Egghead Warrior's Blog

The PGF Season 4 draft is upon us! It’s tomorrow, 9 October at noon Eastern time on Brandon Mccaghren’s YouTube Channel. I’ve provided details in a previous post, so I’ll just give a quick recap of the mechanics here before moving onto my rankings.

The PGF Season 4 coaches will be picking two bantamweight ladies and six super lightweight men for their teams. Coach Kemoy Anderson, a PGF Season 2 alumn, will pick first, followed by PGF Seasons 1 and 3 alumn Caleb McCallister. PGF newcomer, Nick “Chewy” Albin gets the third pick and PGF Season 4 winning coach Sean Applegate gets the fourth pick. It’s a snake draft, so Coach Applegate will also get the fifth pick with the order reversing every round.

Before we get to the board, we have some items we need to discuss:

1. DISCLAIMER: A la Bernardo Faria, it is a huge honor for me to write about all the competitors of the PGF. I’m a huge fan, arguably one of the first super fans of the PGF. I want everyone to have a great time and I’d be happy if any of the competitors won the whole thing. However, I am trying to give as objective an opinion as possibly as to how to rack and stack folks for the draft. If you look back to my board last year, I did pretty well. If any competitor doesn’t like their ranking, then they have every right to prove me wrong during the season and call me out when they do so. That’s only fair. Okay, the disclaimer provided on the advice of counsel is now over.
2. LADIES = GUARANTEED MATCHES. In the team match format, the ladies on each team will face each other, guaranteeing two matches for each lady a night. For the men, the Quintet format means it’s all up in the air. One of the gentlemen might get up to 11 matches a night (highly unlikely) or might get zero. With guaranteed matches, the top tier of ladies becomes highly attractive (dad pun intended) for top picks.
3. QUICK KILLS. Quintet is a king of the hill format. Submit one opponent, then another one steps up. In the old PGF format, folks would often try for a kill (choke) to garner the full six points, then settle for a break (joint lock) as time went down. Now, time truly is an old gypsy man (don’t cancel me, it’s old school English folks). Essentially, every second a competitor spends on the mat against one opponent is less energy they have to spend against the rest. Here, someone like Maximus “Rock Troll” Jolly might shine as he submitted everyone quickly within regulation in his qualifier. Likewise, Anthony Molina Valdes who submitted all his opponents quickly and was called a sniper should get a bump.
4. DEFENSE. Again, looking at the quintet format, a draw eliminates both players. So, a wily coach might just look at the defensive capability of a potential draft pick when weighing when to select them. Basically, it’s like putting a guy on your basketball team who doesn’t score but can shut down the other team’s best scorer. A good example might be Noah Randolph – I know he’s taken great strides even since his last qualifier, but the thing that made him fans even when he was in high school for Season 1 was his grit. Noah might be someone who has great upside for submissions, but you know might just be able to stall out the other team’s best player and eliminate them.
5. ANCHOR. All these things said, the coaches should want one of those top gentlemen to anchor their team. They need the guy who can straight “slay some fools” as the kids say (or was that a decade ago, hmmm). The anchor can motivate, lead, and ultimately win for the team if necessary.
6. BEHIND THE SCENESE INFO. Okay, this point is a shameless plug. If you’re reading this blog, you are probably a PGF fan. Well, there’s a ton of extra content available to you if you join Brandon Mccaghren’s YouTube channel. The PGF Insider Show and Brandon and Lindsay Have a Podcast Now are both chock full of PGF information and available to you if you spend the miniscule amount of money to become a member (Breadeater is only $1 a month, but seriously, let’s be homies for something like $4). All right, all right, no more schilling.

Okay, with those considerations in mind, it’s time for Egghead to make some folks grumpy:

TIER 1: Okay, I almost made somewhat of a cop out. I wanted to just do tiers because there’s a lot of folks that are interchangeable. So, I’m going to acknowledge the tiers, but will still make the tough choices and rack and stack everyone. Without more preamble, here’s my first tier. Any of these five competitors would be a solid #1 pick or first round pick.

1	Isaac Cordova	Brown belt, 10th Planet Fullerton	Somewhat obligated here since I’m on record saying he’ll win the season. Regardless, Cordova is a tried and true competitor on major scenes. He won a very strong second Decatur Qualifier. Plus, he’s Recon and I hear they kick butt (if you know, you know).
2	Joanie Chamberland	Black belt, 10th Planet Atlanta and Rise Up BJJ.	Joannie recently finished all of her opponents in regulation at the 10th Planet Qualifier. As noted above, with her two guaranteed matches a night, I think there’s a high probability she earns 12 points a night for her team. Plus, if you pick her before Applegate gets a shot, you can throw a wrench in the evil mastermind’s plans.
3	Nekiaya Jackson	Brown belt, 10th Planet Decatur	Much like Joanie, I think Nekiaya’s guaranteed four matches a night and her likely high submission rate (I’m guessing about 100%) makes her a very good first round pick. She’s had great success on the highest levels of competition. Even though she would normally compete at 115 pounds, her strength and athleticism should be able to match or outmatch her opponents in the PGF this season.
4	Dane Leak	Black belt, Clinch Martial Arts Academy	Leak has multiple wins in ADCC qualifiers. He won last season’s Austin Qualifier (170lb division) and won the stacked Nashville Qualifier. Leak is now at his true weight class and has one PGF season under his belt to know the pace required for six-minute matches. His submissions are mostly kills and his defense against even the best opponents is very strong. He has a serious chance to win this season if he gets enough matches.
5	David Garcia	Brown belt, 10th Planet Lombard	Garcia may very well rate a higher pick. Unfortunately, the powers that be declined to provide any footage of the stacked Atlanta Qualifier Garcia won. From what the editorial staff at EggheadWarrior.com has found, Garcia has defeated legitimate top-level talent on the national scene. Let’s face it, anyone who chooses to drive from Chicago to Atlanta and face folks in the lion’s den that is 10th Planet Atlanta deserves some serious respect.

TIER 2: I can feel the saltiness surging. Yes, there’s some folks from the second tier who could arguably be in the first tier depending on how you value the factors above and how you evaluate the competitors’ skills. That said, I had to make a cutoff. This next tier could already be steals if coaches get them at these places.

6	Tara Larosa	Purple belt, Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu	Just as Joanie and Nekiaya above, Tara is going to get at least two matches a night. Against anyone other than the other top ladies above, I’m betting she gets a kill. Even against the two ladies above, I think Tara has a real shot to get the win. No one in the PGF this season can match the experience or toughness that Tara brings to the mats.
7	Reese LaFever	Purple belt, One Nation Jiu Jitsu and New Wave Jiu Jitsu (yes, that one)	The last time we saw Reese, he was winning the first Decatur Qualifier. That was seven months ago. Almost immediately after, he headed down to Austin to dedicate his life fully to jiu jitsu and train at New Wave Jiu Jitsu. In John Danaher’s last Instagram post, I happened to notice a familiar face as the uke…so you know Reese is getting some great knowledge there. He was already dangerous. Now, Reese very well could have bumped up a lot in the last six months, making him a steal here.
8	Anthony Molina Valdes	Brown belt, 10th Planet Miami	I can hear the Commisioner’s disgust with this ranking already. I agree, Molina Valdes is SUPER SMOOTH. He’s dangerous. He’s a sniper as Matt Elkins said. I could be very undervaluing him here. Molina Valdes has the capability to end matches quickly – he has no hesitation to pull the trigger on a submission. Honestly, if he snuck up to the first round, I wouldn’t be surprised.
9	Samson “the Hustler” Phommabout	Brown belt, Sierra MMA (Sandy, UT)	I call him the hustler because it seems like Samson doesn’t sleep. He has business pursuits all over and has been all over training and filming with high-level camps. He’s a legit mma fighter so you know he’s tough. He also has the stature, athleticism, and stone-cold jiu jitsu to make him a problem for the rest of the field.

Tier 3: Here’s where a team could really win the season. Make the right choices in the next two tiers and you could build a TOUGH team. We have a mix of technicians, grinders, defensive stallwarts, etc. Who they choose will be based on their strategy for building their team and how they plan on setting their lineups.

