Fight to Win Pro returns tonight for its 23rd show, with a solid lineup from top-to-bottom featuring world class competitors on the upper end of the card and plenty of local talent in the preliminary bouts.
The headline match is a 155lbs Gi title fight between Osvaldo ‘Queixinho’ Mozinho and the defending champion, Bruno Frazatto, in what should be an intriguing contest between two highly decorated grapplers with multiple world title to their names in Gi and No-Gi.
The two competitors have met previously at the 2011 Pan-American championships in the quarter-finals, where Frazatto got the nod on points, but both fighters have evolved since that match up, moving up several levels since. Whilst these two have exciting styles of Jiu Jitsu, unfortunately, submission-only Gi matches generally aren’t the most thrilling to watch, especially when competitors are as evenly matched as these two. Even with them both looking for the finish, it’s hard to see this not going to the judges’ at the end of the allotted time.
The co-main event features Kim Terra and Danny Bohigian in a Gi match up at 150lbs – Terra is known as much for his off-the-mat antics as he is for what he’s done on them.
Medalling at the Pan-American championships and the No-Gi world’s, Terra is a fierce competitor who also has a temper that’s gotten him into trouble once or twice in the past, including threatening Gordon Ryan after Ryan beat his team mate at an Eddie Bravo Invitational show, and being banned by the IBJJF for his post match reaction to a defeat. Having been recently defeated by Gary Tonon at a super fight heals at Studio 540, Terra will be keen to turn things around against Bohigian.
A Guerilla Jiu Jitsu black belt under Dave Camarillo, Bohigian has a very active guard and is happy to pull guard in a bid to sweep his opponents before looking to control them from the top position. Bohigian’s style will no doubt be influenced by Dave and Dan Camarillo, who were fearless competitors in their day and always looking for the submission, and if Bohigian brings that mindset to the match, we’ll hopefully see a finish.
A match up between Paul Nava and the infamous Kurt Osiander will also take place on the card in another Gi match up at 185lbs.
Nava competes under the Ares team but has previously been affiliated to Nova Uniao and Rigan Machado, giving him plenty of influences that would have helped shape his Jiu Jitsu. A well-respected teacher, producing a strong competitive team, Nava is also an active competitor and has competed in the world masters divisions previously.
Osiander is the more well known of the two competitors, being one of the head instructors at the Ralph Gracie academy and releasing regular BJJ instructional’s on YouTube that are infamous for the amount of foul language and somewhat old fashioned views voiced by Osiander. However, Osiander is a well respected competitor and is regularly seen at IBJJF competitions, previously winning the masters Pan-American championship on multiple occasions.
Osiander has a top heavy and aggressive style of BJJ that is reminiscent of his instructor, Ralph Gracie, although he is also well versed in the more modern aspects of the sport. Whilst another Gi match doesn’t sound too exciting, Osiander is very aggressive in his matches, so hopefully that’ll help produce plenty of action.
Eliot Kelly and Kyle Kingsbury meet in a No-Gi black belt match that, on paper at least, will be expected to produce fireworks.
Kelly is a multiple time world masters champion, Pan-American and No-Gi world champion and is considered one of the best super heavyweight competitors competing in BJJ today. Kelly has a top heavy game, owed in part to his wrestling background that he uses to compliment his Jiu Jitsu with great effect.
Kyle Kingsbury will be known to MMA fans as a former UFC fighter who competed on The Ultimate Fighter way back in 2008, fighting in the UFC until 2014 when he retired following a loss to Patrick Cummins. Kingsbury was never known as a submission artist during his MMA career, so it’ll be interesting to see how he handles an opponent as skilled as Kelly in a grappling match.
Rhalan Gracie will look to defend his family’s honour when he steps in to the cage and faces Manny Rocha in a 190lbs Gi match.
The only son of BJJ red belt, Relson Gracie, Rhalan earned his black belt from his father in 2011 and since then has gone on to place at the Pan-American championships, Gracie Worlds and Gracie Grappling challenge. Coming from the Helio side of the family, Rhalan’s style of Jiu Jitsu will be very traditional, especially as his father has a strong belief in the self defence aspects of the martial art and is very traditional in his teachings, so it will be interesting to see how he handles himself against an opponent with a more modern style.
Manny Rocha is exactly that kind of opponent. Rocha holds a black belt in the Gi but has also cross trained at 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu and has hit some unbelievable submissions in competition, including the very rare Sorcerer. Rocha will have an unorthodox set of submission attacks and although the contest isn’t No-Gi, the rubber guard and other 10th Planet techniques will play a huge part in his attacks. Also, watch out for some sneaky leg lock attempts from Rocha.
