Preview: Pantheon 2

Pantheon 2, the Leeds-based grappling promotion, returns with a stacked card on Saturday 29^th June.

Top of the bill feature Ross Nicholls, arguably the best British grappler on the scene right now and on a tear following last year’s win at European ADCCC trials and a string of submissions at Grappling Industries, entering enemy territory with a match against the Yorkshire Grappler himself, Lloyd Cooper, himself one of the best in Britain and a Yorkshire native.

This headline fight is sure to get the crowd rocking.

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Great experience sharing the podium with these savages @leclercbjj @jackgrantmma at @fight_iq in Amsterdam this weekend. #repost @fight_iq ・・・ The levels champions! 1st@rossnichollsbjj 2nd @leclercbjj 3rd @jackgrantmma amazing back and forth between these guys more pictures and videos of the matchups coming soon – www.fightiq.nl. thankyou to all the competitors for your efforts! With out you there is no show! shout out to Marlene for catching the feel of the competition right here!! 10thplanetjiujitsu #10thplanetjiujitsuamsterdam #polarisbjj #cagewarriors #professionalgrappling #graciejiujitsu #danaherdeathsquad #mma #fightiq #amsterdam #dreamteam

A post shared by Ross Nicholls (@rossnichollsbjj) on May 13, 2019 at 5:03am PDT

The co-main features Eoghan O’Flanagan v Sean Anthony McDonagh.

Expect fireworks from O’Flanaghan whose incredible record includes a recent win over one Ross Nicholls at Roll Models, before managing to go from defeat on Polaris to victory at SubOver80 in Ireland within 24 hours. This will be a seriously tough ask for O’Flangan however as he’ll be matched up against another elite competitor in McDonagh, who earlier this month took double gold at the Spanish National (Gi and No Gi) and has European, British and Polaris 6 gold to his name. 

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TBT to a much simpler time defending stack passes in the #pyjamas competing against a fellow french guy in naga final – 2 mins left, 2 advantages down, close to cardiac arrest and managed to get a ????

A post shared by Eoghan O’Flanagan (@eoghanoflanagan) on May 9, 2019 at 1:37am PDT

These two headline matches are just the icing on the cake; the card features fascinating matchups earlier in the evening. The young black belt phenom Ashley Williams will face off against Chris Newman. Williams is a recent Polaris 10 winner, European and British champion and staple of the European grappling scene. Newman is himself a European champion and master of the X Guard.  

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Great to have @ttdocherty down for some rounds tonight! Still got a love hate relationship with the gi, who knows Worlds 2020? Some great prep ahead of @pantheonpromotions @battle_grapple #team #gi #nogi #bjj #rounds

A post shared by Ashley Williams (@awilliamsbjj) on Jun 20, 2019 at 2:56pm PDT

Other highlights include the mighty Kamil Wilk. The ADCC European Champion and World veteran will compete against another tough and highly skilled competitor in both BJJ and MMA, Jay Butler. Butler is also a multiple British champ.

Last but certainly not least for this preview, UFC star Marc Diakiese will feature in his first professional grappling event against Ben Hills.

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it’s a fight for me not a sport!! We’re in real fight!! #hungry

A post shared by Marc Diakiese UFC (@marcdiakiese) on May 14, 2017 at 2:20am PDT

Hills is having a stand-out year with a recent win at GrappleFest 4. He’ll perhaps have a point to prove having tasted defeat at Pantheon 001. Marc got a welcome win in his recent UFC fight against Joe Duffy, and the crowd will be fascinated to see how his skills translate into the pure grappling arena.

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