10	Mario Gaor	Brown belt, 10th Planet O’Fallon	In good conscience, I couldn’t let Mario go any further down this list. He’s a PGF 1 and 3 veteran and one a match in the PGF Seasons 3 post-season tournament. He underperformed in the Nashville Qualifier, but I know he was seriously under the weather. It’s going to be great seeing Mario against opponents closer to his size.
11	Maximus “Rock Troll” Jolly	Purple belt, 10th Planet Cookeville	Honestly, if I wasn’t trying to be all analytical and objective, I would’ve picked the Rock Troll earlier than this spot. The Rock Troll is exactly that guy I would choose to start off my Quintet match. Jolly could be the buzz saw that rips off three quick breaks against the other team. Jolly submitted everyone in his qualifier quickly, even when they should have been in safe positions. The only reason Jolly is this far down is questions about the quality of competition at his qualifier and overall lack of sample size for evaluating him. Still, the Rock Troll will likely be a fan favorite as well as a coach favorite this season.
12	Noah Randolph	Purple belt, 10th Planet Decatur	More than two years ago, Noah became a fan favorite in PGF Season 1 for being super tough to put away (that was at a season about 40 lbs heavier). Noah’s improved so much since then and, if we are to believe the 10th Planet Decatur peeps, he’s even better than we’ve seen in the previous seasons of the PGF and the qualifiers. Noah’s a good pick here. You know you likely get a defensive stopper here (e.g. he took Dane Leak to a draw in Season 3), but you have great upside for ninja chokes and other submissions.
13	Matthew Boiles	Blue belt, Scramble Jiu Jitsu	The motor on this young man is ASTOUNDING! He’s going to put his head down and ram right through his opponent’s defenses. As of late, he’s shown the ability to throw successive submissions in flurries, wearing down opponents until he can sink one. Boiles had an at-large invitation after the first qualifier but decided to head to the second and win his way in the show. That should tell you all you need to know about Matthew Boiles.
14	Manning Leverett	BROWN belt, 10th Planet Jacksonville	The Manaconda. At Season 2 Finale of the PGF, he won a super fight. In Season 3, he was a fourth round pick and ended up with the second most points in the season. He’s great in every aspect of the game. I’m probably dumb for putting him this far down. Seriously, if Manning was the second total points scorer of PGF Season 3 (170lbs), how much better is he going to do at 155lbs? This ranking might be a mistake after all, he beat Anthony Molina Valdes in a match recently. However, he lost to Boiles in the Jacksonville Qualifier so it would seem wrong to rank him above Boiles here.
15	TJ Steinebach	Brown belt, Gemini Fitness and Combat (Englewood, CO)	Runner-up at a very stacked second Decatur Qualifier, TJ’s big problem is a lack of PGF exposure. Looking at his stats on his gym’s webpage, TJ is very impressive. Still, it’s his lack of sample size in the PGF that’s hurting his stock in this draft. That said, he looks to be a very tough competitor. I’m very excited to see him match up against the other competitors.
16	Jacob Arp	Purple belt, Gracie Jiu Jitsu Savannah (formerly trained at Scramble BJJ)	Arp is a veteran of multiple qualifiers over multiple seasons. He’s always involved in great matches. He has that Scramble Jiu Jitsu, coming at you, mentality. He’s a solid pick at the end of the fourth round.

Tier 4:

17	Anna Cononge	Brown belt, 10th Planet Atlanta	She’s a tough customer. Per this ranking, she’s the last in the top half of the ladies’ bracket. Her years as a gi jiu jitsu player show in her position dominance and top pressure. There’s a real good shot for her to get a number of submissions this season.
18	Kaida Davis	Brown belt, Category Five Jiujitsu and Derby City MMA	First, Kaida is an outstanding in jiu jitsu and one tough lady. She did phenomenally in Nashville and I look forward to seeing her this season. Her inversions are sick. Her ability to attack from everywhere is great. She’s going to be a handful for all of her competitors.
19	Evan Dewitt	Black belt, Queen City Grappling and Derby City MMA	Honestly, I had to put Evan here. After his Mr. Irrelevant pick last season and subsequent rant, I had to give him a reason to be salty this season. If being picked 19th isn’t enough, I figure picking his significant other just in front of him should get a most fun reaction. But seriously, I’m a big fan of Evan, his jiu jitsu, his commentary, and his personality. As I’ve said, I’m looking forward to seeing what he’ll do with a full season.
20	Eric Longar	Black belt, 10th Planet Crystal City	Maybe I still have a little resentment from picking for my fantasy team in Season 1 (where he was very undersized). But seriously, it’s still probably a crime to put him this low. Longar is a multi-season vet and a gym-owning black belt. He’s got great side-to-side passing and solid submissions (when’s the last time you saw a peruvian neck tie?).
21	Wesley Carter	Brown belt, Queen City Grappling Club (Middletown, OH)	Wesley is a beast, but secretive beast. Every time he’s participated in a PGF qualifier he’s done great (e.g. runner up at PGF Season 3 Qualifier in Austin). Still, his sample size is small (at least at cursory review), so he’s here.
22	Stephen Dana	Purple belt, 10th Planet Atlanta	Like Matthew Boiles above, Dana had an at-large bid but turned it down and chose to prove himself by winning the last qualifier…and he did. Dana would be much higher, but he’s on and off. He’s given tough matches to folks in the top tiers, but he’s lost matches to folks ranked below. He’s probably a great value pick here but his inconsistency makes this the spot for him on my board.

Tier 5: The rest of the pack. The remainder almost one-third of the overall competitors. There’s just too much interplay here for me to separate them out. But again, here’s where some masterful picks by a coach might just make their team’s season. Which of these picks will make their team the points that push them over the edge for the championship?

23	Jacob Mashburn	Blue belt, Renaissance Academy of Martial Arts	Winner of the most improved award (not a real award but see this post), Masburn has shown serious heart in the PGF qualifiers. He’s beaten folks he shouldn’t have beat. He could be a great pickup in later rounds.
24	Emily “Cyanide” Hauser	Blue belt, Combat Performance (Hendersonville, NC) and Glory Martial Arts and Fitness (Sylva, NC)	To be fair, she might have received a bump in my rankings for having the courage to call me out early in the season for my lack of coverage of the female competitors. Morale courage can be a harder thing to come by than physical courage. Regardless, she’s a tough competitor who has proven herself against opponents ranked well above her. She could pull off a few upsets in the ladies’ division.
25	Nick Sahf	Blue belt, Rogue Combat Club (Asheville, NC) and 10th Planet Decatur	Every year we have a blue belt come out of nowhere and make a name for himself. Nick Sahf might be this year’s edition. He has a gritty, pressure, attached style. He pulled off a number of wins against others on this list and other PGF alumni. He should be fun to watch.
26	Billy Baxter	Purple belt, Inside Control Academy (St. Petersburg, FL)	If you want to see a guy with a different style, pick Billy Baxter. He has some great wins at qualifiers and has consistently shown great jiu jitsu. How he matches up against those in the top of the ranks remains to be seen, but he will secure some wins for your team.
27	Alex Hall	Purple belt, Ironclad HQ	If positivity and enthusiasm could be wrapped into human form, it might just be Alex Hall. He has some great matches in PGF qualifiers. And belying his Ironclad roots, he does not rely heavily on his wrestling (but he has that in spades as well). He’s super motivated and could might just surprise a couple of those folks ranked above him.
28	Sam Acord	Purple belt, 10th Planet Atlanta	Sam is a good news story. He’s a relentless competitor trying to make his way in the sport. He has viral videos out there. But what impressed me was even when the Rock Troll popped his ankle (in a serious way), Sam still got back out on the mat trying to make his way to the PGF. You can’t teach grit, toughness, courage. That’s the type of guy you want on your team. His mixed record against a number of folks on this list puts him at this number, but Sam will be a great teammate and might just sneak in some unexpected points for his team.
29	Juan Martinez V	Brown belt, Childress BJJ (Pueblo, CO)	I love his style. I love his story. But he has a tough road ahead against a lot of this competition. As a fan, I’m cheering for him like crazy, but if I’m a pragmatic coach, I’m not picking him early.
30	Claire Mitchell	Purple belt, 10th Planet Huntsville and Florence BJJ	The final at-large bid for the ladies. She’s a purple belt and jiu jitsu is a large part of her life. Still, she’s fairly young and inexperienced compared to most of the pack so here she is.
31	Brianna Parocha	Blue belt, 10th Planet Jacksonville	Brianna could really surprise some folks. She’s a fitness instructor so she should be able to push the pace against all of her opponents. That said, she’s the most inexperienced of all the competitors.
32	Charles Muxo	Blue belt, Black tie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Cape Coral, FL)	Chaz has a big upside, that’s why he’s here. The Commissioner likes the idea of the undersized guy (yeah, he’s like 120) coming in here and bringing it to the bigger guys. I hope he surprises folks, but I have to put him here.

Okay, there you have it. I’ve let you into the 20lb Egghead brain. Feel free to take issue and comment in Brandon Mccaghren’s Facebook Group or just troll me in the comments during the live PGF broadcasts…or if you’re a competitor, I’ll be on the mats in Decatur, so feel free smash me, choke met out, etc. After all, I’m an a subhuman blue belt.

Now, tune in to Brandon Mccaghren’s YouTube Channel tomorrow at noon Eastern to see if the coaches agree with me.

What’s your favorite part of fantasy football? Let’s be honest, it’s the DRAFT! Just like the fans of hard-luck franchises in professional sports, you have some hope for the future. Better yet, since it’s fantasy football, likely with your friends, you get to talk a little smack about reaches and give a little respect with a value pick. Well friends, it’s about time for your Professional Grappling Federation (PGF) Season 4 LIVE DRAFT!!!!!

This Sunday, October 9th at 12 (noon) Eastern, the four coaches of the PGF will select their teams for the regular season. With some late-breaking news, the lineup of coaches has changed. As noted previously, we have returning PGF Coach Champion Sean Applegate of 10th Planet Atlanta – a man many PGF competitors have noted as their top choice. Joining the defending coaching champ, we have PGF competitor alumni Caleb McAllister (PGF Season 1 runner-up, PGF Season 3 post-season competitor, and Renaissance Academy of Martial Arts instructor) and Kemoy Anderson (a PGF Season 2 standout and brown belt champion of multiple promotions). But the new coach on the block has folks excited. Nick Alpin aka Chewy of Chewjitsu is entering the arena as the final coach of the PGF. As one of the most recognizable names and faces of jiu jitsu, Chewy might just might have the competitors hoping he picks them over Coach Applegate.

