The BJJ Fanatics San Diego Grand Prix is set to go down on Saturday, October 2, and will feature a number of elite grapplers, as well as seasoned MMA fighters. The tournament winner will walk home with a $10,000, and the event will air live and free on YouTube.
Fresh off his second career ADCC European Trials gold medal, Oliver Taza stands out as an early tournament favorite. A longtime member of the former Danaher Death Squad, Taza is one of submission grappling’s most active competitors, and his mixture of leg locks with solid wrestling technique should serve him well in San Diego.
Another name to watch is 10th Planet standout PJ Barch. Barch is a veteran of submission-only competition, and earlier this year, put on an impressive four-submission performance to win the inaugural Emerald City Open.
Also featured in the grand prix are established BJJ competitors, including 2021 American Nationals no-gi champion Bruno Matias, 2019 no-gi world champion Johnny Tama, and 2021 American Nationals (gi) winner Mathias Luna.
A pair of established MMA fighters will be competing, as well. Spike Carlyle had a three-fight run in the UFC in 2020, going 1-2 but establishing himself as a unique and exciting fighter. He is explosive, athletic, and has a solid background in judo. Jay-Jay Wilson is a brown belt in jiu-jitsu and is undefeated in MMA, with four submission victories. A Bellator fighter since 2019, Wilson has competed in elite grappling before, losing a close match to William Tackett at the Jitzking Invitational in 2020.
