Starting April 21st, the Rocket Scientist, David “Quadzilla” Evers will defend his Professional Grappling Federation Belt as PGF World 6 kicks off. Every season, an unknown grappler, often a blue or purple belt, becomes the season standout. Evers served that role in PGF Season 3. A purple belt at the time, he took people’s legs home, earning a spot in the finale tournament. At the finale tournament, he shocked everyone, submitting all his opponents on his way to winning the PGF Season 3, 170lb title – and earning his brown belt as part of it. Now that Evers is returning to defend his title, let’s take a closer look at Quadzilla.
David Evers speaks to PGF Announcer Stephen Eakin after winning PGF World Season 3 and being awarded his brown belt. Photo Courtesy of Walo Jay.
The first thing PGF fans noticed about Evers was his physique. At the Combine, he knocked out 98 pushups in one minute with no signs of slowing down. He caught the eye of PGF Commentator and now Pre-show Personality, Matt Skaff who predicted great things from Evers. While he is one of the shorter competitors, he makes up for his lack of stature with ridiculous muscles. Quickly Evers received the nickname Quadzilla due to the results of his training cardio on the assault bike. Evers presents a puzzle to his opponents with shorter levers, but increased strength compared to other opponents. But Quadzilla isn’t just a muscle head, the man has a 20lb brain (real recognizes real). While many competitors complained about the grind that is the PGF regular season, Evers continued to work his day job – at NASA (yes, that NASA). Evers would work on his rocket scientist projects by day and quickly change over after leaving work to break people’s ankles. Being an aerospace engineer, Evers brings an analytical, systems-based approach to all his training (conditioning and jiu jitsu). He optimizes his time at the gym and on the mats.
David Quadzilla Evers uses his monicker inspring assets to punish an opponent.
Despite just finishing the regular season in sixth place, Evers turned it on for the PGF Season Finale Tourament. He avenged his Decatur Qualifier second place finish by taking outJeovany Ortiz. Next, Evers finished a very promising Kevin Beuhring, who is also a PGF World 6 competitor. Finally, Evers faced off against multi-season PGF Veteran Handsome Kevin Sherrill and submitted him to earn the title of PGF Season 3 Champion. Almost immediately after winning the match, Evers’ coach awarded him his brown belt.
From top left clockwise: Kevin Beuhring works a body lock against David Evers in the PGF Finale. Evers exalts in joy after winning the PGF and earning his brown belt. Evers and Handsome Kevin Sherrill face off, preparing to begin the final match of the season. Photos Courtesy of Walo Jay.
But it’s been two years since PGF Season 3, where has David “Quadzilla” Evers been? Well, Evers tried relocating his extended family to Hunstville, but was rebuffed. So, he decided to move to the Dallas Fort Worth Area. No longer a rocket scientist for NASA, he’s moved on to Lockheed Martin where he works as part of their advanced research team – Skunkworks. Skunkworks is the team that made the SR-71 Blackbird, stealth bomber, stealth jet, etc. So don’t ask Evers about his work, because it’s probably classified. He’s continued training, working more on his wrestling and top-position game. He trains and coaches at Flux MMA in Fort Worth, Texas. Just recently, Evers was awarded his black belt from Mushin Jiu Jitsu Academy Head Instructor and Ricardo Almeida third-degree blackbelt Bobby Williams Jr, who had also awarded him his purple belt.
David Evers poses with Professor Bobby Williams Jr. after being awarded his black belt.
As the defending PGF 170lb champion, naturally it made sense to invite Evers to PGF World 6. And the PGF Insiders made it official during their interview with him back in January. At the time, the public – heck even the PGF Insiders really only knew PGF World 6 was going to be in Las Vegas and it was going be BIG. Even with the uncertainty, Evers didn’t hesitate to sign up. Since then, he’s been untiringly preparing for this season. He’s been refining his game, adding where there were gaps and sharpening his main weapons.
As the first announced PGF World 6 competitor, Evers has been working to prepare for the season for months. He had the opportunity to give an opponent a chiropractic adjustment in this match at a Friday Night Lights card.
