F2W’s dynamic format hits Phoenix Arizona this evening, bringing IBJJF standouts and unknowns together for gi and nogi submission grappling. With a rounded card from blue to black belt, the 227th event will give a handful of grapplers great momentum and storylines to carry the rest of the year. Come learn more about the night’s matchups, along with a little context for what we can expect in terms of gameplay.
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F2W 227 Main Card
Locals clash with out-of-state talent up and down the main event card. Black belts Victor Emanuel and Clay Wimer take the mats for a 170 lbs nogi duel, both men seasoned F2W athletes and coaches for Gracie Barra and Easton Training Center respectively. Wimer earned his black belt just this year, and Emanuel has long been featured alongside fellow GB representatives in both gi and nogi national tournaments.
Powerlifter and grappler London Horn brings his pressure against IBJJF standout Gabriel De Oliveira in another nogi match. Oliveira made a solid pro showing last year, taking home gold at both Jiu-Jitsu Con and the American Nationals tournaments with only two years experience as a black belt. Though he favors the lapel choke from top, being his sole submission displayed thus far in his pro career, Oliveira may find Horn’s strength and balance an issue while securing top position.
Gabriel De Los Santos will face 2022 Phoenix Nationals champ Korey Kerber in a medium heavyweight bout. Santos dominated F2W alongside fellow Jay Pages BJJ students last August, taking home the medium heavyweight championship with a slick submission. Kerber, a gold medalist at this year’s Phoenix Open, has made appearances at nogi pans as well as F2W 208 in 2022.
Cisneros vs Nagai
Josh Cisneros (2022 ADCC top 4, Pans champ, fmr F2W champ) vs Sam Nagai (BJJ Stars, fmr F2W champ)
For our main event, IBJJF Pans champ Joshua Cisneros takes on recent BJJ Stars standout Sam Nagai in a gi match. Cisneros made waves at the 2022 ADCC, going on a deep finals run and finishing 4th overall in the 66kg division. Nagai landed a third place finish in last year’s IBJJF Worlds with an dominant violin armlock win over Gabriel Sousa.
Both come with F2W accolades, Nagai picking up the 155 lbs and 170 lbs titles with the promotion as a brown belt, and Cisneros taking home the 145lbs title in 2019. The two men bring well-rounded toolboxes to the confrontation, neatly identical submission rates from the back, joints and legs. Both return to the gi after going no gi for much of the last few years. Given the similarity in their games, this could either be a war of attrition or pistols at high noon.
Catch the full 49-match event on FiteTV at 5pm EST, with the main black belt card kicking off closer to 10 pm EST.
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