Bellator fighter Neiman Gracie and Isaque Bahiense shared the honours in the inaugural Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship at the Mubadala Arena on Friday.
Gracie, a former UFC and WEC champion who proudly carries the legendary jiu-jitsu family name and the legacy of his uncle, Renzo Gracie, outclassed American Ben Henderson via a submission in the No Gi main event.
Bahiense, meanwhile, emerged victorious over Atos’ Gustavo Batista in an All-Brazilian Gi main event.
“ADXC is the new show that’s gonna take over grappling, and I’m happy,” Brazilian Gracie said following his victory.
“I’ve trained extensively under these rules, and it was an excellent match for me because I love chasing submissions. Given the three-minute time limit, I was determined to give it my all-in pursuit of the finish. It was a fantastic experience.
“Fighting someone like Benson, who is lightning fast and explosive with his movement, I knew he would be a hard guy to finish. But I was determined, which is why I continuously pursued the submission.
“Since we only had three minutes, I aimed to attempt the finish ten times in those three minutes. If it didn’t work ten times, I’d have gone for twenty.”
Bahiense, who had got the better of Batista in previous encounters, reaffirmed his dominance in a clash that showcased the pinnacle of jiu-jitsu.
“Our goal was to play to our strengths; he knows his game well, and I refrained from playing into his game. It was a tough contest, but I came out on top.”
Former Venator FC welterweight champion and UFC middleweight contender Marvin Vettori overcame Tarek Suleiman by unanimous decision in the No Gi co-main event.
Fight Sports leader Roberto Cyborg Abreu defeated Australian Anton Minenko.
Cyborg secured victory through a unanimous decision after five intense rounds.
Sarah Galvao, the youngest fighter in the ADXC-1 card at 17, emerged victorious over Vitoria Gabreilla, in the third round in the Gi Women’s Super-Fight division.
The showdown witnessed great determination from Galvao, who tried to secure a submission hold during the initial two rounds while Gabreilla maintained a steadfast defence.
The match reached its climax in the third round when Galvao executed the 'bow and arrow' move with precision, clinching a commanding victory.
“Vitoria is a very strong girl. I have great confidence in my jiu-jitsu skills, and I set out to showcase them,” Galvao said after becoming the first winner in the 14-fight card on the night.
“The cage makes a big difference, especially because you can’t go through the wall, so you have to use the cage to your advantage, and that’s what I did."
Andre Galvao, co-founder and head coach of Atos Jiu-Jitsu and proud father, reflected on his daughter’s victory, saying: “It was incredible. In the beginning, she was acclimatising to the new environment, with all the lights and the introduction.
“She was a bit overwhelmed at first but adapted well. The opponent was fresh and strong, cutting a lot of weight to get to her class. But Sarah found her game in the second and third rounds, and I couldn’t be prouder of her.”
Results
Neiman Gracie defeated Ben Henderson; Isaque Bahiense def Gustavo Batista; Tayane Porfirio def Giovanna Jara; Abdul Kareem Al Selwady def Islam Nader Reda; Fabricio Andrey def Marcio Andre; Thalison Soares def Zayed Al Katheeri; Marcin Held def Guram Kutateladze; Fellipe Andrew def Uanderson Ferreira; Jonnatas Gracie def Natan Chueng; Luiza Monteiro def Nathalie Ribeiro; Dan Manasoui def Antonio Assef; Sarah Galvao Vitoria Gabriella
