$1,000 Lightweight Superfight Division:
Pablo Popovitch, American Top Team Black Belt, 2004 Abu Dhabi U.S. Qualifying Champion, 2003 Grapplers Quest Team U.S.A. Trials Champion
VS
Alexander Crispim, Team Ralph Gracie/Gracie Barra Black Belt
-
Leo Santos, Team Nova Uniao Black Belt, 9-Time Rio De Janiero State Champion, 3-Time Mundials champion, 2-Time Pan-American champion, 3rd place in ADCC 2001
VS
Jake Shields, Team Cesar Gracie, 3-Time Grapplers Quest West Champion
-
Marcos Avellan, Florida Freestyle Fighting, 2003 GQ-U.S.A Team Trials Champ
VS
Jason "Mayhem" Miller, Team Cobra Kai/Oyama, 2-Time Grapplers Quest West Champion, 2-Time Pan American Medalist
-
Leandro "Tatu" Escobar, Brazilian Top Team Black Belt, 2003 Pan American Black Belt Champion, Holds numerous Brazilian Submission Grappling Titles from 2002-2004.
VS
Jared Weiner, Lloyd Irvin Black Belt/BJJ United (Philadelphia, PA), Judo Black Belt, 2-Time Copa Atlantica Medalist, 2003 American National Tournament Middleweight Champion
$1,000 Middleweight Superfight Division:
David Avellan, Florida Freestyle Fighting, 2003 GQ-U.S.A Team Trials Champ, ADCC Florida Superfight Champion
VS
Luke Stewart, Team Ralph Gracie, 2-Time Grapplers Quest West Champion
-
Sean Spangler, Team Cobra Kai/Marc Laimon, 3-Time Grapplers Quest West Champion
VS
Diego Sanchez, Jackson's Gaido Jitsu, 2000-2003 Grapplers Quest West Divisional Champion
-
Tyrone Glover, Cassion Werneck Brown Belt, 2004 Grapplers Quest "Beast of The East" Superfight Champion, 2003 WGG Champion
VS
Gary Grate, Team Charles Gracie, Head Instructor of The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy of Reno, King of the Cage and Gladiator Challenge Winner
-
Rafael Lovato, Jr., Team Machado Oklahoma City Brown Belt, 2003 Copa Atlantica Middleweight Champion, 4-Time World and Pan American Medalist
VS
Moacir "Boca" Oliveira, American Top Team Black Belt, 2004 Abu Dhabi Middleweight and Absolute Champion
$500 WOMEN'S PRO SUPERFIGHT DIVISION
Sponsored by GrapplerGear.com and Gameness.net:
=====================================================
Erica Montoya, Chris Brennan/Next Generation, 2-Time Grapplers Quest West Champion, Pan-American and World Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Champion, Pro MMA Fighter
VS
Lauren "Lolo" Cousin, Sylvio Behring Purple Belt (Paris, France), 2004 Arnold Pro Division Finalist
=====================================================
Rebecca Faber, Tai Kai Machado Jiu Jitsu (Delaware), 5-Time Grapplers Quest National Champion
VS
Lauren Moreira, Las Vegas Combat Club/Ricardo Pires (Brown Belt), 2-Time U.S. Open Jiu Jitsu Champion, 2003 Las Vegas Grappling and Jiu Jitsu Champion, 2002 Joe Moreira Superfight Champion
=====================================================
Leonore Avellan, Florida Freestyle Fighting, World Grappling Games 4-Woman Champion
VS
Kelly Paul, Ralph Gracie, 2003 Pan American Medalist
=====================================================
Marianna Garcia, Oswaldo Alves, 2004 Arnold Pro Division Champion, Multiple-Time Mundial and Pan American Black Belt Champion
VS
Felicia Oh, Jean Jacques Machado/Eddie Bravo's 10th Planet, Pan American No-Gi Champion
=
Your picks?
miller
spangler
erica
Avellan
Avellan
Avellan
:)
popovich-glover-garcia
I don't know who is gonna win the lwt. Popovitch has a tough first match in Crispim, Santos has placed in ADCC but could lose to Shields, Marcos-Miller should be a war. There is alot of good matchups here. If Marcos, Miller or Shields play the right game, they can go far. Anyhting can happen in this division.
Middleweight-I like D. Avellan to win here.
