NOVEMBER 07, 2020, the second edition of the Squads tournament of the Polaris Jiu-Jitsu Invitational (first with the gi) set forth a clash between two teams formed by some of the main black belts in the United Kingdom and Ireland (British Isles), who battled against the cream of the crop of European jiu-jitsu. The European team featuring athletes from Scandinavia, Central Europe, the Balkans, and Southern Europe.
Coming into the event as heavy favorites, Team Europe lived up to the expectation by putting on a clinic of flair against team UK+IRE. Although the EU squad featured top international competitors such as Tommy Langaker and Adam Wardzinski, the big name to come out of the event was Leon Larman of France (check Larman’s full bio here). Larman competed like a bat out of hell and came ready to show the world just how talented he is. And show it he did! Back takes and berimbolo’s from every angle, Leon was a true pleasure to watch.
Full results from each individual match available below.
SQUADS TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Round 1
0x0 – Arya Esfandmaz x Tommi Pulkkanen – draw
0x0 – Sam Gibson x Max Lindblad – draw
0x0 – Bradley Hill x Espen Mathiesen – draw
0x1 – Marcus Nardini x Tommy Langaker – Langaker via triangle
0x2 – Bryn Jenkins x Tommy Langaker – Langaker via armbar
0x3 – Jamie Paxman x Luca Anacoreta – Anacoreta via reverse triangle
0x3 – Tyrone Elliott x Luca Anacoreta – draw
0x4 – Adam Adshead x Leon Larman – Larman via choke from the back
0x5 – Sam Gibson x Leon Larman – Larman via choke from the back
0x5 – Arya Esfandmaz x Adam Wardzinski – draw
0x6 – Tyrone Elliot x Dinu Bucaleț – Bucalet via Ezekiel choke
0x6 – Marcus Nardini x Dinu Bucaleț – draw
Team Europe Ended first-round winning by 6×0, but as athlete Bryn Jenkins was injured and unable to compete, team Europe was awarded another point. Round 1 Europe 7, UK + Ireland 0.
Round 2
0x1 – Sam Gibson x Tommy Langaker – Langaker via cross choke
0x1 – Bradley Hill x Tommy Langaker – draw
0x1 – Jamie Paxman x Espen Mathiesen – draw
0x1 – Marcos Nardini x Max Lindblad – draw
0x1 – Adam Adshead x Tommi Pulkkanen – draw
0x1 – Arya Esfandmaz x Adam Wardzinski – draw
0x2 – Tyrone Elliot x Leon Larman – Larman via choke from the back
0x2 – Sam Gibson x Leon Larman – draw
0x2 – Bradley Hill x Luca Anacoreta – draw
0x2 – Arya Esfandmaz x Dinu Bucaleț – draw
Team Europe ended the second-round winning by 2×0, adding this to round 1 (7×0), Team Europe won the event by a total of 9×0.
FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE MATCH
For the vacant featherweight title, Polaris set the talented Ashley Williams against leg locking wizard, Tom Halpin. Cyborg’s black belt, Halpin, showed great skills early in the match, putting Williams in all sorts of trouble. The veteran Polaris competitor patiently escaped every offense that was thrown at him and, in the second half of the match, imposed his own, coming out with a title and a dominant performance.
– Ash Williams def. Tom Halpin via decision
