This week saw 10th Planet pioneer Eddie Bravo announce the lineup for his Combat Jiu Jitsu Welterweight World Championship. This saw a couple of experienced CJJ participants as well as a few new faces too. The names mentioned were Roberto Jimenez, Tye Ruotolo, Nathan Orchard and Kody Steele.
Nathan Orchard has fought in CJJ before, whilst Kody Steele is currently the CJJ World Champion in his weight division. With this in mind, the pair are the most well-versed in having CJJ experience. However, Roberto Jimenez is also known for his aggressive style so should fit right in. Elsewhere, Tye Ruotolo has also trained in MMA for years on and off, whilst his brother Kade also owns his own CJJ World Champion belt.
This means that these faces will all be highly skilled in this environment and ready for action. Similarly, all involved are of a ridiculously high level and are all very skilled. This means there’s no real stand-out favorite and naming a winner would be too tight to call at this stage.
For those wondering, Eddie Bravo’s CJJ rules mean that even though it’s based on ‘combat’, it’s not exactly MMA either. Fighters can use open-palm slaps but cannot punch. This puts an emphasis on takedowns and playing a top game, rather than sitting to guard.
This event is scheduled to take place on June 6th, so keep your eyes peeled.