This draft will be broadcast LIVE for all to see on Brandon McCaghren’s YouTube channel. Fans are free to watch and to comment just like in their fantasy leagues on whether they agree with the coaches’ picks. The draft order has been DECIDED! It will be a snake draft meaning the picks will be in order of Team 1, Team 2, Team 3, Team 4, Team 4, Team 3, Team 2, Team 1, Team 1, etc. For this season, Coach Applegate, the connect four champion of last season (seriously, they were the most intense games of connect four you’ll ever see, check them out), is the last to pick. The order is as follows: Coach Kemoy Anderson,, Coach Caleb McAllister, Coach Chewy (Nick Albin), and Coach Sean Applegate.

As noted above, the LIVE DRAFT will start at or around noon Eastern time. After a little preamble/orientation, we will begin the draft. Each coach will have ONE MINUTE for their pick. We have 24 competitors for the men’s 155lb league and eight ladies for their 135lb league. So, we have 32 competitors total. After Coach Kemoy Anderson makes his first selection, we will show some highlights of the pick in competition along with some voice over commentary. After the highlights are over, the next coach will be ON THE CLOCK with ONE MINUTE to make their selection. While we are waiting for the next selection, the hosts of the draft, the PGF Insiders, will have a back and forth with the coach who made the pick.

OF NOTE, each team will select six men and two ladies. As we have and will discuss in later posts, each team match will include a round robin of ladies matches sandwiching a  Quintet-style match of the gentlemen. For the coaches, they will accrue points towards their team (and coach’s) totals based on the points scored via submissions of their team. As in all PGF rules, competitors and teams get 3 points for a break (joint lock) and 6 points for a kill (choke) along with an extra point for a submission under one minute (the Elbow Genie Rule). While competitors accrue points for themselves, the team who garners the most points in one night will earn an additional team point for each of their members that night.

Last season, the PGF Insider Pre-draft Show and the Draft were fan favorites. So much so, it was decided to combine the two. Looking forward to this season, we have a few storylines to look towards… In last season, Coach Sean Applegate took his students in the first three rounds. In the end, his choices all around paid off as all his team made the playoffs (5 of 8). Will Coach Applegate again choose his students (e.g. Stephen Dana and Samuel Acord) over other top contenders when making his team? Last season, we saw multiple black belts including Season 4 contenders Erin Longar and Evan “Mr. Irrelevant” Dewitt (it’s a term of art, not Egghead’s fault) drop to the last round. Will they again drop or will Chewy with his experience with Dewitt and competitors from that region raise their stock? Will Noah Randolph, much maligned for his jean jacket and Ambercrombie appearance last year actually speak during the draft? PGF Fans want to know…

But seriously, this draft should be a lot of fun. Coaches will be live making picks. The PGF Insiders will invite competitors to join the show after the main draft to give their thoughts on the draft. Oh, and one more thing, coaches are drafting ladies and gentlemen the same time. It might just be interesting to see the gentlemen’s expressions as standouts such as Joannie Chamberland, Nekiaya Jackson, Tara Larosa, and Kaida Davis get picked over them (*looking at you salty dog*). Ok, enough prelude, I hope you tune in to the draft. Remember, since the matches in the regular season are intertwined with a quintet format, the team composition will have a drastic impact on competitors’ chances of making the post-season and your chances of winning the PGF fantasy league….which has a new commissioner btw, some dude with a 20lb brain…). Anyway, see you at the LIVE DRAFT!!!!

The Training Montage…the quintessential, ever-present feature of almost every combat sports movie. From Rocky, to The Karate Kid, to Never Back down, to Blood Sport, we always get to see a streamlined, cool clip of the protagonist explaining why he went from zero to hero. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but we don’t have the training montage for Jacob Mashburn. But rest assured, we can all be confident he spent hours and hours of hard work with his coach Caleb McAllister at Renaissance Academy of Martial Arts (RAM) in Lynchburg, VA to go from an also-ran in previous qualifiers to a serious standout at the second PGF Season 4 Decatur Qualifier, earning him an at-large bid for this season.

At 31, Mashburn isn’t your typical competition-oriented blue belt. Like so many people, Mashburn had wanted to train his whole life but couldn’t find the resources to make it work. About four years ago, he changed his career, moving into buying, fixing up, and flipping properties. Given this new career, when his son asked to train martial arts, Mashburn had the means to give his son the gift of training. At the same time, Mashburn realized he now had the means to make his dreams of training in the martial arts come to fruition. Now, Mashburn finds himself ready to mix it up with serious competitors from all over the country during the Shark Week of Submission Grappling we affectionately call the Professional Grappling Federation.

Now, Mashburn’s journey has had ups and downs just like every notable protagonist. After just about three months of finally starting training, COVID hit and the gym he attended shut down for six months. Mashburn did his best to train, like so many of us, finding time to roll in friends basements, garages, etc. But after the gyms were able to open up again, Mashburn was right back at RAM, yearning to learn from McAllister and his other coach Jeremy Angione.

At 31, Mashburn has the self-awareness to realize he has limited time to make an impact on the competitive scene. According to Mashburn, his “foot’s on the gas pedal in the competitive scene.” Given Mashburn’s palpable performance improvements from the first to the second PGF Season 4 Decatur Qualifiers, one has to believe Mashburn means business.

Not to talk down too much on Mashburn’s first Decatur Qualifier performance, he had a good thing going until he ran into eventual Asheville Qualifier, and perennial PGF qualifier standout, Stephen Dana. To reemphasize Mashburn’s dedication to the sport and his improvements, Mashburn has said the one match he really wants in PGF Season 4 is to run it back with Stephen Dana. According to Masburn, he says “I believe I have what it takes to get the win now.”

Mashburn should be a favorite for all of us dads out there who want to be on the mats or want to turn it up a notch and be competitors. He came to martial arts later in life, but he’s making the most of it now. Like so many of us, Mashburn likely watched Robin Williams in Dead Poet’s Society – hearing him say “Carpe Diem” – SEIZE THE DAY! Well, Mashburn had done it. He’s devoted the time and sweat and pain into his training to make it to the PGF. Now, we should be excited to see what he does this season.

TWO QUALIFIERS LEFT!!! That’s it. Two shots at making the regular season roster for the Professional Grappling Federation (PGF). Brandon Mccaghren, the COMMISH, has confirmed the Men’s Roster will include 24 individuals; the Ladies’ Roster, eight individuals. That’s right, the Commish has confirmed – the LADIES’ SEASON IS A GO!!!! For a bit, the Ladies’ season was in doubt, but the interest shown at the Nashville qualifier cemented the season. The ladies came out with passion and conviction. They put on some great matches and showed us why they deserved their season.

The mechanics of the Quintet-style season are still being ironed out. The current plan is for all four teams to have six male competitors and two female competitors. When the teams face off, only men will face men and ladies will face ladies. No intergender matches. All members of a team can earn points towards the team’s point totals, but we are unsure how it will exactly work regarding possible team points. Regardless, anyone who knows anything about the PGF knows it will be FIRE!!!!

Okay, the main point of this post is to just catch everyone up on the rosters. So let’s get after it…

LADIES’ ROSTER:

1. QUALIFIER WINNER: Decatur AL back on March 5 – Tara Larosa, Triangle Jiu Jitsu (Royce Gracie). I could say a lot about Tara, but I already did in another post. Check it out for some background on a legend.
2. QUALIFIER WINNER: Jacksonville, FL back on April 16 – Brianna Parocha, 10P JAX. So, the first of the #powercouples. Brianna has a burgeoning competitive career with multiple matches online. Manning Leverett (season 3 alumn and season 4 at-large bid owner) is her boyfriend – leading the PGF Insiders to label them as the first power couple.
3. QUALIFIER WINNER: Chattanooga, TN back on May 28 – Emily “Cyanide” Hauser, Combat Performance. Cyanide is an instructor and recently became a member of the USA Grappling National team. She’s about that fighting life and has some great vlogs about her competitions and cooking. At 135lb, she’s a problem for folks. Relentless and determined, she will find a way to win.
4. QUALIFIER WINNER: Nashville, TN on on July 30 – Anna Cononge, 10th Planet Atlanta. Folks knew the Trapplegate (Sean Applegate, head of 10P Atlanta) brown belt would be a force in the bracket. She lived up to the expectations. Anna showed great skill, strategy, strength, and poise. In the end, she prevailed in a nearly one-hour submission only match to determine the qualifier winner. If that win doesn’t give her confidence going into the season, nothing will.
5. Kaida Davis, Derby City MMA. Owner of the first Baratoplata submission in PGF history, Kaida is straight DANGEROUS. She’s hunting those submissions. Evan Dewitt, PGF Season 3 alumn, told BMAC Kaida was the toughest lady at Derby City MMA and one would have to believe he’s very, very right. In one of her first matches, Kaida had a nice ham sandwich setup, but failed to reinforce her foot, causing a possible LCL issue. Even with the injury, Kaida kept fighting on the mats. One has to wonder, if she had not hurt her knee, would she have been the overall victor? Kaida now has two months to heal and show she can win it all in the PGF regular season.
6. QUALIFIER WINNER: Atlanta, GA coming up on August 20 – tbd.
7. QUALIFIER WINNER: Asheville, NC coming up on September 10 – tbd.
8. AT-LARGE

Yeah, that’s right. There’s ONLY ONE AT-LARGE SPOT LEFT!!!! If a lady wants to be in the PGF regular season, she needs to go win one of those two remaining qualifiers. Resting on one’s laurels, hoping to get the last at-large bid is not a good idea. Hope is not a course of action, folks.

