Above: Rafael Lovato Jr. and Lucas Leite will compete in a superfight at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo.
LONG BEACH, California — Last month, the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo announced that Rafael Lovato Jr. would be facing 2012 Pan black belt champion Kayron Gracie in a gi superfight at their inaugural event, which is set to take place on Satuday at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California.
Unfortunately, Kayron sustained an injury and had to pull out of the match. Stepping up and filling in as Kayron’s late-replacement is world class Checkmat representative Lucas Leite.
In an highly technical gi match, attendees will get to see one of the best Americans take on one of São Paulo, Brazil’s favorite sons, as Rafael Lovato Jr. faces Lucas Leite.
Lovato Jr. is arguably the most successful American competitor in the sport of Jiu-Jitsu. He has a huge list of titles to his credit, which include winning the Worlds and the Pan Ams (twice) all as a black belt.
He will be facing Leite, who is a student of multiple-time world champion Leo Vieira. Last year, the highly decorated Leozinho protégé won the No-Gi Worlds and was a finalist at the Worlds.
If you are unable to attend the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo on Saturday, you can watch this match, as well as five other superfights via www.MobileBlackBelt.TV for only $9.95.
The rest of the card includes Nick Diaz vs. Braulio Estima (NO-GI), Kron Gracie vs. Victor Estima (GI), Nino Schembri vs. Bill Cooper (GI), Kyra Gracie vs. Alexis Davis (NO-GI), and Jeff Glover vs. Caio Terra (GI). The pre-show starts at 6:30 PT and the fights start at 7:00 PT.