Another elite-level Jiu-Jitsu fighter is coming to MMA. Joining the ranks of ADCC champions who have made the transition, Yuri Simoes has signed with One Fighting Championship. He will be making his professional debut for One FC in late 2020 after recovering from a recent knee injury. “MMA has always been a dream of mine,” he says on Instagram. “I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
If Gary Tonon’s success in the promotion is anything to go by, we won’t be. It is hard to believe that anyone can match the grappling level of a two division (-88kg and -99kg) ADCC champion. Especially not in an MMA promotion not known for high level grapplers.
His style is also traditionally well-suited to MMA. He has solid wrestling and his passing game is sophisticated, reminiscent of Demian Maia. He has even put out an instructional on his nogi top game, which he has demonstrated time and again, even against high level wrestlers and guard players. And having competed in three different categories, nobody knows yet what weight class he might fight at.
Setbacks in 2019
Yuri Simoes is coming off a slightly less successful ADCC run this year, in which he lost to eventual champion, Kaynan Duarte, in the quarter-finals and re-injured his knee. Fresh out of surgery, his MMA debut is somewhat delayed from his original intentions. This won’t be the first time he has come back from a potentially career ending injury, though, and he is staying positive:
“Today was the day of my knee surgery,” he says. “Today also marks a day of a new journey for me – not only because of my jiujitsu career but mainly for my own personal growth.”
“I will be 10000% ready to fight”
Let’s hope so.
The rest of this month is packed full of grappling action, For tickets to the upcoming Polaris 12 on 30th November in Newport, South Wales, click here.
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