But, let’s quickly talk about who may be the possible at-large spot. Here’s a few ideas:

• Liz Bailey, 10th Planet Decatur. New to the competition scene, Liz Bailey showed it’s her element. She showed us many weapons she can bring to the PGF and handled herself well against very tough opponents. Due to her inexperience on the competition scene, she seemed to rush some situations, leading to a loss of position or the setup for a submission. Luckily for Liz, her coach was watching everything and will be able to help her fine tune her game for subsequent qualifiers and possibly the PGF regular season.
• Kuline Wendling, BASE BJJ. WOW! Kuline is the female Matthew Boiles – in that SHE IS THE STORM! Kuline will not let her competitors rest for one second. She has an insane motor and keeps bringing it to her opponents. Her IG handle is KulineMachine and it fits. Then, you consider what a beast she is and find out she’s a pharmacist!?!?! Are you kidding me? She’s wicked smart and super tough. She’s only a white belt, but with her smarts and grit – she WILL be a problem for someone in the PGF.
• Paola Gibbs, Nomad Jiu Jitsu in Lynchburg, VA. She’s an instructor at Forge Jiu Jitsu in Chatham, VA. Fans of the PGF might recognize Paola from the comments section as she was a very vocal fan in seasons 2 and 3. Of course, she was supporting her husband Joshua “Full Time” Gibbs. Going up against Cyanide, it seemed Paola was a little undersized. She’s got fire in her, but I’m unsure if she has the size to upset someone already on the roster.
• Madison Master, One Nation Jiu Jitsu. She participated in both the first Decatur qualifier and the Nashville qualifier. She’s definitely game and showing up to multiple qualifiers
• Jacquelyn Longar, 10P Crystal City. Jacquelyn is the co-owner of 10P Crystal City. She’s a bit undersized, weighing in closer to 115 than 135, but she definitely showcased some great skill. Ultimately it seemed like the size discrepancy might have got in her headspace. Her husband, Eric Longar (co-owner and PGF Seasons 1 and 3 alumni) might need to hit another qualifier himself. Looking at the distance, they may choose the Atlanta qualifier. If so, we could have a better understanding if Jacquelyn and Eric deserve at-large bids.

MEN’S ROSTER:

1. RETURNING CHAMP: David “Quadzilla” Evers, 10P Huntsville (before he moved back to Texas). The champ has said he will be able to make it to Season 4. He was a little spark plug beast at 170, you have to believe his crazy sticky grips and strength will only be that much stronger at 155. I think everyone needs to follow Marcelo Garcia’s advice and just not let him get a hold of your legs.
2. QUALIFIER WINNER: Decatur, AL back on March 5 – Reese LaFever, One Nation JJ (currently at New Wave JJ in Austin, TX) – busy, legit competitor who recently moved to Austin to learn from the best.
3. QUALIFIER WINNER: Jacksonville, FL back on April 16 – Matthew Boiles, Scramble BJJ – What’s up Kara!?! Matty B wasn’t satisfied with an at-large bid from the Decatur qualifier so he went into 10P JAX and won. He’s added leg attacks to his heavy wrestling game. Matty B is the storm, serving a whirlwind of attacks on every competitor he faces. Very pumped to see how much Boiles improves even from the JAX qualifier to the season.
4. QUALIFIER WINNER: Cincinnati, OH back on May 7 – Brandt Basaran, Indy Boxing and Grappling. This guy is an assassin. I don’t know much about his story, but he straight murdered the competition in Cincinnati. The Commish thinks Basaran has a real shot at winning this season.
5. QUALIFIER WINNER: Chattanooga, TN back on May 28 – Maximus “Rock Troll” Jolly, Upper Cumberland MMA. The Rock Troll is also a killer. I’m pretty sure he took everyone’s legs home with him, then got on the microphone and called out everyone who’s ever wronged him…ever. He should be a lot of fun AND he’s a blue belt purple belt (it’s really frustrating when guys get promoted in between blog posts). So he could be a standout blue purple belt for the season.
6. QUALIFIER WINNER: Fort Myers, FL on June 25 – Anthony Molina, 10P Miami. Molina is super confident and smooth. His movements on the feet make me think he’s done some boxing in the past. He said he wanted to secure some chokes to get into the PGF scoring strategy, but he’s known as the leg lock guy down at 10th Planet Miami. Molina is definitely going to be a problem for people this season.
7. QUALIFIER WINNER: Decatur, AL #2 on July 16 – Isaac Cordova, 10P Fullerton. A fairly high profile competitor on the national scene. Isaac should be the odds-makers’ favorite or at least in the top 3 preseason picks. There’s no way he goes beyond the first round. Also, he will be a guest on the PGF Insiders podcast on the BJJ 365 network this upcoming Friday (22 July) at 7:30 pm Eastern time or 4:30 pm Pacific time. If you want to get to know more about the most recent qualifier winner, pop into the chat and ask away.
8. QUALIFIER WINNER: Nashville, TN on July 30 – Dane Leak, Clinch MMA out of Owasso, Oklahoma. Leak has multiple wins at ADCC trials and won the PGF Season 3 Austin qualifier. He missed out on making the season finale tournament, but now at what’s probably his true weight class Leak should be a force this season.
9. Manning Leverett, 10P JAX. Manning came in second during the regular season of season 3. He’s a super well-rounded competitor, having a great standing game, top game, and leg locks. The Manaconda should be in the mix for the title this season for sure.
10. Jacob Arp, Gracie JJ Savannah, a Pedro Sauer school/ formerly Scramble BJJ. We’ve seen him in multiple qualifiers. He always gives that high pace/energy performance that’s become the hallmark of Scramble BJJ and Wrestling. He called out his old teammate Matthew Boiles, so that should be a match to watch for sure.
11. Raymond Paige, Rogue Wave Martial Arts. The third time at a qualifier was the charm. Raymond’s a purple belt and competes in MMA as well as jiu jitsu. It’ll be good to see him and Tyler Woolsey compete this year.
12. Tyler Woolsey, Rogue Wave Martial Arts. Speaking of Tyler Woolsey, my tag for him has always been that he’s the truest expression of old school 10th Planet jiu jitsu (is that an oxymoron?). But seriously, looking forward to Woolsey showing his game. He was a lot of fun in season 3, but he was heavily outweighed by most competitors, limiting his game.
13. Charles Muxo, Black Tie BJJ. It’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog. Muxo should be a great story. He has that Keahi character arc where we saw Muxo, who is undersized even at 155, in the qualifier last season and he’s made great strides in his jiu jitsu this season. Muxo could quickly become a fan favorite this season.
14. Noah Randolph, 10th Planet Decatur. Noah’s a veteran of seasons 1 and 3. He’s the ninja choke master. The man who won’t breathe through his mouth or make facial expressions. The kid is dang good. I was willing to bet a lot he was in because the PGF Insiders knew he was in. Still, the Commish finally announced it officially after the second Decatur Qualifier concluded.
15. TJ Steinbech, Gemini Fitness and Combat (Denver, CO). TJ was your runner-up at the second Decatur Qualifier. He used to train at 10P Denver with Conor Heun, then he opened up his own gym. He could give the old Knee Barrista (Jeremy Geiger from Season 1) a run for his money on the old knee bar submission.
16. Jacob Mashburn, (RAM) Renaissance Martial Arts (Pedro Sauer Jiu Jitsu), a student of Caleb McAlister’s, Mashburn competed in both Decatur Qualifiers this year. In the first qualifier, he secured a win, but then got knocked out by Stephen Dana of 10th Planet Atlanta. Mashburn kept working and showed a great improvement in skill in the second Decatur qualifier, securing multiple wins, only losing to the eventual winner and runner-up. Add on a submission in a match during PGF Season 3’s finale and you have a talented, hungry grappler who has shown some serious dedication to the PGF.
17. Wesley Carter, Queen City Grappling Club, a brown belt who was the PGF Season 3 Austin qualifier runner-up. In that qualifier, he took out PGF alumni Louis Collins and Matt “Scarecrow of Doom (SOD)” Harrison. At the second Decatur PGF Season 4 qualifier, Carter showed everyone he still had his warrior spirit. He split his two matches with PGF alumn Joe Kai, but won the second one to advance in the wrestle back tournament. Carter also took out Alex Hall who was a runner up at the Chattanooga qualifier.
18. Sampson Phommabout, the traveling samurai of the Nashville qualifer. Sampson is a pro mma fighter that also owns a barbershop. He stalks his prey and with determination and economy of motion. He’s going to be dangerous.
19. QUALIFIER WINNER: Atlanta, GA coming up on August 20 – tbd.
20. QUALIFIER WINNER: Asheville, NC coming up on September 10 – tbd.
21. AT-LARGE
22. AT-LARGE
23. AT-LARGE
24. AT-LARGE

