Coming this Saturday, June 18th, the Black Belt Pro Am is set to rock the Heritage Forum in Anaheim California.
For details on how to see this live visit www.blackbeltproam.com and tell them that OntheMat sent you!Coming this Saturday, June 18th, the Black Belt Pro Am is set to rock the Heritage Forum in Anaheim California. With two superfights scheduled, a lightweight and a heavyweight division the Black Belt Pro Am is definitely the most ambitious professional Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to be held outside of Brazil with over $10,000 in prize money to be awarded.
For details on how to see this live visit www.blackbeltproam.com and tell them that OntheMat sent you!
Superfight 1:
Fabio Santos vs Aloisio Silva
Fabio Santoswww.fabiojiujitsu.com
It`s always good to see Fabio Santos in competition. He has been VERY active on the competition circuit over the last ten years or so, entering both major tournaments and superfights. He`s displayed well rounded skills and is an aggressive, game competitor. Fabio has run a school in San Diego for many years having produced many top notch students and counts surfing and skiing among his hobbies.
Aloisio Silvawww.aloisiosilvabjj.com
Aloisio Silva heads a large and enthusiastic team in Southern California and his website states he has won “many important titles, some of them numerous times.” This will be the first time I`ve seen him compete however so I`m not quite sure what to expect.
Gumby`s Call: Fabio Santos
Fabio has simply been active for much longer and much more recently, while this is Aloisio`s first match in some time. When dealing with unknown quantities you generally have to go with the more experienced competitor.
Superfight 2:
Cleber Luciano vs Johnny Ramirez
Cleber Lucianowww.cleberjiujitsu.com
Cleber is a black belt in Jiujitsu from Royler Gracie and a black belt in Judo as well, and has been actively competing in the US for a long time. He is very adept at scoring and doing and is very difficult in turn to score upon in return.
Johnny Ramirezwww.newbreedacademy.com
Johhny Ramirez recently received his black belt from Rodrigo Medieros and has been active in the SoCal competition circuit for sometime.
Gumby`s Call: Cleber Luciano
Among the old guard Brazilian Black Belts in North America few have put it on the line as often and as long as Cleber Luciano has, and he knows how to win. Cleber also has a large size advantage in this match up as well.
Lightweight Tournament Contestants
Rodrigo Teixeirawww.pedrocarvalho.com
Rodrigo is actually the younger brother of Pedro Carvalho. Rodrigo has over ten years of experience and has won multiple tournaments and vale tudo fights.
Joao Cunhawww.joaocunhajiujitsu.com
Joao is known as an aggressive competitor and competes a lot in both gi and no gi tournaments. A few years ago he joined Team Ralph Gracie and has continued to train hard and improve himself.
Shawn Williamswww.hollywoodbjj.com
Shawn Williams honed his skills on the east Coast as one of the primary instructors at Renzo Gracie`s Manhatten academy, where he earned his black belt. In addition to teaching, Shawn loves to compete and is as proficient in advancing positions (and taking the back) as anyone in the sport.
Saulo Riberiowww.sauloribeiro.com
Saulo Riberio, the six time world jiu jitsu champion. The thinking man`s martial artist and the consummate competitor, Saulo always seems to fight exactly the right game plan no matter who his opponent is.
Paulo Guillobel
A dangerous and well rounded competitor, Paulo is a tough match up for any competitor and seems equally comfortable from the top or bottom. While he currently trains and represents the Machado academy, Paulo received his black belt from Jorge Pereira.
Cameron Earlewww.RalphGracie.com
Known as a finisher, when Cameron is on his game he can absolutely deadly to opponents and has been known to submit opponents in under a minute! Competitors are perpetually in danger when facing Cameron.
Joao Silvawww.aloisiosilvabjj.com
Son of super fight competitor Aloisio Silva, Joao will come representing and with the full support of one of the largest teams in Southern California. Look out for his footlocks.
Frederico Sabbatini
Frederico has emerged recently on the California circuit and has been very active in that time, seemingly showing up on virtually every grappling show you might here of.
Gumby`s Pick
Safe Pick: Saulo Riberio
A six time world champion in BJJ, how could he not be the favorite?
Money Bet: Cameron Earle
An aggressive finisher, Cameron has already fought half the field already and has always emerged victorious.
