World Pro Finals Are Set: Watch Them Saturday, April 28
World Pro Finals Are Set: Watch Them Saturday, April 28
After a solid two days of action, we now know who will face off in the finals of the 2018 Abu Dhabi World Pro. Read on to find out more.
After a solid two days of action, we now know who will face off in the finals of the 2018 Abu Dhabi World Pro on Saturday at Mubadala Arena.
Here is a weight-by-weight breakdown of each title matchup in the female brown-black belt and male black belt classifications.
Watch the Abu Dhabi 2018 World Pro
When: April 24-28 | Start time: 1 AM CST daily
Female 49kg brown-black
Livia Gluchowska (AUS) vs. Mayssa Bastos (BRA)
Bastos is riding a wave right now and comes into the Grand Slam with plenty of momentum behind her. She competed in four of the five Grand Slams in the 2017-18 season, taking gold in every one she entered. Bastos beat Arantzazu Perez (ESP) and Sofia Amarante (USA) to get to the final. Poland-born Australian Livia Gluchowska had one match to qualify for the final, beating Serena Gabrielli (ITA) in the semifinal.
Photo: Michael Sears
Female 55kg brown-black
Amanda Nogueira (BRA) vs. Amal Amjahid (BEL)
Nogueira and Amjahid know each other well, having faced off many times before. They've fought twice this season, with Nogueira winning in Abu Dhabi and Amjahid in London. It's fitting this rubber match will decide who becomes champion.
Photo: Michael Sears
Female 62kg brown-black
Bianca Basilio (BRA) vs. Ffion Davies (GBR)
Basilio emerged as the winner of the Brazilian qualifying group, although controversy lingers over whether her leg-lock submission of Luiza Monteiro was legal or not. Either way, Basilio had three more matches today to claim her place in the final, against British brown belt Ffion Davies.
Female 70kg brown-black
Ana Carolina Vieira (BRA) vs. Jessica Swanson (USA)
The all-conquering Ana Carolina Vieira (aka "Baby") is looking unstoppable. She earned straight submissions in her three matches in the 70kg division and will face Jessica Swanson in the final. Swanson scored a submission over Sam Cook (GBR) and a points win over Martina Gramenius (SWE).
Female 90kg brown-black
Marta Szarecka (POL) vs. Angelica Galvao (BRA)
Angelica Galvao will compete in the final of the 90kg division against Polish brown belt Marta Szarecka.
Male 56kg
Winner: Jose Lima (BRA)
The only weight class to have already crowned a champion was was the lightest of the men's black belt divisions, which was run as a round-robin. Jose Lima (BRA) placed at the top of the five-man group with three wins and a loss, beating second-place Rodnei Jr. and third-place Joao Carlos Kuraoka.
Male 62kg
Joao Miyao (BRA) vs. Wanki Chae (KOR)
Predictably, Miyao went into the finals. He had matches against David Younan (AUS) and Hiago George (BRA), winning both by submission. Chae won two matches by points, beating Jarrah Alhazza (JOR) and Alexis Alduncin (MEX)
Male 69kg
Paulo Miyao (BRA) vs. Gianni Grippo (USA)
We saw Grippo just a few days ago at the King of Mats, where he took second in the stacked lightweight bracket. In the male 69kg division, he submitted both opponents, Abdullah Nabas (JOR) and Krzysztof Flak (POL). Paulo Miyao scored a submission after going 10-0 against Ali Munfaredi (BRN) and a points win over Thomas Halpin (IRE).
Photo: Michael Sears
Male 77kg
Jake Mackenzie (CAN) vs. Espen Mathiesen (NOR)
The only men's final not to have a Brazilian will see a Canada versus Norway showdown at 77kg. Both men had busy days. Mackenzie beat Lachlan Giles (AUS), Rene Karamanites (PAN), Max Lindblad (SWE), and Jaime Canuto (BRA) to get to the final. Mathiesen had to go through Matias Asencio (ARG), Edwin Najmi (USA), Yan Cabral (POR), and Jon Satava (USA). Mackenzie won all of his matches by points except versus Canuto, whom he submitted. Mathiesen submitted Asencio and beat the rest via points.
Photo: Michael Sears
Male 85kg
Isaque Bahiense (BRA) vs. Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE)
The Brazilian Bahiense may only be in his second year as a black belt, but he's already taken out some of the biggest names in the game. He beat countryman Gustavo Batista—who won the infamous Brazilian qualifying "Group of Death"—in the semifinal by points. Al Ketbi, the only Emirati to make it to a black belt final, has a tough test ahead of him on Saturday, as Bahiense has been in fine form.
Photo: Michael Sears
Male 94kg
Felipe Pena (BRA) vs. Adam Wardzinski (POL)
Pena and Wardzinski know each other well, having faced off a number of times before. They even met here in the finals one year ago. Until now Wardzinski has never beaten Pena, and he will need to pull out all the stops in their match Saturday.
Photo: Michael Sears
Male 110kg
Lucio Rodrigues (GBR) vs. Erberth Santos (BRA)
Erberth Santos looked on fire these last two days, tearing through both the Brazilian country qualifier group and the earlier rounds of the 110kg division. Rodrigues, on the other hand, competed a few days ago in the King of Mats and did not perform great. Santos scored four submissions and one points win over the two days of competition.
Watch the finals of the 2018 Abu Dhabi World Pro:
8 PM: Tokyo
3 PM: Local time (Abu Dhabi)
1 PM: Berlin
Noon: London
8 AM: Rio de Janeiro
7 AM: Eastern Time
6 AM: Central Time
4 AM: Pacific Time