Possible At-large folks (no particular order – but I will likely revamp the list in a future post that will be like my “Matology” posts from last season):

1. Evan Dewitt, Queen City Grappling Club/Derby City MMA. Dewitt was the PGF Season 3 Louisville qualifier runner up. He earned an at-large spot for PGF Season 3. It was a real shock when the black belt was picked in the last spot for the active roster of a team (before the reserves). He quickly cut a promo/gave a soliloquy where he called out just about everyone picked ahead of him. It was a great moment. He started off well, but got a season-ending injury the first night when David “Quadzilla” Evers (the eventual post-season tournament champ) popped his ankle. Dewitt is now signed up for the Nashville qualifier and I really hope he wins, but there’s going to be some tough competition there. Carson Thigpen of Renzo Gracie Nashville who was the runner-up at the Cincy Qualifier is also signed up. Sam Acord of 10th Planet Atlanta (see below) who acquitted himself quite well in Chattanooga has thrown his hat in the Nashville qualifier ring as well. I stand by my word, Dewitt is one of the guys who made us push for a 155 lb season. He should be competing in Season 4.
2. Joe Kai, 10th Planet Decatur – a black belt under the Commish, Kai is a PGF Season 1 vet and a PGF Season 2 commentator. He has a win in the longest match in PGF history (~75 minutes) and some of the most exciting submissions in PGF history (e.g. flying triangle). Kai has an exciting style and almost received an at large bid after the second Decatur qualifier. Honestly, I think we all want to see the rematch between Isaac Cordova and Joe Kai – that was a ridiculous match! I have a >90% confirmation he’ll be at the Atlanta qualifier. Kai is phenomenal and will show out. I would bet $100 he gets an at-large bid if he doesn’t win the qualifier.
3. Stephen Dana, 10th Planet Atlanta – runner up in the first Decatur qualifier. He had a great showing at the Austin qualifier in season 3. Sean Applegate at 10th Planet Atlanta just puts out killers. He doesn’t have an entry into the Atlanta qualifier yet, but those 10P ATL guys have been sneaky in the past, trying to not let folks know they would show up.
4. Eric Longar, 10th Planet Crystal City. Head of 10th Planet Crystal City, Longar is a vet of seasons 1 and 3. He nailed a sick peruvian necktie at the Decatur qualifier and is known for his excellent side-to-side passing. Season 4 was made for competitors like Longar, and the next few guys – PGF vets who showed great skill and grit, but were just a little too undersized in the previous seasons. I’d definitely like to see Eric get an invite.
5. Josh Diaddario, 10th Planet Decatur. A vet of season 1 and a part of the 10th Planet production team (Josh is the best fog machine guy in the biz). I think he may be on the outside looking in on this one – my guess is the Commish might hold Josh in reserves in case anyone flakes or gets injured last minute. Since Josh is on staff at 10P Decatur, he would be an easy last minute filler.
6. Mario Gaor, 10th Planet O’Fallon. Mario is a technician. The technique vids that Mario puts out (with Keahi behind the camera) are top notch. Mario and Keahi are both vets of season 1 and season 3. As I said with Eric Longar, this season was made for these guys. As a PGF super fan, I really want to see them back for season 4.
7. Keahi Makekau, 10th Planet O’Fallon. See above. Keahi made a lot of improvements from season 1 to season 3. I imagine season 3 gave him a big boost. As someone who is plugged into the PGF, I’m sure he’s been working even harder since finding out this season was going to be at 155. I should note we haven’t seen Mario or Keahi at a qualifier yet. The qualifier at St Louis (their school) had to be moved to this upcoming Decatur one. They’ve definitely made the drive to Decatur before, but it’s a haul. Regardless, they need to make it to one of the qualifiers.
8. Louis Collins, 10th Planet Muscle Shoals. Louis had some great matches in the Cincinnati qualifier, showing the grit for which he’s known. He’s a vet of seasons 1 and 3 and puts on great matches. I’d really like to see him in this season.
9. Alex Hall, Ironclad Wrestling. He was the runner up at the Chattanooga qualifier. He had some great matches and showed an exciting style. He could be a great addition to the PGF. If he goes to either the Nashville or Atlanta qualifier, he’s got a good shot at a bid.
10. Sam Acord, 10th Planet Atlanta. Sam was having a great event at the Chattanooga qualifier until he ran into the buzz saw in the form of the Rock Troll. The Rock Troll gave Sam a good pop to his leg. Acord showed he was a warrior, continuing to compete, but with the injury he didn’t have enough to win. Mark Acord, Sam’s father, has been in the chat assuring us his son will be at the upcoming qualifiers to make sure he gets a spot. Given that Mark is a black belt and competitor himself, I’m going to believe him.
11. Sleepy Billy Baxter, Inside Control Academy. Sleepy Billy put on a great display of jiu jitsu at the Fort Myers qualifiers. Ironically, if he had stayed after the show, he probably would’ve received an at-large bid. But to his credit, Sleepy Billy is already signed up for the Atlanta qualifier. Yes, Sleepy Billy is going into Sean Applegate’s lion’s den. If Sleepy Billy can put on a show there, he has a real shot at an invite.
12. Carson Thigpen, Renzo Gracie Nashville. He was the runner up at the Cincy Qualifier and showed some serious skill at the Nashville Qualifier. As the Commish said, if Carson is on the mat, there’s going to be a finish. Thigpen is either taking someone’s leg or getting submitted. There’s a real chance he could get dunked on, but also a real chance he could get an upset like he did against Mario Gaor in the first round of the Nashville Qualifier. I think Thigpen, with his style and multiple qualifier appearances has a very good shot at an at-large bid.
13. Juan Martinez V, Childress BJJ. Juan is the head instructor at a school in Pueblo, Colorado! What’s possibly more impressive is he’s the head instructor while his father is just an instructor – who’s daddy now? Juan showed some great jiu jitsu, taking out tough opponents. There was some saltiness in the chat from Juan fans when he lost the decision to Evan Dewitt. I trust the Commish and believe in his decision. If anything, I hope Juan decides to enter the Atlanta qualifier (Delta hub, c’mon man) and ply his trade against the stacked roster who will probably show up. Juan is exactly the type of competitor the PGF wants – the guy who comes in and is representing his school (Street Fighter style). Again, I hope he hits another qualifier. While he showed some great jiu jitsu, currently our sample size is probably too small to warrant an at-large bid.

Okay, between talking smalk on the PGF season 4 chat and other hullaballoo, it’s too late to spend too much time wrapping things up. I just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page.

I can’t say it enough: if you’re a competitor and don’t have an invite in hand – GO TO ANOTHER QUALIFER!!! The Commish values loyalty very highly. Showing up to multiple qualifers weighs heavily in his decision. But you also have to provide a story. Imagine you’re in a movie, play, book, etc. What is your character arc? It might seem weird, but the PGF is a competition but also media. Be ready to show how you can grow, face a conflict, etc. Why should “the peoples” buy into you and become your fan?

Ok, soap box rant done. Please know I’m a huge fan of all the competitors. Just going on those mats takes courage. I’m only three weeks back from my latest (5th) knee surgery and I relish the chance to hit the mats in competition like you. You are the competitor in the arena and deserve all the credit. Please take all my commentary (even the smack talk) as praise because you stepped up and gave us something to watch and talk about.

Folks, the PGF Regular Season is almost here. I hope you’re pumped just like me. Hell, the Nashville Qualifier was so fire, the PGF Insiders had to have a special edition. So, be sure to check out the final two qualifier and consider making the pilgrimage to Decatur, AL for the regular season 25-29 October. Last season was an insanely fun time – you won’t regret attending.

Just a quick update for the PGF fans…this last Saturday’s second Decatur PGF Season Qualifier was awesome! Lots of exciting matches, with a vast majority of matches ending in submissions. I wanted to make sure we were all on the same page with the competitor situation – specifically, who’s in and how many spots are left. Not to bury the lead, THERE’S ONLY 5 SPOTS LEFT!!! WITH THREE QUALIFIERS LEFT, THAT MEANS THERE’S ONLY TWO (2) AT-LARGE ROSTER SPOTS AVAILABLE!!! With the talent that’s come through the qualifiers this season, it really is a “win or go home” situation for anyone who hasn’t already earned an invite.

So far we’ve had 6 of the 9 qualifiers. For the rest of the post, I’m going to run down the roster as far as we know now, noting qualifier winners, at-large bid owners, and some possible at-large folks based on their performances so far.