Since Evers’ interview, Brandon Mccaghren (the Commissioner) has revealed much to the public. Even with the high caliber of opponents Evers knows he will be facing, he is unflinching. He says “I think all of the competitors that have been announced take it a bit more serious than I do; however, that may work to my advantage. The hours I *do* spend on the mats have to be more dialed in. As an engineer, I simply see this as a system in which it has to be as efficient and effective as possible. It’s created an incredibly strict regimen where I work 10+ hours a day, then go train for a couple hours. There’s the possibility that my methodology is flawed and I fail… But that’s always a possibility. Take SpaceX (SX) for example. They can run all the finite element analysis, which is a math model-based method to check if the primary and secondary structures on the rockets will survive the loads. Instead, SX commits to actually taking their rocket engines onto apparatuses and running them through various tests to see if their structures actually break. After ten years of training, I like to believe I have enough data to formulate a viable plan for each of the competitors…” This engineer is ready to execute some plans on his competitors.
As a jiu jitsu practitioner and fan, Evers is very excited to be on any of the PGF World 6 teams and their legendary coaches. Like every other competitor interviewed, Evers acknowledged Roger Gracie as the GOAT of jiu jitsu competitors. He said he was 100% certain Roger would be able to impact his game, even in the short timeframe of a week. Asked about Eddie Bravo, Evers geeked out a bit, saying it would be “INSANITY.” Evers credits a lot of his momentum as an up and coming jiu jitsu competitor to subscribing to Mastering the System and learning the 10th Planet flows. He said in his old school matches, you’d see him throwing up the rubber guard and playing lockdown. Evers had great things to say about all the coaches but acknowledged it’s not the competitor that picks the coaches, it’s the coaches that pick the competitor. And all the competitors can’t go wrong with any of these amazing coaches.
David Evers is always looking forward. Now, he’s looking forward to proving he’s the man who will be the PGF World 6 Champion.
Finally, Evers knows one of the reasons the PGF vets are in this season is for the storyline. But he wants to make sure everyone knows the PGF vets aren’t just coming to say they were there. In his interview with the PGF Insiders, he said “I’m not taking any offense to it, but you want to see us against the best. Our intention is to beat the best. We can beat these big name guys that are coming out to this competition. That’s our intent. It’s not just see, ‘oh he has a good storyline and we know it from PGF.’ The intent is to be real contenders, to become the champion. …The [new] PGF competitors that show up…we’re there to f*** them up. We’re there to show up and show out!” And the other competitors would be making a big mistake to underestimate PGF Season 3 Champion David “Quadzilla” Evers. As he said, he’s coming into PGF World 6 intending to win.
Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted in one moment, would you capture it or just let it slip? That’s the question every competitor at the PGF World 6 Qualifier must answer this Friday, March 1st at 10th Planet Las Vegas in Henderson, NV. There’s just one qualifier this season – one shot for prospective competitors to earn their way onto the roster. This Friday we’ll see who has the skills, the motor, and the determination to earn their way onto the PGF World 6 stage. There’s a lot of new faces and names, but there’s also two PGF veteran stars, in the mix.
PGF World is the first jiu jitsu league with a pre-season, regular season, post-season finale tournament, combine, auction draft…it’s everything you love about sports, plus jiu jitsu. This Friday, PGF World hopefuls have the chance to earn a spot on the PGF World 6 roster by winning the PGF World 6 qualifier. Fans can check out the action on the PGF World YouTube page or Brandon Mccaghren’s YouTube page starting at 4pm PST. The winner of this qualifier is guaranteed a roster spot for PGF World 6 and the Commissioner, Brandon Mccaghren, has said he’s looking to fill multiple roster spots, and likely the four replacement/bench player spots. PGF World has four teams with five players on each team’s main roster for 20 total roster spots, but due to the grueling gauntlet nature of the PGF World season the teams also each have one replacement player/bench player who can take over for one of their teammates who is injured, needs a rest, etc. The team coaches can sub in their bench players as they see fit.
