Polaris 29 is set to deliver a thrilling night of grappling action, featuring some of the top talents in the sport. With several highly anticipated matchups, the event promises excitement for grappling fans around the world. Let’s break down the key matches.
Cole Abate vs Sam Mc Nally
Cole Abate suffered a first-round exit at the 2024 World Championships. His opponent, Sam Mc Nally, is coming off a quarterfinal loss at the 2024 Brasileiros and hasn’t competed in ADCC since ADCC 2022.
Diego “Pato” Oliveira vs Ash Williams
A rematch from ADCC 2024, where Diego “Pato” Oliveira secured a dominant 6-0 victory over Ash Williams in the first round. Pato’s journey at ADCC took him to the finals of the stacked 66kg division, eventually losing to Diogo Reis.
Fellipe Andrew vs Davis Asare
Fellipe Andrew, renowned for his gi skills, made waves by reaching the finals of the Craig Jones Invitational (CJI), surprising many with his performance in the over 80kg division. He now faces Davis Asare, a rising talent from the Danaher Death Squad. Asare, will be looking to transition from a ‘Junior’ to ‘Senior’ after PGF playoff loss to PJ Barch.
Jay Rodriguez vs Mohammed Avtarhanov
Jay Rodriguez, fresh off a silver medal finish at ADCC, only losing to the formidable Giancarlo Bodoni, enters Polaris 29 on a high note. Rodriguez’s ADCC success is significant, even though the talent split between ADCC and CJI played a role. His opponent, Mohammed Avtarhanov, has dominated the Irish scene but remains relatively untested on the world stage. This is a crucial opportunity for Avtarhanov to make a name for himself, with both competitors sharing victories over Chris Wojcik.
Tainan Dalpra vs Tarik Hopstock
In what might be the most one-sided matchup on paper, Tainan Dalpra, a gi specialist, takes on Tarik Hopstock, who stepped in as a late replacement. Dalpra is the heavy favorite after his recent victory over Jay Rodriguez at WNO. Hopstock, who fell short at the ADCC European trials and missed out on an ADCC invite, faces a significant challenge but enters the bout with nothing to lose.
- Favorite: Tainan Dalpra (1.04 odds)
- Underdog: Tarik Hopstock (10.00 odds)
Brazilian Multi (Abate, Pato, Andrew & Dalpra all to win)
- Odds: 1.25
Each of these athletes enters their matches as overwhelming favorites, setting the stage for a night that could be dominated by Brazil. The parlay of all four favorites offers modest returns at 1.25 odds, while Tarik Hopstock stands out as the biggest underdog on the card, with 10.00 odds.