Womens-L. Avellan
Sorry 'bout that, but:
Popovitch, Boca and Leonor.
ttt
^TOP^
shields (i hope not) or avellan, avellan, and avellan
poppovich - boca
Damn Popovitch is finally coming to the west coast and I'll be gone on the east coast that weekend. I'd love to meet the guy, he should have a seminar on the west coast, I'd pay for it.
Look for diego sanchez to win his bracket
Yo Gumby-where the picks brotha!
Go Diego Sanchez and Team Jackson!!
Again....
Arron
Why exactly is Gazzy not in the 8 Man and gets to fight the winner? I understand her being a past champion and all, but by this logic, the Avellan Brothers should get the winners of their brackets also.
What gives?
Lw finals marcos vs pablo..winner marcos will finally defeat him by points....middle finals david vs boca..winner david by 4 points two takedowns..womens leonor vs erica...leonor by points...I might be being a little biased...go ffa..
ttt
OK, here is my picks:
Lwt:
Popovitch-Crispim: You can never count out a Ralph student, they are aggresive and tough as hell. Pablo won their last fight and I'm gonna stick w/ Pablo here, giving him the edge in standup and activity of late. I like Pablo by dec, but in a fight alot closer than people think.
Leo Santos-Jake Shields: If there is any fight in the 1st round I can smell an upset, it's here. There is no doubt in my mind that if Leo stands w/ jake, Jake will take him down all day. But the only way I can see jake winning is 2-0 or 4-2 on takedowns and I have to believe Leo is too experienced for that. I'm picking Leo by sweep or sub.
Marcos Avellan-Jason "Mayhem" Miller: I think this will be the best fight in the 1st round. 2 guys w/ a balls to the wall style that will definately go after each other and never quit. Their games are very similar and both match up well against each other. I'm picking Miller because he is bigger but if Marcos wins this fight and Pablo loses to Leo, I can see Marcos winning the whole thing.
Tatu-Jared Weiner: Tatu has won a bunch of submission titles in the last 2 years and coming from ATT, he will be prepared. jared has gottne enormously better in the last year and a half but I he is giving up alot of weight to the rest of these guys. A couple of "insiders" have told me they like Jared here. Props to Jared for stepping up but I'm picking Tatu here.
Popovitch-Santos: I think this match will be decided in the first 2 minutes of the match. I think Pablo can take Leo down. If Leo sits, I think they will be zero pts. scored in this match and Pablo will win by adv.
Miller-Tatu: this is a hard match to pick. Miller is training w/ Laimon so I don't think Tatu will surprise him w/ anything. Another good clash of styles match. I'm picking tatu by sweep.
Fianls Split by the ATT guys.
Mdt:
David Avellan-Luke Stewart: This is the match that intrigues me the most. I remember when Stewart was screwed outta beating Matt Hughes in GQW 2000. He definately has the skills to beat David. But for as much press as david has been getting, I still think he's underrated. I have seen alot of BJJ BB's try to beat David. Most don't. Only Terrell and Jorge santiago have and I think David would beat Santiago in a rematch. I'm picking david by pts in a very exciting match.
Diego-Spangler: Spangler matchups up well w/ Diego but he better be in shape. Diego's cardio is insane and he is fearless and goes non-stop. Spangler can win this fight but I'm picking Diego in a high scoring match.
Tyrone Glover-Gray Grate: Grate has pretty good takedowns but Glover is a freak. If you give him any space, he'll use it against you. I can see a possible sub here by Glover.
Lovato-Boca: I think this match will go to both guys strengths: Lovatos guard against Boca's pass. Lovato will be in shape w/ the Pan Ams coming up. This fight is a tossup. Other I've talked to like Lovato but I'm picking Boca here.
Avellan-Diego: I want to say Avellan is too big for Diego but the guy i've seen give David the hardest time is Jay Herion from Renzos who fights like Diego but isn't is good. David had some trouble w/ him before he subbed him. I'm still picking David in this match and think he'll win the tourn.
Boca-Glover: I think this is a bad match for Boca. Glover is alot quicker than Boca. Boca will have to totally control Ty's movement and I just can't see anyone doing that. Glover by pts.
Avellan-Glover: Like Diego, Glover is smaller than David. I think the match will be very exciting but I'm picking avellan by pts. Ty would have had a better shot in an earlier round but david is just too hard to beat at this weight.
(A match that would be insane is Glover-Diego).
Womens:
I'm too tired to make a write up but I'm picking Leonore Avellan to take it.
TTT for LEO SANTOS !!