PGF World only has ONE qualifier this season. Some seasons have had up to eight qualifiers, but due to the quick turn from season 5 to season 6, there will only be one qualifier for this season. The qualifier is essentially run like a tournament, with each match lasting the PGF standard six minutes. To guarantee winning a match, a competitor must score a submission. If neither competitor in a match scores a submission, then the PGF World Qualifier highly scientific rule takes effect – which competitor did the Commissioner like more? The Commissioner will tell all the competitors he wants action. Getting into a dominant position and stalling until the round ends will get someone sent home. Brandon is looking for exciting grapplers, grapplers who belong in the PGF. The qualifier is also double elimination, so a competitor could lose their first match but fight back to get to the championship match. The qualifiers always prove to be exciting, fast-moving, and introduces the fans to new talent. But this qualifier also continues the story for two PGF veteran stars.
Manning Leverett works to pass Reese LeFever’s guard during the PGF Season 4 Finale Tournament. Photo Courtesy of Walo Jay.
Manning “the Manaconda” Leverett: The 10th Planet Jacksonville standout was the runner up in the regular season standings for Season 3, combining an impressive takedown game with devastating choking power. The Manaconda returned for Season 4 along with his now wife Brianna who was a competitor in the woman’s division. Once again, Manning’s masterful jiu jitsu earned him a spot in the top eight and an entry into the Season Finale Tournament. He lost in that tournament to eventual champion Reese LaFever. Always a man more interested in proving his worth through deeds instead of words, Manning eschewed any attempt at talking his way into PGF World 6. As he has done in two previous seasons, the Manaconda intends to let his jiu jitsu do the talking as he attempts to earn a roster spot for PGF World 6.
Samson Phommabout prepares to start his match against Max “Rock Troll” Jolly during the PGF Season 4 Finale Tournament. Photo Courtesy of Walo Jay.
Samson Phommabout: An experienced businessman, video/photographer, and legit mixed martial artist, Samson earned his spot in PGF Season 4 with a very impressive performance at that season’s Nashville Qualifier. Once in the PGF, Samson did not disappoint. Samson brought a tough, explosive, athletic brand of jiu jitsu to the competition, earning him a spot in the Season Finale Tournament. For PGF Season 5, Samson spent his time behind the camera, helping improve the production and bring great content to the fans. But the bug to compete has bitten Samson again. He recently won a gold medal in his division at the ADCC Long Beach Open this January. Now, he intends to return to the PGF fold and is intent on showing he belongs by winning the PGF World 6 Qualifier this Friday.
As of publication of this article, 20 competitors have signed up for the qualifier. As we’ve seen every season, inevitably a number of competitors will wait to sign up last second. Whether it’s gamesmanship in the form of not wanting the competition to know they’re attending so as not to provide extra time to prepare, or if it’s a matter of having to wait to ensure obligations (e.g. work, etc.) are covered, a number of tough competitors find their way onto the qualifier bracket just before start time. Regardless of how many additional competitors show up, fans should get ready for a fast-paced competition, both the speed of the competitive matches and the speed of qualifier moving onto the next match up are unmatched. This Friday, the story of likely multiple PGF World competitors’ season will begin. Fans should check out the qualifier so they can meet these competitors and enjoy watching their stories unfold throughout the PGF World Season. Who knows – you might just meet the eventual PGF World 6 Champion this Friday at the qualifier.
The editors at EggheadWarrior.com thank the PGF Insiders, and all the competitors for providing the content of this article. The PGF Insiders will always work to provide the latest and greatest information regarding the PGF and you can see their weekly podcasts on the McDojo Life YouTube Channel or Brandon Mccaghren’s channel (if a member). Special thanks to Walo Jay for all the great photos. Those interested in Walo’s work can check out his YouTube page (link is specifically to Walo’s Handsome Kevin short) and Walo’s website. Anyone wanting to promote the PGF can copy all or parts of this article and disseminate as desired, but please give some credit to EggheadWarrior.com.
The Professional Grappling Federation World Championship team will earn $100,000 this season. Never has it been more important to form the best team possible. With the aid of its newest members, the PGF leadership team has assembled a veritable Mount Rushmore of Jiu Jitsu to lead the four teams this season. Jiu Jitsu greats Roger Gracie, Eddie Bravo, Rigan Machado, and Andre Galvao have all stepped up to add to their legacies by attempting to lead their teams to the championship.