Full Fight to Win 23 card:
155Lbs Black Belt Gi Title: Osvaldo ‘Quieixinho’ Mozinho (Ares) vs. Bruno Frazzatto (Atos)
150Lbs Black Belt Gi: Kim Terra (Caio Terra BJJ) vs. Danny Bohigian (Guerilla Jiu Jitsu)
185Lbs Black Belt Gi: Paul Nava (Ares BJJ) vs. Kurt Osiander (Ralph Gracie BJJ)
230Lbs Black Belt No-Gi: Eliot Kelly (Edh BJJ) vs. Kyle Kingsbury (Checkmat BJJ)
190Lbs Black Belt Gi: Manny Rocha (Strive Martial Arts) vs. Rhalan Gracie (Gracie Jiu Jitsu)
160Lbs Black Belt Gi: Vitor Poshal (Caio Terra BJJ) vs. Jeremiah Labiano (Crispim BJJ)
165Lbs Black Belt No-Gi: Dustin Akbari (Team Alpha Male) vs. Caleb Khan (Ralph Gracie Jiu Jitsu)
168Lbs Black Belt Gi: Marcos Torregroso (Yemaso BJJ) vs. Igor Pontes (Crispim BJJ)
165Lbs Black Belt No-Gi: James Cotter (FFTC) vs. Chris Coldiron (Checkmat)
135Lbs Black Belt No-Gi: Javier Gomez (Ares BJJ) vs. Alex Canders (10th Planet BJJ)
195Lbs Black Belt Gi: Ahmed White (Ralph Gracie) vs. Ron Keslar (Checkmat)
155Lbs Black Belt No-Gi:Travis Magalit (Bay Jiu Jitsu) vs. Marcio Moreira (Crispim BJJ)
175Lbs Black Belt Gi: Nathan Mendelsohn (Coalition 95) vs. Igor Estrella (Gracie Humaitia)
Heavyweight Black Belt Gi: Kye Kitzman (Ares BJJ) vs. Patrick Welsh (Checkmat)
200Lbs Brown Belt No-Gi: Ryan Walsh (Caio Terra BJJ) vs. David Mitchell (Team Alpha Male)
167Lbs Brown Belt Gi: Max Ruderman (Ares BJJ) vs. Jeremy Jackson (Heroes BJJ)
185Lbs Brown Belt Gi:Benji Silva (Caio Terra BJJ) vs. Nicholas Greene (Ralph Gracie Jiu Jitsu)
155Lbs Brown Belt Gi: Jose Fernandez (Sandro Batasta BJJ) vs. Nick Borbon (Heroes BJJ)
175Lbs Brown Belt Gi: Antonio William Debbs (Mauricio Alonso BJJ) vs. Rich O’toole (Ralph Gracie)
Teen 155Lbs Blue Belt Bjj Title: Andy Murasaki (Caio Terra BJJ) vs. Thomas Bringe (Castle Rock BJJ)
125Lbs Purple Belt Gi: Tracy Pham (Warrior BJJ) vs. Alexis Andrade) Guerilla Jiu Jitsu
225Lbs Purple Belt Gi: Renato Tagllari (Caio Terra BJJ) vs. Cody Hinojosa (Kaijin Mma)
170Lbs Purple Belt No-Gi: Jacob Pangellian (Sabre Jiu Jitsu) vs. Alan Sanchez (10th Planet)
182Lbs Purple Belt Gi: Noaeh Pinaire (Penesula BJJ) vs. Jonathan Chan (Checkmat Aka)
195Lbs Purple Belt Gi: Guthierry Barbosa (Caio Terra BJJ) vs. Matthew Rice (Soul Fighters)
200Lbs Purple Belt Gi: Eric Espinoza (Coalition 95) vs. Josef De La Vega (Rio Combat)
152Lbs Purple Belt Gi:Cleo Mann (Sabre Jiu Jitsu) vs. Christina Hanley (Penesula Bjj)125Lbs Teen Orange Belt Gi:Reese Hobby (Caio Terra BJJ) vs. Kirsten Banales (Camarillo BJJ)
175Lbs Teen Orange Belt Gi: Rafael Barragan (Kolo Ajose BJJ) vs. Cyrus Foster (Buffalo Black Brother Hood)
