Grapplefest returns to FloGrappling on Saturday, February 29. One of the UK’s premier submission grappling events, Grapplefest is coming with some stellar main and co-main event matches and – as always – a showcase of some Europe, the UK, and the world’s top no-gi grapplers. 

Read on for an overview of the three main matches to look out for. 

Adam Wardzinski (Checkmat) vs Jon “Thor” Blank (10th Planet) – 90kgs title match

Grapplefest veteran and team Checkmat butterfly guard wizard, Adam Wardzinski faces off against 10th Planet’s Jon “Thor” Blank in the main event. Both men are ADCC veterans. “Thor” became an EBI Combat Jiu-Jitsu champion and has won events such as Ultimate Mat Warriors and appeared on events such as KASAI. 

Wardzinski is best known for competing in the gi but showed he has no-gi chops by punching his ticket to the big show last year when he won the ADCC European Trials. In a potential rubber guard vs butterfly guard showdown, this main event promises to be a stylistic clash between two standout grapplers in the current jiu-jitsu scene coming from two very distinctly different backgrounds, with a title belt up for grabs in the -90kg division. 

Tye Ruotolo (Atos) vs Dante Leon (GF Team) – u80kgs belt eliminator match

In one of the most amazing co-main events put together by the promotion so far, Grapplefest 8 will feature the return of teenage phenom Tye Ruotolo against No-Gi World champion Dante Leon. The Canadian is on a roll of late, and is coming off a big win in the KASAI main event over champion Renato Canuto as well as defeating Marcio Andre at GF7. 

Dante is coming to bring his hard-nosed aggressive style back to Grapplefest. But his opponent Tye Ruotolo has been on a tear this past year, making a huge statement at the recent ADCC World Championships where he placed fourth while only 16 years old!  Tye is also a Grapplefest veteran having defeated leglock specialist Tom Halpin at GF7. Will Dante continue his upward trajectory and win streak? Or is Tye going to derail the Canadian’s train and get one of the biggest wins in his early career? Only one way to find out! 

Kade Ruotolo (Atos) vs Ashley Williams (Chris Rees Academy) – u70kgs Title Match

The last time Kade Ruotolo competed at Grapplefest, he stunned the crowd with his brilliant flying Darce choke submission victory over Jeremy Skinner. In his upcoming match with no-gi specialist Ashley Williams, the young Ruotolo needs to make sure his technique is on point as Ashley is one of the most seasoned British no-gi grapplers with a very sharp submission hunting style game. 

Williams is not only a Grapplefest veteran, but has competed in some of the top professional grappling events on the scene with the majority of his wins coming via submission. Kade – the brother of co-main eventer Tye Ruotolo – makes his return across the pond to Grapplefest in this -70kg title match. Fight of the night potential here with this title match!

On top of these stellar title matchups, GrappleFest 8 once again also presents a stacked undercard with over 20 matches featuring some of the UK's best. It all goes down on February 29th LIVE on FloGrappling.