Fabricio is runs an academy in Madrid and is currently training MMA with Cro-Cop -he offers his ground game in return for learning stand up).
Name: Paulo FilhoStyle Black Belt BJJ (Brazilian Top Team)ADCC Record First Appearancewww.BrazilianTopTeam.com
Paulo is a perfect 9-0 in MMA competition, recently winning over Amar Suloev at Pride Busido 6. Often compared to a hyper aggressive Arona style wise, he normally competes at 84 kilos or so he is very small for this division. (Late word is he is most likely out of the tournament)
Name: Daniel Gracie-SimoesStyle Black Belt BJJ (Gracie Barra)ADCC Record: First Appearancewww.danielgraciesimoes.com.br
Daniel Gracie grew up in the same household as Renzo, Ralph and Ryan (their mothers are sisters) and fights in the same style (although he definitely prefers to be on top. For the past several years Daniel has been concentrating on his MMA career, but is a champion black belt jiu jitsu player as well.
Name: Marcio CorletaStyle: Black Belt BJJ (Winner Behring)ADCC Record: First Appearancewww.behring.com.br
One of the main instructors at Winner Behring, Corleta is a multiple time over champion in the Mundials, although his career without the gi is much less decorated. Corletta is huge (in the same vein as Pe de Pano and Werdum) and has an excellent guard. Marcio Corleta is also Fabricio Werdum`s teacher.
Some Historical Match Ups
Pe de Pano vs Jeff Monson- This match up has occurred three times. In the first match up, Pe de Pano defeated Monson at ADCC 2003. In the second match up, Monson came back and evened the score up at SWO 1 in early 2004. The third match may have been among the most bizarre matches in history, at the Arnold Gracie 2004 Pe de Pano taps to a can opener Monson was using to open the guard (which according to the rule was a legal maneuver to open the guard but not submit an opponent.) After a lengthy discussion Pe de Pano is awarded the match and absolute pandemonium ensues.
Pe de Pano vs Fabricio Werdum- There is a long history (and bad blood) between the two. Pe de Pano submitted Werdum to win the over 99 bracket, but the next day Werdum came back to beat Pe De Pano by points to take third in the absolute. Pe de Pano has won the majority of matches here, but Werdum has been closing the gap. Werdum has (in)famously challenged Pe de Pano to fight BJJ, Submission Grappling, and MMA, ALL IN ONE NIGHT!!!
Pe de Pano vs Ricco Rodriguez- For third place in 2001 Pe De Pano armlocks Ricco Rodriguez.
Mustafa Al-Turk vs Miodrag ‘Pele’ Petkovic- Mustafa wins the decsion at the 2003 European Trials.
Jeff Monson vs Rhadi Ferguson- Monson wins a close match at the North Carolina Pro Ams back in 2000, but Rhadi scored with maybe the prettiest footsweep I`ve ever seen in no gi competition.
Gabriel Napao vs Fabricio Werdum- This was actually an MMA match between the two, Fabricio wins via TKO.
Gumby`s Odds:
The Safe Bet- Jeff Monson-
Since ADCC Jeff has had more submission grappling matches than pretty much everyone on this list combined. In that time he`s only had one loss, -and he`s looked better with each outing. Jeff knows what it takes to get into the winners circle and has a strong chance to do that again.
The Money Bet- Fabricio Werdum
Fabricio is the runner up from last year, and the loss has definitely made a more determined, hungry fighter. Currently concentrating on MMA (training with no less than CroCop, a match made in heaven or hell, depending on where in the ring you happen to be), Werdum`s skills are polished and he comes into ADCC in tremendous shape.
The Long Shot- Pe de Pano
The 2003`s champions skills are unquestionable, and at 100% he is more than capable of taking this division. But his conditioning to get through a tournament as grueling as this is in question after some mixed bag of performances since his championship run. Pe De Pano has the biggest target on his head of all the champions right now.
That covers the tournament. Unfortunately there is not enough information on most of the female competitors to due as detailed of an analysis, so there will be no report forthcoming for them.
We will be posting results (and pictures) as they happen on our OntheMat forum, so sign up now!
http://www.onthemat.com/forum/
If you`ve missed any of the previous Preview Articles check them out here:
http://onthemat.com/articles/ADCC_Under_65_K_Weight_Class_05_18_2005.html
http://onthemat.com/articles/ADCC_76_K_Preview_05_20_2005.html
http://onthemat.com/articles/ADCC_87K_Preview_05_23_2005.html
http://onthemat.com/articles/ADCC_99_and_under_Preview_05_25_2005.html
http://onthemat.com/articles/ADCC_Superfight_Preview__Lister_vs_Machado_05_04_2005.html