Day of Copa Pódio draw in Rio / Photo: Gustavo Aragão/GRACIEMAG.com
The promoters of Copa Pódio broke word of changes to the lineup for the Middleweight GP, the next stage for the event season, coming up July 21 at Hebraica Gymnasium in Laranjeiras, Rio de Janeiro.
Former Evolve Gordo athlete Victor Bomfim had to be pulled from the competition because he failed to advise the promoters that he has been training at GFTeam in Rio for some time now. By the team’s own choice, they decided Vinícius Marinho would not compete, out of solidarity for their new teammate.
Jeferson Maycá, the founder of the tournament meant to be a battle between teams, addressed the exit of the two fighters.
“Above all Copa Pódio is a team contest – we’re even putting together a project for next season where we’ll have a special division with ten or 12 academies and a play-off division where other academies can gain entry into the main group. Unlike Otavio Sousa and Felipe Preguiça, who are from different divisions of Gracie Barra in different cities, Victor and Vinícius are from the same city, train at the same academy. I have faith in Professor Julio’s seriousness, and I’m certain that the two athletes are not direct training partners, but right now we’re consolidating the rules to serve as a model and guarantee the credibility and transparency of the event for the athletes, the academies and the overall public,” said Maycá.
“GFTeam is a great team, and it has been supporting the project in a big way ever since the beginning. Soon, I’ll get together with Professor Julio to define the future of the team for the next Copa Pódio events, but in the meantime we can’t lose focus on the show coming up on the 21st.”
In Victor Bomfim’s place, Diogo Almeida of Ryan Gracie team returns to the mix. Now Vinícius Magrinho’s spot will go to Thiago “Barata” Ferreira of Raphael Abi-Rihan’s team. Barata won the 2009 Rio Open.
Check out the card and matchups as they now stand with the two new additions:
17:00 – Doors Open
18:00 – Event Opening
18:15 – OPENING SUPERMATCH: Claudio Caloquinha (Gracie Barra MG) vs. Michael Langhi (Alliance)
18:30 – 1st ROUND OF GP
Green Group: Nivaldo Oliveira (Checkmat) vs. Davi Ramos (Atos)
Green Group:Thiago Barata (Família Abi-Rihan) vs. André Bastos (Nova União)
Yellow Group: Felipe Preguiça (Gracie Barra MG) vs. Otávio Sousa (Gracie Barra PE)
Yellow Group: Leandro Lo (Cícero Costha) vs. Dimitrius Souza
(Alliance)
19:05 – 2nd ROUND OF GP
Green Group: Nivaldo Oliveira (Checkmat) vs. Thiago Barata (Família Abi-Rihan)
Green Group: Davi Ramos (Atos) vs. Diogo Almeida (Ryan Gracie)
Yellow Group: Felipe Preguiça (Gracie Barra MG) vs. Leandro Lo (Cícero Costha)
Yellow Group: Otávio Sousa (Gracie Barra PE) vs. Rafael Formiga (Soul Fighters)
19:40 – 3rd ROUND OF GP
Green Group: Nivaldo Oliveira (Checkmat) vs. Diogo Almeida (Ryan Gracie)
Green Group: Davi Ramos (Atos ) vs. André Bastos (Nova União)
Yellow Group: Felipe Preguiça (Gracie Barra MG) vs. Rafael Formiga (Soul Fighters)
Yellow Group: Otávio Sousa (Gracie Barra PE) vs. Dimitrius Souza (Alliance)
20:15 – 4th ROUND OF GP
Green Group: Nivaldo Oliveira (Checkmat) vs. André Bastos (Nova União)
Green Group: Thiago Barata (Família Abi-Rihan) vs. Diogo Almeida (Ryan Gracie)
Yellow Group: Felipe Preguiça (Gracie Barra MG) vs. Dimitrius Souza (Alliance)
Yellow Group: Leandro Lo (Cícero Costha) vs. Rafael Formiga (Soul Fighters)
20:40 – 5th ROUND OF GP
Green Group: Davi Ramos (Atos) vs. Thiago Barata (Família Abi-Rihan)
Green Group: André Bastos (Nova União) vs. Diogo Almeida (Ryan Gracie)
Yellow Group: Otávio Sousa (Gracie Barra PE) vs. Leandro Lo (Cícero Costha)
Yellow Group: Dimitrius Souza (Alliance) vs. Rafael Formiga (Soul Fighters)
21:00 – SEMIFINALS
Match 1: 1st place from Green Group vs. 2nd from Yellow Group
Match 2: 1st place from Yellow Group vs. 2nd place from Green Group
21:30 – PÓDIO SUPER CHALLENGE : Guto Campos (Guetho) vs. Raphael Abi-
Rihan (Família Abi-Rihan)
21:50 – Middleweight GP third-place decider
22:00 – Grand Finale of Middleweight GP
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