Qualifier Winners:

1. Decatur, AL back on March 5 – Reese LaFever, One Nation JJ (currently at New Wave JJ in Austin, TX) – busy, legit competitor who recently moved to Austin to learn from the best.
2. Jacksonville, FL back on April 16 – Matthew Boiles, Scramble BJJ – What’s up Kara!?! Matty B wasn’t satisfied with an at-large bid from the Decatur qualifier so he went into 10P JAX and won. He’s added leg attacks to his heavy wrestling game. Matty B is the storm, serving a whirlwind of attacks on every competitor he faces. Very pumped to see how much Boiles improves even from the JAX qualifier to the season.
3. Cincinnati, OH back on May 7 – Brandt Basaran, Indy Boxing and Grappling. This guy is an assassin. I don’t know much about his story, but he straight murdered the competition in Cincinnati. The Commish thinks Basaran has a real shot at winning this season.
4. Chattanooga, TN back on May 28 – Maximus “Rock Troll” Jolly, Upper Cumberland MMA. The Rock Troll is also a killer. I’m pretty sure he took everyone’s legs home with him, then got on the microphone and called out everyone who’s ever wronged him…ever. He should be a lot of fun AND he’s a blue belt. So he could be the standout blue belt for the season.
5. Fort Myers, FL on June 25 – Anthony Molina, 10P Miami. Molina is super confident and smooth. His movements on the feet make me think he’s done some boxing in the past. He said he wanted to secure some chokes to get into the PGF scoring strategy, but he’s known as the leg lock guy down at 10th Planet Miami. Molina is definitely going to be a problem for people this season.
6. Decatur, AL #2 coming up on July 16 – Isaac Cordova, 10P Fullerton. A fairly high profile competitor on the national scene. Isaac should be the odds-makers’ favorite or at least in the top 3 preseason picks. There’s no way he goes beyond the first round. Also, he will be a guest on the PGF Insiders podcast on the BJJ 365 network this upcoming Friday (22 July) at 7:30 pm Eastern time or 4:30 pm Pacific time. If you want to get to know more about the most recent qualifier winner, pop into the chat and ask away.
7. Nashville, TN coming up on July 30 – tbd.
8. Atlanta, GA coming up on August 20 – tbd.
9. Asheville, NC coming up on September 10 – tbd.

At-large Bid Owners (folks who have received an at-large bid from the Commish):

1. Manning Leverett, 10P JAX. Manning came in second during the regular season of season 3. He’s a super well-rounded competitor, having a great standing game, top game, and leg locks. The Manaconda should be in the mix for the title this season for sure.
2. Jacob Arp, Gracie JJ Savannah, a Pedro Sauer school/ formerly Scramble BJJ. We’ve seen him in multiple qualifiers. He always gives that high pace/energy performance that’s become the hallmark of Scramble BJJ and Wrestling. He called out his old teammate Matthew Boiles, so that should be a match to watch for sure.
3. Raymond Paige, Rogue Wave Martial Arts. The third time at a qualifier was the charm. Raymond’s a purple belt and competes in MMA as well as jiu jitsu. It’ll be good to see him and Tyler Woolsey compete this year.
4. Tyler Woolsey, Rogue Wave Martial Arts. Speaking of Tyler Woolsey, my tag for him has always been that he’s the truest expression of old school 10th Planet jiu jitsu (is that an oxymoron?). But seriously, looking forward to Woolsey showing his game. He was a lot of fun in season 3, but he was heavily outweighed by most competitors, limiting his game.
5. Charles Muxo, Black Tie BJJ. It’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog. Muxo should be a great story. He has that Keahi character arc where we saw Muxo, who is undersized even at 155, in the qualifier last season and he’s made great strides in his jiu jitsu this season. Muxo could quickly become a fan favorite this season.
6. Noah Randolph, 10th Planet Decatur. Noah’s a veteran of seasons 1 and 3. He’s the ninja choke master. The man who won’t breathe through his mouth or make facial expressions. The kid is dang good. I was willing to bet a lot he was in because the PGF Insiders knew he was in. Still, the Commish finally announced it officially after the second Decatur Qualifier concluded.
7. TJ Steinbech, Gemini Fitness and Combat (Denver, CO). TJ was your runner-up at the second Decatur Qualifier. He used to train at 10P Denver with Conor Heun, then he opened up his own gym. He could give the old Knee Barrista (Jeremy Geiger from Season 1) a run for his money on the old knee bar submission.
8. Jacob Mashburn, (RAM) Renaissance Martial Arts (Pedro Sauer Jiu Jitsu), a student of Caleb McAlister’s, Mashburn competed in both Decatur Qualifiers this year. In the first qualifier, he secured a win, but then got knocked out by Stephen Dana of 10th Planet Atlanta. Mashburn kept working and showed a great improvement in skill in the second Decatur qualifier, securing multiple wins, only losing to the eventual winner and runner-up. Add on a submission in a match during PGF Season 3’s finale and you have a talented, hungry grappler who has shown some serious dedication to the PGF.
9. Wesley Carter, Queen City Grappling Club, a brown belt who was the PGF Season 3 Austin qualifier runner-up. In that qualifier, he took out PGF alumni Louis Collins and Matt “Scarecrow of Doom (SOD)” Harrison. At the second Decatur PGF Season 4 qualifier, Carter showed everyone he still had his warrior spirit. He split his two matches with PGF alumn Joe Kai, but won the second one to advance in the wrestle back tournament. Carter also took out Alex Hall who was a runner up at the Chattanooga qualifier.

Possible At-large folks (no particular order – but I will likely revamp the list in a future post that will be like my “Matology” posts from last season):

1. Evan Dewitt, Queen City Grappling Club/Derby City MMA. Dewitt was the PGF Season 3 Louisville qualifier runner up. He earned an at-large spot for PGF Season 3. It was a real shock when the black belt was picked in the last spot for the active roster of a team (before the reserves). He quickly cut a promo/gave a soliloquy where he called out just about everyone picked ahead of him. It was a great moment. He started off well, but got a season-ending injury the first night when David “Quadzilla” Evers (the eventual post-season tournament champ) popped his ankle. Dewitt is now signed up for the Nashville qualifier and I really hope he wins, but there’s going to be some tough competition there. Carson Thigpen of Renzo Gracie Nashville who was the runner-up at the Cincy Qualifier is also signed up. Sam Acord of 10th Planet Atlanta (see below) who acquitted himself quite well in Chattanooga has thrown his hat in the Nashville qualifier ring as well. I stand by my word, Dewitt is one of the guys who made us push for a 155 lb season. He should be competing in Season 4.
2. Joe Kai, 10th Planet Decatur – a black belt under the Commish, Kai is a PGF Season 1 vet and a PGF Season 2 commentator. He has a win in the longest match in PGF history (~75 minutes) and some of the most exciting submissions in PGF history (e.g. flying triangle). Kai has an exciting style and almost received an at large bid after the second Decatur qualifier. Honestly, I think we all want to see the rematch between Isaac Cordova and Joe Kai – that was a ridiculous match!
3. Stephen Dana, 10th Planet Atlanta – runner up in the first Decatur qualifier. He had a great showing at the Austin qualifier in season 3. Sean Applegate at 10th Planet Atlanta just puts out killers.
4. Eric Longar, 10th Planet Crystal City. Head of 10th Planet Crystal City, Longar is a vet of seasons 1 and 3. He nailed a sick peruvian necktie at the Decatur qualifier and is known for his excellent side-to-side passing. Season 4 was made for competitors like Longar, and the next few guys – PGF vets who showed great skill and grit, but were just a little too undersized in the previous seasons. I’d definitely like to see Eric get an invite.
5. Josh Diaddario, 10th Planet Decatur. A vet of season 1 and a part of the 10th Planet production team (Josh is the best fog machine guy in the biz). I think he may be on the outside looking in on this one – my guess is the Commish might hold Josh in reserves in case anyone flakes or gets injured last minute. Since Josh is on staff at 10P Decatur, he would be an easy last minute filler.
6. Mario Gaor, 10th Planet O’Fallon. Mario is a technician. The technique vids that Mario puts out (with Keahi behind the camera) are top notch. Mario and Keahi are both vets of season 1 and season 3. As I said with Eric Longar, this season was made for these guys. As a PGF super fan, I really want to see them back for season 4.
7. Keahi Makekau, 10th Planet O’Fallon. See above. Keahi made a lot of improvements from season 1 to season 3. I imagine season 3 gave him a big boost. As someone who is plugged into the PGF, I’m sure he’s been working even harder since finding out this season was going to be at 155. I should note we haven’t seen Mario or Keahi at a qualifier yet. The qualifier at St Louis (their school) had to be moved to this upcoming Decatur one. They’ve definitely made the drive to Decatur before, but it’s a haul. Regardless, they need to make it to one of the qualifiers.
8. Louis Collins, 10th Planet Muscle Shoals. Louis had some great matches in the Cincinnati qualifier, showing the grit for which he’s known. He’s a vet of seasons 1 and 3 and puts on great matches. I’d really like to see him in this season.
9. Alex Hall, Ironclad Wrestling. He was the runner up at the Chattanooga qualifier. He had some great matches and showed an exciting style. He could be a great addition to the PGF. If he goes to either the Nashville or Atlanta qualifier, he’s got a good shot at a bid.
10. Sam Acord, 10th Planet Atlanta. Sam was having a great event at the Chattanooga qualifier until he ran into the buzz saw in the form of the Rock Troll. The Rock Troll gave Sam a good pop to his leg. Acord showed he was a warrior, continuing to compete, but with the injury he didn’t have enough to win. Mark Acord, Sam’s father, has been in the chat assuring us his son will be at the upcoming qualifiers to make sure he gets a spot. Given that Mark is a black belt and competitor himself, I’m going to believe him.
11. Sleepy Billy Baxter, Inside Control Academy. Sleepy Billy put on a great display of jiu jitsu at the Fort Myers qualifiers. Ironically, if he had stayed after the show, he probably would’ve received an at-large bid. But to his credit, Sleepy Billy is already signed up for the Atlanta qualifier. Yes, Sleepy Billy is going into Sean Applegate’s lion’s den. If Sleepy Billy can put on a show there, he has a real shot at an invite.