THE JOB:
But what’s involved in serving as the head coach for a PGF World team? Put simply, the most important job of the coach is assembling the right team. It all starts the morning of 21 April. First, the coaches will scout out their talent at the PGF Combine in the morning (Ok, let’s be serious – these gentlemen are in it to win it. Given the competitive nature of these coaches, they are likely already scouting the announced competitors and will continue until the season begins.). The PGF Combine will include a number of events to showcase competitors’ stamina, strength, skills, etc. – providing the coaches with some in-person opportunity to weigh their prospective picks. The evening of the 21st, the coaches will face off in the PGF Auction Draft! Each coach will have a certain amount of PGF tokens for the auction. The players will step up to the auction block one-by-one and the coaches will have to assemble their five-person teams by placing the top bids on their desired competitors.
Once the auction draft emcee and PGF World announcer Stephen Eakin has declared the draft complete, the coaches will need to lead their newly formed teams to victory. Over the course of the following four days, each of their competitors will face off three times a night for a total of 12 matches a piece. With limited time between the auction draft and the first night of competition (less than 24 hours), the coaches will have their work cut out for them. They will need to quickly understand their individual team members’ styles, strengths/weaknesses, and how they receive coaching. Then, for each day, the coaches will have to look over the 15 opponents their team will face and do their best to position their team for victory. To be sure, there’s not enough time for any of these legendary coaches to completely overhaul any of their team members’ games. The PGF World Championship Team will be determined by the quality of these coaches’ draft strategies and the desire and skill of their team members. But just maybe in a league as challenging as PGF World 6, those lessons learned from these legendary coaches’ experiences over their decades of jiu jitsu – the little adjustments whether they be grappling techniques, stylistic strategies, or even methods for self-control in high-stakes matches- they might make the difference between a team going home in second or winning the $100,000 team champion prize.
Now, let’s take a look at the stories behind these legendary coaches. Then, we’ll explore some possible strategies for winning PGF World 6!
THE GOAT:ROGER GRACIE
Even the current king of the ADCC, Gordon Ryan, admits the best competitor in jiu jitsu history is Roger Gracie. A fourth-degree black belt and the grandson of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu founder Carlos Gracie, Roger became a 10-time IBJJF world champion including his weight and absolutes (open weight). In the Olympics of Jiu Jitsu, the ADCC, Roger is the only person in history to win both his weight class and the absolute with a 100% submission rate. His performances earned him a spot in both the ADCC and IBJJF Halls of Fame. Following the path of many of his family members, Roger took his fighting skills from jiu jitsu to mixed martial arts. Across multiple promotions, Roger accumulated an 8-2 record, finishing as the One Championship Light Heavyweight Champion. The competitive stats keep going because Roger truly is the GOAT. While he did start his academy while he was still competing, now retired, Roger has transitioned from a world-beating competitor to a full-time professor and leader of more than 50 academies worldwide. Roger will be traveling from his academy in London, England to lead five competitors throughout the season. Obviously, as the GOAT of jiu jitsu competitors, Roger will have a target on his back. Worse yet, Roger has wins against both Rigan Machado and Andre Galvao – so you know both of those competing coaches would like to get a win over Roger, even just as coaches. But maybe another motivation beyond legacy for Roger would be to settle a long-standing score of his family. The next coach in the rundown, Eddie Bravo, made his name on upsetting Roger’s cousin at the ADCC. Whether it’s staying ahead of those he formerly beat in competition, avenging his cousin, or more realistically cementing his legacy as both the GOAT of jiu jitsu competitors and a champion PGF World Coach, Roger will be bringing his world class competitive nature, intellect, and skill to this season.
