Tio Chico at Brazilian Nationals in photo by Gustavo Aragão
After putting the finishing touches on the match card for the maiden lightweight GP, to take place December 17, the promoters of Copa Pódio penned the match that will open the tournament in Porto Alerge.
The chosen competitors are Augusto “Tio Chico” Vieira (Renzo Gracie) and hometown boy Guto Campos (Gueto/Atos), two standout middleweights.
“The idea behind putting together these two for the first time as the preliminary match was to treat the crowd to a taste of what the middleweight GP will be like, at the next event on the circuit,” explains Jeferson Maycá, one of the organizers.
Transferring “Tio Chico,” who was set to compete with the lightweights, to the opening match came from Jeferson himself: “I really like ‘Tio Chico’s’ style, and I feel he’d have the chance to show his full potential were he to compete at middleweight. Besides that, both he and Guto have eye-pleasing games, they’re not afraid of losing, and they always put on a show. All that is perfectly in line with what we’re aiming at with the show,” he explains.
The news regarding the lightweight GP is that Ed Ramos (Atos), along with Ramon Lemos as his coach, will be facing off with Leonardo “Cascão” Saggioro (BTT), who will be accompanied by Ricardo Marques. Now it has been decided that the final berth will go to team Sul Jiu-Jitsu, and the name of the athlete will be announced here on GRACIEMAG.com shortly.
The first round of Copa Pódio ticket sales will take place at shopping malls around the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, as well as over the internet. All information and the addresses of retail outlets selling tickets can be found on the website www.jiujitsuesportivo.com.br.
Check out the list of athletes and teams on the lineup:
Referees:
Coordination – Muzio de Angelis. Referees: Luciano Mendes da Silva, Flávio Roberto Ferreira and Alan Moraes.
Opening match:
Guetho/Atos – Athlete Guto Campos – Coach Ramon Lemos
Renzo Gracie – Athlete Augusto Vieira “Tio Chico” – Coach Felipe Carsalade
Lightweight GP:
Soul Fighters (RJ) – Athlete Augusto Mendes “Tanquinho” – Coach Leandro Escobar “Tatu”
Cícero Costha (SP) – Athlete Leandro Lo – Coach Cícero Costha
GFTeam (RJ): Athlete Denilson Pimenta – Coach Julio Cesar Pereira
Alliance (RS): Athlete Moacir Mendes Jr. – Coach Mário Reis
Gracie Barra (MG): Athlete Cláudio Mattos “Caloquinha” – Coach Rômulo Barral
Lloyd Irvin (USA): Athlete Jonathan Torres – Coach Jimmy Harbison
Checkmat: Athlete Helder Medeiros “Bob Esponja” – Coach Ricardo Vieira
Atos: Athlete Ed Ramos – Coach Ramon Lemos
Brazilian Top Team: Athlete Leonardo Saggioro “Cascão” – Coach Ricardo Marques
Sul Jiu-Jitsu: To be announced. Coach Fernando Paradeda.