Well if you have been paying any attention to this event, you noticed something is different than the last two events. The promoter dropped the name – Luta-Livre – from the promotions. The promoter Mario Miglioli said: – "I wanted to make an event where all fighters from Grappling / Submission would show up to fight. If I left the name Luta-Livre, Jiu Jitsu would not show up to the event. The plan worked. This time we got 68% Jiu Jitsu fighters and 32% of Luta-Livre fighters". The presence of more Jiu Jitsu fighters, was obvious when you looked at the six tough weight classes.
The weight classes were divided up by 8 kilos or about 20 pounds: under 59kg, 60-68kg, 69-77kg, 78-86kg, 87-98kg and over 99kg. Everyone was there to see the multiple time Submission grappling and Jiu Jitsu champion, Adriano "Nasal" Pereira.
Also, the 2003 Super-Heavy weight International Masters champion Paulo "Peposo" Rodrigues was fighting and a heavy favorite. All weight classes were looking very tough, but the 60-68kg divisions were looking to be the toughest. Fives tough fights to win the gold but, with good money and a huge sponsor package everyone came to fight.
Under 59kg Rafael Rebello def. Wellington Dias [4-2]
60-68kg Taede def. Marcelo Santos [6-2]
69-77kg Adriano "Nasal" Pereira def. Vitor Nobrega [4-0]
78-86kg Alexandre "Baby" def. Fabio Santos [4-0]
87-98kg André "Marola" Candido def. Danilo "Moto-Serra" [1-0]
Over 99kg Paulo "Peposo" Rodrigues def. Lenny "Montanha" [advantage]
There was to be three super fights at the event and what looks good on paper is not always that good in real life. Here is how it went down.
Super Fight One:
Rany Yahrya (Team Athaide Jr.) def. Fredson Paixao (Equipe 3) by 6-0 Paixao although one of the best gi fighters in the world showed he needs some work training with out it. He started out strong almost arm barring Rany and later attempted a good toehold. But that was it. With out his gi grips he was unable to get positions to try his patented wristlocks. Then the fight went to the ground. Yahrya made two attempts at a single leg and on the second took Paixao down and started passing. Fredson tried his best to adjust his position on the bottom to pull of a sweep. The sweep left Yahrya in a strong position but Paixao powered out of it and back to his feet. This proved to be a mistake Yahrya got around his waist and pushed Paixao to the ground again. Yahry quickly got another 4 points by taking Paixao’s back with both hooks. Paixao hung in there with Yahrya on his back for about 2 minutes. I don`t think there was any way Paixao was getting submitted again. He was just submitted for the first time ever in the last Mundial. Yahrya tried hard though, trying to hit rear naked chokes and simple chokes repeatedly. However Paixao was never in any danger and worked to remove the hooks. Then using a move of pure strength, Paixao freed himself from the hooks and at the same time attacked Yahrya foot with a heel-hook. It was not successful, he then tried to switch to an ankle-lock and finally a toehold; all three attacks were well defended by Yahrya. Who then just waited for the time to run out. Yahry won an important victory. Paixao is a World Champion and has a huge name in Brazil. Yahrya is still wearing a brown-belt but not for long a promotion should be coming soon. He did win the ADCC Brazilian Trials, the Mundial at brown belt and now this match-up against a black-belt world champion.
Super Fight Two:
Fabricio "Morango" (Gracie Tijuca) def. Peterson Melo (Boxe Thai Team / Brazilian Top Team) by 8-0 Two MECA winners facing off in a Submission event! Both guys have submission backgrounds; "Morango" is a Royler Gracie black belt and Melo a black belt in Luta-Livre and a brown-belt in Jiu Jitsu from BTT. Melo is better known however as a skilled Thai-Boxer who trains with Thai Team Brazil. Well, Funny thing is Morango KO’d his last opponent at MECA and Melo submitted his last two opponents in MECA! So they both got skills both on the feet and on the ground. But, today the war was to see who was better at submission grappling. Melo shot for the first takedown on Morango. Morango sprawled hard and worked a guillotine choke that started out weak. No problem for Melo, but soon it became a big problem when Morango tried pulling guard. The danger of a submission was gone but now Melo was in Morango’s guard. Morango then reversed him and tried a toehold. He did not get it and in the scramble he ended up in Melo’s half-guard. Then fighters stood up and Melo was first on the shot going for a single-leg again. Morango defended well again and tried to put on another guillotine-choke that made Melo panic a little and pull back to escape. We were all waiting for another shot from Melo when Morango surprised us all and took Melo down with a classic double-leg and then quickly passed his guard. Melo put him back in the half-guard and after some stalling they stood up again. After a bunch of Melo’s takedown attempts Morango scored another takedown. Time ran out with Morango still trying to pass Melo`s guard again. 8-0
Super Fight Three:
Alexandre "Cafe" Dantas (Gracie Barra) def. Denis Gomes (Team AthaideJr.) by rear naked choke. Cafe and Gomes began dancing around on the mat. They clinched, but neither made much of an effort to take the fight to the ground. Gomes was the first to shoot and he dominated Cafe’s left leg. Cafe was stronger than Gomes and defended easily and even almost lifting Gomes off the ground. Cafe got his first points by reversing Gomes and then they went back to standing. Then Cafe took Gomes to the ground with a nice takedown. Gomes started felling the pressure and tried to pick it up but was totally foiled by Cafe, who also turned it up and started his arsenal of attacks. His attacks open the game and he passed Gomes guard. Soon he had Gomes’s backs with both hooks in. Gomes was in a bad position, face down on the mat and with all Café`s weight on him and Café was trying to kill him. Cafe finally got the arm under Gomes’s chin, and finished with a submission the only super fight to end in a submission that day.
Bonus Match