Heavyweight Tournament Contestants
Leo Dallawww.LeoDalla.com
Dalla is one of the premiere instructors active in the United States, and competes in many local and international shows both with and without the gi and has a very smooth game for a big man.
Arthur Ruffwww.Ruffhousejiujitsu.us
Arthur has been active on the Western Circuit of jujitsu for sometime and has had many matches through out the belt progression levels here in the United States. Ruff`s competition style can be described as power jiu jitsu.
Bento Ribeirowww.fabiojiujitsu.com
Bento trains with superfight competitor Fabio Santos in San Diego. He has a Mundial title at Brown belt from 2003.
Rafael Lovato Jr.www.lovatojiujitsu.com
One of our favorites around OTM, Rafael is the youngest American to receive a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and one of the best representatives of the sport. Rafael spent much time competing and training both in the US and Brazil and his guard work is particularly innovative.
Kurt Osianderwww.RalphGracie.com
Kurt “the Rhino” Osiander may be among the oldest competitors in the bracket, but he`s also among the toughest. Kurt possesses an enormous pressure style offense combined with great defense.
“Guigo” de Jesus
Guigo is easily the largest competitor in the field, probably being the neighborhood north of 300 pounds. He`ll use that size advantage well.
Xande Riberiowww.xanderibeiro.com
Pound for pound one of the top grapplers and jiu jitsu practitioners around, Xande is hitting his stride as among the top five competitors in the game right now and has an arsenal that is varied and always dangerous.
Pal “Judo” Marki
As his nickname implies Marki is a dangerous judo competitor who trains with Christoph Leininger in Arizona.
Gumby`s Pick:
Safe Pick Xande Riberio
The younger of the Riberio brothers is just hitting his stride and is a definite front runner for an absolute World Title in Jiu Jitsu. He may simply be on another level from everyone else in the tournament right now.
Money Bet: Leo Dalla
There is a lot of experience and skill here and Leo Dalla has a good chance of taking the whole thing.
Note that the winner of each category (light and heavy) will earn a prize of $2500. The winners will face off then for an additional $2500 bonus. The runners up in the light and heavy division brackets will also face each other to determine a third place overall.
Some historical match ups:
There are a LOT of rematches happening here.
Rafael Lovato Jr. versus Kurt Osiander- This was a superfight at the third United Gracie Tournament. A methodical match up, Lovato won this on points by virtue of a sweep.
Rafael Lovato Jr. vs Arthur Ruff- As brown belts, Lovato finished Ruff with a choke from the mount at the World Grappling Games 2nd National Championships.
Rafael Lovato Jr. vs Xande Riberio- Actually happened no-gi at the 2005 Grappler`s Quest Beast of the East tournament. Xande won, a technical and friendly match between the two oft times training partners.
Cameron Earle vs Joao Cunha- At United Gracie 2, Cameron wins by a sweep in the last seconds of the match. Also worth noting that this was Cameron`s first match as a black belt.
Cameron Earle vs Joao Silva- This happened as brown belts at a World Grappling Games tournament. Cameron racked up a large score before submitting Silva with an armlock.
Cameron Earle vs Paulo Guilobel- At United Gracie 3 Cameron wins 7-0 by virtue of two sweeps and a guard pass.
Cameron Earle vs Frederico Sabbatini- At IGJJF 2 Cameron stuns Frederico with a takedown and armbar submission in under thirty seconds!
Frederico Sabbatini vs Joao Cunha- Minutes after facing Cameron Earle, Frederico lost to Joao Cunha 12-0 at the IGJJF 2 (12 point first rule).
Frederico Sabbatini vs Shawn Williams- In the first round of the lightweight tournament at US Open IX, Sabbatini manages to submit Shawn Williams by choke in the final minutes of the contest.
Frederico Sabbatini vs Paulo Guilobel- In the finals of US Open IX, Guilobel emerges victorious in a hard fought battle to capture his first US Open title.
Shawn Williams vs Joao Silva- Shawn Williams wins on points at the Pan Americans 2005 and Silva is nearly disqualified.
Tickets are still available and if you`re anywhere near Southern California you should definitely come by and check this out as it promises a great day of action and it is definitely help progress the future of our sport! Visit www.blackbeltproam.com for more!