SCRAPP! FIGHT MAGAZINE
May - 2015
19
win fights, and jiu-jitsu based
fighters don’t dominate the
way they once did. In fact, with
the exception of both female
champions and Jose Aldo, all
of the current UFC champions
started out as wrestlers. Mixed
Martial Arts has evolved to be
exactly what its name implies.
All forms and styles must be
mixed and utilized to create a
truly effective fighter.
Competitive jiu-jitsu has never
seen the same kind of spotlight
as any of the other disciplines.
jiu-jitsu was hugely responsible
for the creation of MMA, yet it
has never received anywhere
near the same level of pres-
tige or financial interest. Pro-
fessional Jiu-jitsu competitors
generally don’t compete with
the hope of earning anything
near what MMA fighters do.
But that is slowly changing;
Jiu-jitsuj has been on the rise
for several years now. There
are hundreds of local tourna-
ments that have arisen, many
of which have proved to be
the training grounds for future
MMA stars. Now there are sev-
eral big tournaments that offer
hundred of matches both in
the Gi and without. Tourna-
ments such as the Mundials,
Pan Ams, ADCC, Copa Podio,
EBI, FIVE Grappling, NAGA
and Grapplers Quest are just a
few of the venues giving both
regular people and profession-
als the ability to compete on
a regular basis not just in the
states, but all over the world.
All of these events have plen-
ty to offer, The Mundials and
Pan Am’s attract the best and
the most prestigious. ADCC
happens every two years and
gives the best no-gi players the
chance to shine, NAGA and
Grapplers Quest put on dozens
of events per year all over the
map. EBI is submission only and
forces zero sum outcomes with
its unique overtime system.
But the one that seems to have
true star potential is the pay-
per view and submission only
event, Metamoris. Like both
UFC and Pride, Metamoris finds
its roots with the Gracie family
as well. Ralek Gracie, Royce’s
nephew, started Metamoris in
2012. With only 5 events so far,
Metamoris has managed to at-
tract a lot of attention and high
level sub only matches that do
not often take place within
the usual tournament setting.
Metamoris is allowing Jiu-Jitsu
to be shown in a way that no
other event has managed.
Metamoris events have at-
tracted several current and
former UFC fighters. Former
UFC fighter and current MMA
exile Chael Sonnen is making
his second appearance on the
mat co-headlining Metamoris’
next event against Babalu So-
bral, a man who beat him al-
most ten years ago in the cage.
Chael has managed to find an
outlet for competition after his
failed drug tests forced him to
retire from MMA. For better
or worse, Metamoris doesn’t
fall within the State Athletics
Commissions jurisdiction, thus
Chael Sonnen is free to bring
his star power and skills to the
grappling scene.
Other fighters that will appear
are current UFC heavyweight
contender and Metamoris
Heavyweight champion Josh
Barnett, who will be headlining
and defending his title against
the 3xMundial champion and
2013 Open Weight ADCC
champion Roberto “Cyborg”
Abreu. We will also see pe-
rennial fight of the night win-
ner Joe Lauzon battle against
the Jiu-Jitsu only player and
Marcelo Garcia student, Dillon
Danis. There is also a fantas-
tic matchup between jiu-jitsu
legend Xande Riberio, perhaps
the most accomplished jiu-jitsu
player of all time, who takes on
the fast-rising and innovative
jiu-jitsu star, Keenan Cornelius.
With high quality streaming,
high production value, and col-
or commentating, usually done
by the UFC’s own Kenny Flo-
rian, Metamoris always looks
to impress. May 9th’s event
should be no different. jiu-jitsu
has given much to MMA, and
it still has plenty more to offer.
