Some of Chicago’s best coaches and competitors will hit the mats this Saturday for Fight To Win 13 Chicago, a professional BJJ event at the Southland Center in Lynwood. You can purchase tickets at CageTix.com, or watch the event live on FloGrappling.com.
Former Shooto fighter and current F2W featherweight champion Baret “The Finisher” Yoshida will defend his title in the main event against Mike Reyna, who captured gold at the Chicago Open last April.
Local MMA fans will notice some familiar names, with former XFO champion and recent XFO Legends inductee Mike Marrello taking on Simon Park in the co-main event. Marrello is excited to make the transition from fighting MMA to competing professionally in BJJ. “This is the beginning of a new journey for me. I plan on competing at the Worlds,” Marrello told Chicago’s MMA.
Corey Kuropas, Steve Kinnison, Dan Hart, and Kyle Perkins are a few of the other competitors on the card that have fought MMA locally. Plus, Said Hatim, Tommy Woodruff, Mark Vives, and Mike Cimmarusti are just a few of the coaches and cornermen that will compete.
Cimmarusti, head coach and owner at Illinois Grappling Club, is hoping for a solid fan turnout to see some of the best BJJ players in the region.
“This event is great exposure for some of the top Midwest BJJ athletes. I hope people support these events as I truly see these types of shows as the future of sport BJJ. I have a match against a very tough opponent in Daniel Vianna. He is someone I have trained with in the past and I look forward to getting the chance to test my BJJ against him. I know one thing for sure — it will be a fun match with two guys going for the sub,” Cimmarusti said.
Artie Grubba, two-time judo state champion, will take on 10th Planet’s John Mejia. He jumped at the chance to compete in the event. “I think it’s great that an event like this is coming to the area. The Chicago area has a great deal of BJJ talent so it should be a great experience both for the competitors and the fans.”
Here is the full card for Fight To Win 13 Chicago:
MAIN EVENT: FEATHERWEIGHT BLACK BELT TITLE FIGHT
BARET YOSHIDA (BARET SUBMISSIONS) VS MIKE REYNA (REYNA BJJ)
CO-MAIN EVENT: 230LBS BLACK BELT BJJ
MIKE MARRELLO (TEAM CURRAN) VS SIMON PARK (F2D COMBAT BASE)
165LBS BLACK BELT BJJ
ANDRE MANECO LEITE (SOUL FIGHTERS) VS BRICK WELCH (GRACIE BARRA)
185LBS BLACK BELT NOGI
CHRIS HARTWIG (TEAM CURRAN) VS STEVE PATTERSON (BRASA)
175LBS BLACK BELT BJJ
MARK VIVES (NEW BREED) VS JOEL BLANTON (CLINGERMAN)
200LBS BLACK BELT BJJ
TOMMY WOODRUFF (TEAM CURRAN) VS JEFF SERAFIN (SERAFIN BJJ)
155LBS BLACK BELT NOGI
ALEKSANDER RAJACIC (RALPH GRACIE) VS SAID HATIM (MISSION MMA)
185LBS BLACK BELT GI
MIKE CIMMARUSTI (ILLINOIS GRAPPLING CLUB) VS DANIEL VIANNA (CARLSON GRACIE)
165lbs BLACK BELT GI
STEVE KINNISON (INFINITO BJJ) VS BRANDON BATCHELOR (SERAFIN BJJ)
185LBS BROWN BELT GI
MATT LEIGHTON (NEW BREED) VS KAELUM KALISTA (GFT)
185LBS BROWN BELT NOGI
JOSH PASSINI (10TH PLANET) VS JAMES O’ SHEA (MISSION MMA)
200LBS BROWN BELT GI
MICHAEL HAGL (UFLACKER BJJ) VS DAN HART (ALPHA BJJ)
185LBS BROWN BELT GI
ASHUR DARMO (BONSAI) VS DAN BOROVIC (360 BJJ)
190LBS BROWN BELT BJJ
ANTOINE EVANS (CARLSON GRACIE) VS CHRIS REYES (RIO JIU JITSU)
160LBS BROWN BELT BJJ
ERIC BOLEAGA (BMA) VS BLAKE KLASSMAN (SERAFIN BJJ)
130LBS PURPLE BELT BJJ
TAYLOR BIAGI (NEW BREED) VS DANIA AJ (RANDORI BJJ)
HEAVYWEIGHT PURPLE BELT NOGI
JOHN MEJIA (10TH PLANET) VS ARTIE GRUBBA (STRAIGHT BLAST MMA)
155LBS PURPLE BELT BJJ
CAIO OLIVEIRA (SOUL FIGHTERS) VS AARON BROOKS (CARLSON GRACIE)
160LBS PURPLE BELT NOGI
KYLE PERKINS (TEAM CURRAN) VS COREY KUROPAS (JAY PAGES BJJ)
175LBS PURPLE BELT BJJ
BRIAN RADTKE (LCCT) VS ALEX YABLONG (EASTON BJJ)
195LBS PURPLE BELT NOGI
MATT PAUL (10TH PLANET) VS JOE DEBIAS (ALLIANCE JIU JITSU)
165LBS PURPLE BELT BJJ
GREYSON CHRISTIAN (BRASA) VS NICK SPACEK (UFLACKER)
HEAVYWEIGHT PURPLE BELT NOGI
CHRISTOPHER HUBBART (JASON FOX BJJ) VS ERIC HUEBNER (WAR ROOM)
135LBS PURPLE BELT BJJ
CRISTINA AYANA (SOUL FIGHTERS) VS NIKKI SULLIVAN (NICE GUYS)
165LBS PURPLE BELT BJJ
ERIC FORSCHLER (P3 MARTIAL ARTS) VS JEFF YUMUL (RIO JIU JITSU)
145LBS TEEN ORANGE GI
BRIAN BOLEAGA (BMA) VS ALEX SALAS (CARLSON GRACIE)
90LBS KIDS NOGI
KAI CALCUTT (BONSAI) VS PAULY WESTOFF (CARLSON GRACIE)
For more information on Fight To Win 13 Chicago, visit the F2W website.
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