In the near future, I will be doing more of a matology (my PGF take on bracketology) post where I will rate who I think should get the at-large bids. I’ll also be working on my draft post which will be in conjunction with the PGF Insider pre-draft show. But for now, I’ll just remind any would-be PGF Season 4 competitor – Sign Up and Win or Go Home!

Ever since Brandon Mccaghren started the Professional Grappling Federation, fans have been asking when ladies were going to get a chance at PGF glory. With season 4 of the PGF, Mccaghren (often referred to as the Commissioner) chose men’s 155lb and under as the main season, but he added a Female bantamweights (135lb and under) competition as well.

Some had concerns whether a full female league would be feasible, the Commissioner decided to have a paired down female league added to the regular PGF as a proof of concept. He decided a dozen bantam weight ladies would get the chance for history as the inaugural female PGF champion. But just like the men, the ladies would have to participate in a qualifier – the preseason tournaments of the PGF – to earn a spot in the league. With 10 qualifiers originally scheduled, it only left two at-large bids available. So, even more so for the ladies than the men, they had to win the qualifier or put on a truly great show of being an exciting grappler to receive a roster spot in the PGF regular season.

At the first qualifier in Decatur, AL on March 5th, a pioneer of women’s mixed martial arts answered the PGF’s call. Tara Larosa, recently mentioned as a pioneer in the sport by Joe Rogan (1:33), was eventually 22-5 in MMA, securing titles in four different promotions. But more importantly for PGF purposes, she’s a purple belt under Royce Gracie (and has been for a minute) and a black belt in judo. Larosa won silver in ADCC in 2005 and 2007 and won gold in Fila Grand World Champtionships in 2007 and in both her weight division and absolute division in 2009. Seriously, she won silver in ADCC two times! That’s like having Vagner Rocha, Craig Jones, or Nicky Rod competing in the PGF! In Decatur, Larosa faced competition in the form of Claire Mitchell out of 10th Planet Huntsville and Madison Masters out of One Nation Jiu Jitsu. Both of Larosa’s opponents came from camps who had produced high-performing PGF competitors. Unfazed as one would expect of a pioneer, Larosa secured head and arm triangle and rear naked choke submissions to earn the first roster spot for the season. Considering Larosa’s pedigree and skills, fans would have to place her as the odds on favorite to win this season. Seriously, I can’t do Larosa enough justice. Fans would be smart to Google her and YouTube search her. Larosa was inducted into the New Jersey Martial Arts Hall of Fame. She’s currently the Carolina Combat League combat jiu jitsu champion. It’s going to be awesome watching Larosa in the PGF!

Next, the PGF moved onto Qualifier #2 in Jacksonville, FL on April 16th. We had Brianna Merrill out of Smiley Academy/Team Combat Athletix (a Tom Deblass Association school) facing Brianna Parocha out of 10th Planet Jacksonville. They had a best of three situation because only two ladies signed up for the qualifier. In their first match, Parocha was constantly on the attack – she first pulled ashi for a leglock; then transitioned to a triangle when Merrill countered; finally, Parocha secured a belly-down arm bar to get the submission. In their second match, after a little standing wrestling, Parocha tried for a flying guillotine only to have to settle for full guard. Parocha immediately went for an armbar, but slid off to an attempt at a heelhook. Then she went for an armbar. With Merrill rebuffing the armbar, Parocha went to a double outside ashi (DOA), looking at a straight ankle lock. They scrambled some with Parocha going for a kneebar, but they ended up back on their feet. Parocha pulled ashi again and they started scrambling some more with Parocha constantly on the attack. The match very fun to watch. Parocha got super close on a triangle with Merrill going to lift her up but being unsuccessful. Merrill showed some real durability and defense here. Ultimately, Parocha made the same armbar transition to belly down and got the submission securing the second roster spot for the female bantamweight PGF season. Parocha seems a bit undersized for 135, but her energy and constant attacking nature will definitely make her entertaining to watch. Also of note, Parocha’s boyfriend Manning “Manaconda” Leverett also out of 10P JAX received an at-large bid after that qualifier making them the first PGF #powercouple. Parocha has had multiple matches in Submission Grappling Series and was a participant in the 10PQ or 10th Planet Qualifier at 10th Planet Headquarters in LA for the Medusa competition. Looking at her competitions, she likes to mix the knee bars with heel hooks and arm bars. She might run into a little trouble with her penchant for the DOA position as we’ve seen folks turn those into back takes a good bit in the PGF. Regardless, she should be a lot of fun to watch compete.

Unfortunately, no ladies registered for the Cincinnati Qualifier on May 7th. On the bright side, this lack of qualifier winner means another at-large spot could be open for another competitor from a different qualifier.

On May 28th, the PGF traveled to the Elijah “the Bad Guy” Carlton’s home in Agoge Combatives for the Chattanooga Qualifier. Once again, only two ladies registered for the qualifer, but both have great stories. Paola Gibbs is a blue belt under Nomad Jiu Jitsu in Lynchburg, VA and an instructor at Forge Jiu Jitsu in Chatham, VA. Fans of the PGF might recognize Paola from the comments section as she was a very vocal fan in seasons 2 and 3. Of course, she was supporting her husband Joshua “Full Time” Gibbs – veteran of seasons 2 and 3 and season 3 Such N Such Battlerama Champion! I don’t think Josh could get down to 155, but the idea of a second power couple was intriguing. If nothing, Paola’s prior interactions with the fans of the PGF had folks wishing her luck. But if Paola wanted a roster spot, she had to face Emily “Cyanide” Hauser.

Emily “Cyanide” Hauser is a blue belt under UFC Veteran Spencer Fisher and she trains out of Combat Performance in East Flat Rock, NC. Her nickname is Cyanide and she teaches a youth female-only jiu jitsu class called the little cyanides. I’m not 100% sure of the meaning, but one can surmise it’s because she kills quickly just like the poison.

As there were only two competitors in the ladies’ bracket, Paola and Cyanide would face off in a best two out of three series. Immediately as the ladies listened to the Commissioner explain the bet out of three scenario, Paola looked a little undersized (later on it was mentioned she may have weighed in at 119). Paola was all smiles, but Cyanide had a very determined look. Cyanide went for a bit of a bull rush and Paola sat looking to play some de la Riva or possibly open guard. Cyanide gave some great pressure and passed Paola’s guard. Paola kept hanging onto Cyanide’s neck, risking the Von Flue (or OSP) choke. Cyanide quickly moved to threaten with an arm triangle as she worked for mount, then executed a chair sit to take Paola’s back. Paola was able to relieve some pressure by stacking Cyanide a bit, but ultimately Cyanide rolled Paola to her side and secured the rear naked choke finish. So, Cyanide took the first round in 1:53 seconds – staying true to her nickname.

After only one match intermission, the ladies ran it back again. Paola quickly sat guard again, looking to hook a leg. Paola looking to elevate or imbalance Cyanide. Cyanide keeping solid pressure and looking for her spots. Paola inverts to take Cyanide’s leg using the DOA position (see above). Cyanide passes to top half guard and looks to setup a head and arm triangle. Cyanide uses serious pressure to switch Paola’s hips and knee slice (if you will) to full mount. Paola executes a big bridge and frees her elbow from the head and arm threat. Cyanide took Paola’s back and started cranking down on the RNC. Cyanide secured the RNC. After the two wins, Cyanide showed her emotion with plenty of smiles. I know you can’t access the qualifier any more unless you’re a member of Brandon Mccaghren’s channel (btw, seriously, it only costs $1 a month to be a bread eater and to be able to access all the behind the paywall stuff – you should do it), so I can point you to Cyanide’s YouTube channel where she does a quick recap of her qualifier experience.

On June 25th, the PGF traveled again to Fort Myers, FL and The Grounds MMA. Unfortunately, no ladies registered for the qualifier. Again, one can only hope the lost qualifier winning roster spot could go to an at large bid.

At this point, the PGF has four qualifiers left. The PGF will return to Decatur on July 16, then head to Nashville, TN on July 30th. Next will be Atlanta, August 20th and finally Asheville, NC on September 10th.

As of now, there are no ladies signed up for the second Decatur Qualifier. I have to imagine Kiaya Jackson out of 10th Planet Decatur will sign up even though she’s technically a lower weight class. Plus, as the home of the PGF, you would think it’s possible we might see more ladies familiar with the PGF which might lead them to sign up. Nashville has three incomplete ladies’ registrations which is a good sign this far out. Atlanta and Asheville are just too far out to get any idea of how many competitors will eventually sign up.

Now it’s time for my mea culpa. As I mentioned in my last post, I had to get something out to break the inertia of not having written anything since season 3. I even pushed off all the hyperlinking of that article until multiple days later. Between that rush to push out a post and the speculation of the female bantamweight season being modified if there remained a lack of participation in qualifiers, I left only essentially a footnote for the ladies in the last post. Walo tried to call me out on it during the PGF Insiders podcast, but I ignore most of what he says anyway (haha – much love brother). Cyanide hit me up and called me out which was fair. I was already planning on a post about the ladies season, but she gave me a much needed push to make it a priority.

To the ladies, my apologies and nothing but respect. I’ve appreciated every female training partner I’ve rolled with and enjoy watching fierce ladies fight. To everyone, please reach out to those great female training partners you have and encourage them to register for the four remaining PGF qualifiers. So many of us have said we want to see a female PGF season, but that only happens if we can convince our family and friends to go out there and compete. So many people have said they have never seen a more supportive, positive, passionate promotion than the PGF. If ever there was a great place to test themselves out, the PGF is the place to do it. I hope to see y’all in late October or early November during the PGF season or at least to interact with y’all in the chat. Let’s get as many folks plugged into the PGF as possible either as a competitor or fan – it’s the best jiu jitsu promotion around and everyone will have a blast being a part of it.

We’re here. The final night of the regular season. All the competitors are banged up – you could see basically every competitor with some sort of massage or therapy implement going on the sidelines last night. As such, things could get dicey with last-minute substitutions.

We saw Matthew Boiles come in last night for Caleb McAllister’s last match. After talking to him post-show, there’s a real possibility Boiles may sub in one or more matches tonight. We know Evan Dewitt is out (I’ve seen a picture of his ankle – ouch). We could also see Keahi sneak in for one of his teammates as well, depending on how the points leader situation is set up. As of now (3:22pm) the word is Caleb is a go for tonight.

Yes, Egghead isn’t in the lead this year. I’ll admit I’m not a speed chess guy. I need a little time to ruminate on my calls and this week has been a sprint. Whoever wins this fantasy season, congrats! I name you the PGF speed-fantasy king (or queen). As LMAC pointed out on the broadcast yesterday, work and other things had me frantically picking my lineup 10 minutes before we started the show yesterday. It’s okay. I’d rather lose because I didn’t devote enough time to analysis instead of because any “c” words came into play.

As I’ve done the rest of the week, I’ll give you my snap judgments (from Tuesday) and will come back to refine the analysis and add commentary. This should at least get you started on your picks.

SUPER PREMIUMS (you’re going to offset the expense by dropping a roster spot)

Elijah “the Bad Guy” Carlton (brown) – $25; faces – Eric Longar (black) [KILL]; Dane Leak (black) [DRAW]; Marcus Elkins (blue) [KILL] – 12 points. Longar is one of the best guard passers in the PGF, but he’s not getting past Elijah’s guard. If Longar tries (which he probably will), I have Elijah getting that patented triangle for the kill. Elijah was forced to accept two draws on the third night. Dane will be coming in here needing to get points. Even though Dane hasn’t gotten the submissions he’s wanted this season, taking out Elijah would make it a successful season. Still, their skill levels are both very high and it could be another draw. As much as Elijah says he doesn’t care about the standings, you know he has to deep down – he’s the King of the PGF and he’s going for that kill against Marcus. Heck, I pointed out he needed the Elkins hat trick on his patented triangle setup (as he got Matt and Jake in his triangle in seasons 1 and 2).

Jeovany Ortiz (black) – $21; faces Mario Gaor (purple) [DRAW]; Manning Leverett (purple) [DRAW]; and Tyler Woolsey (purple) [BREAK] – 3 points. Jeo is tied for 8th with David Evers. If both get draws only tonight, we could be looking at a no-time-limit, sub-only match to settle it. If Jeo doesn’t want to go four matches tonight, he’s going to need to get at least a break against Woolsey, if not a kill. But Woolsey has shown intense heart and durability against chokes, so a break is more likely. I have the Mario and Manning matches as draws because both are such game competitors. They also are both on Sean Applegate’s team. Sean has a lot of experience with Jeo and will have a game plan for both Mario and Manning. Jeo should be fun to watch but not to put on your roster.

Caleb McAllister (black) – $20; faces – “Handsome” Kevin Sherrill (purple) [DRAW]; Jonathan “Elbow Genie” Roberts (black) [BREAK]; Carlos Andres (purple) [KILL] – 9 points. These picks are going to be controversial. Caleb is injured, but he’s still going to go after it tonight. He’s facing three very tough opponents. Handsome Kevin might not be the handsomest man on the mat in their matchup, but he’s still a D1 wrestler and disciple of Sean Applegate. Sean has a plan for Caleb and Sherrill should be able to execute it. The rubber match between the Elbow Genie and Caleb should be exciting. Both are not 100% – Caleb is injured and Roberts is considerably worn down. I think Caleb’s cardio will win the day and he’ll settle for a break against the Elbow Genie. Still, as Matt Skaff said, the Elbow Genie is a katana and with one stroke could get a kill (or submission).

Dane Leak (black) – $20; faces Elijah “the Bad Guy” Carlton (brown) [DRAW]; Kevin “Beuhrik” Beuhring (blue) [KILL]; Josh Gibbs (purple)[KILL] – 12 points. Dane is on the outside looking in at the finale, but is still within striking distance, currently with 12 points. Dane v Elijah shoudl be a great match but I don’t have the confidence to pick either over the other. Beuhring is very hard to kill, but I have to think Leak will get in that pocket and find a way to get the kill. Likewise, Gibbs really performed last night, even in his losses, but Leak needs the kill to stay relevant in the post-season hunt.

Jonathan “Elbow Genie” Roberts (black) – $19; faces Matt “Scarecrow of Doom” Harrison (black) [BREAK]; Isaac Stackhouse (purple) [BREAK]; Caleb McAllister (black) [DRAW] – 6 points. The Elbow Genie is solidly in the playoffs, so his mentality should be to get some breaks and get out safely so he can be ready for Saturday. The rubber match between Caleb and Roberts should be really exciting but I can’t pick a winner.

Eric Longar (black) – $18; faces Elijah “the Bad Guy” Carlton (brown) [LOSS]; Kevin “Liquid Terminator/Pete Rose” Primeau (brown) [LOSS]; Kevin “Beuhrik” Beuhring (blue) [LOSS] – 0 points. Tonight’s not Longar’s night. He’s facing very tough competition and I don’t think he’ll get a sub.

Kevin “Liquid Terminator/Pete Rose of the PGF” Primeau (brown) – $18; faces David “Quadzilla” Evers (purple) [DRAW]; Eric Longar (black) [KILL]; and Marcus Elkins (blue) [KILL] – 12 points.

“Handsome” Kevin Sherrill (purple) – $17; faces Caleb McAllister (black) [LOSS]; Randy “Dumptruck” Roden (blue) [DRAW]; Noah Randolph (purple) [KILL] – 6 points.

David “Quadzilla” Evers (purple) – $16; faces Kevin “Liquid Terminator” Primeau (brown) [BREAK]; Carlos Andres (purple) [BREAK]; Noah Randolph (purple) [BREAK] – 9 points.

Mario Gaor (brown) – $16; faces Isaac “the Wandering Grappler” Stackhouse (purple) [BREAK]; Tyler Woolsey (purple) [DRAW]; Jeo Ortiz (black) [DRAW] – 3 points.

Matt “Scarecrow of Doom” Harrison (black) – $16; faces Jonathan “Elbow Genie” Roberts (black) [LOSS]; Randy “Dumptruck” Roden (blue) [DRAW]; Tyler Woolsey (purple) [DRAW] – 0 points.

Tyler Woolsey (purple) – $16; faces Mario Gaor (purple) [DRAW]; Matt “Scarecrow of Doom” Harrison (black) [BREAK]; Jeo Ortiz (black) [LOSS] – 3 points.

Carlos Andres (purple) – $15; faces Kevin “Beuhrick” Beuhring [LOSS]; David “Quadzilla” Evers (purple) [LOSS]; Caleb McAllister (black) [LOSS] – 0 points.

Noah Randolph (purple) – $15; faces Isaac Stackhouse (purple) [DRAW]; David “Quadzilla” Evers (purple) [LOSS]; “Handsome” Kevin Sherrill (purple) [LOSS] – 0 points.

Kevin “Beurick” Beuhring (blue) – $14; faces Carlos Andres (purple) [BREAK]; Dane Leak (black) [LOSS]; Eric Longar (black) [BREAK] – 6 points.

Manning Leverett (purple) – $14; faces Josh Gibbs (purple)[KILL]; Randy “Dumptruck” Roden (blue) [DRAW]; Jeo Ortiz (black) [LOSS] – 6 points.

Randy “Dumptruck” Roden (blue) – $14; faces Matt “Scarecrow of Doom” Harrison (black) [KILL]; Dane Leak (black) [LOSS]; Tyler Woolsey (purple) [DRAW] – 6 points.

Josh Gibbs (purple)– $13; faces Manning Leverett (purple) [LOSS]; Marcus Elkins (blue) [BREAK]; Dane Leak (black) [LOSS] – 3 points.

Isaac Stackhouse (purple) – $12; faces Mario Gaor (brown) [LOSS]; Jonathan “Elbow Genie” Roberts (black) [LOSS]; and Noah Randolph (purple) [DRAW] – 0 points.

Marcus Elkins (blue) – $12; faces Josh Gibbs (purple)[LOSS]; Kevin Primeau [LOSS]; Elijah “the Bad Guy” Carlton (black) [LOSS] – 0 points.