THE REVOLUTIONARY: EDDIE BRAVO
So many people in the current day come to mixed martial arts and jiu jitsu through Joe Rogan and his famous podcast. Many newcomers to jiu jitsu may have come to know Eddie Bravo from his many appearances on the podcast, or perhaps through his participation with UFC events in the past. Eddie first traveled to Los Angeles to spread his music. Along the way, his love of martial arts had him studying multiple disciplines until he found Gracie-style Brazilian Jiu Jitsu from the Machados. Eddie took his experience from high school wrestling and adapted it to jiu jitsu. He always preferred the few no gi sessions offered and always built his game around jiu jitsu applicable to mixed martial arts. Serendipity struck as Eddie learned jiu jitsu from Jean Jacques Machado whose hand deformity made him use underhooks and overhooks instead of the traditional gi grips in jiu jitsu. Under Jean Jacques’ tutelage, Eddie molded his jiu jitsu for mma which was normally done in only board shorts. As Eddie progressed, he tested his style in the fire of competition. Eddie rose to prominence when during the 2003 ADCC, he beat Royler Gracie via triangle choke. Royler Gracie was the heavy favorite, but Eddie as a brown belt was able to secure the victory. With this win and the resultant buzz spreading through the martial arts community, Eddie had the ability to start his own gym which was exclusively no gi. For a long time, Eddie and his 10th Planet members were derided as renegades, or worse yet, heretics. Even though Eddie gave respect to the founding family of jiu jitsu in his landmark book, critics still questioned the unorthodox “submission over position” style that 10th Planet represented. In his Mastering the System, Eddie would talk about positions such as mission control, chill dog, invisible collar, stoner control, etc. Eddie’s 10th Planet team members and students were those jiu jitsu practitioners your mother warned you about. But Eddie and his students persevered. They kept showing up to competitions. Slowly, the jiu jitsu public realized 10th Planet wasn’t about being heretical; it was about following Eddie’s guidance: to have an open mind. Eleven years after his historic win over Royler Gracie, they had a rematch at Metamoris III. While it was ruled a draw, Eddie showed the first match was no fluke, earning more respect for himself and his system. The 10th Planet Team kept growing and competing. So much so that ADCC counts the 10th Planet Team as their most active team now. Eddie’s 10th Planet Association currently spans more than 140 gyms across the world. The father of no-gi jiu jitsu, the leader of 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu, and grappling mad scientist, Eddie Bravo will turn his attention to assembling and coaching his team during PGF Season 6. With his open-mind, innovative/creative streak, and improvisational skills of a veteran musician, Eddie might just have the secret sauce for putting together a team from multiple backgrounds and making them gel as the championship team.
PROFESSOR OF THE STARS:RIGAN MACHADO
In the recent past, Rigan Machado has risen to fame as the jiu jitsu coach to the stars. He’s taught the likes of Ashton Kutcher, Keanu Reeves, Charlie Hunnam, Mel Gibson, and many more Hollywood actors, writers, directors, etc. Rigan has more than 30 acting credits as well as serving as a fight coordinator and producer. Rigan is an 8th degree red and white belt. When Rigan was very young, he moved to live with his uncle, the founder of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Carlos Gracie. Rigan first started training under Carlos’s sons Carlson Gracie and Rolls Gracie. Rigan trained with and under a number of his cousins. Eventually, he received his black belt from Carlos Gracie Jr. (founder of Gracie Barra). When the Gracies came to the United States to teach jiu jitsu, Rigan ended up teaching group classes at Rorion Gracie’s place in Los Angeles. Rigan taught and befriended Chuck Norris. With the famous actor’s help, Rigan brought his family, including his four brothers, to the United States and they set up their first academy teaching Machado Jiu Jitsu. Now, the different Machados and their associations have accumulated hundreds of gyms throughout the world. But while Rigan gets headlines today because of his celebrity students, he earned his bona fides as one of the best competitors in jiu jitsu history. For eight years in competition, he was undefeated in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He accumulated 365 wins. Rigan is a multi-year Pan American Champion (weight and absolute) and an ADCC medalist. He started competing at 14 and from that age until he was 21, he won the Brazilian National Championship every year. In an interview for the Gracie Jiu Jitsu Rocks! podcast in 2015, Rigan said he wanted to push this sport to the next level, to make it professional. As one of the coaches of PGF World 6, Rigan has a chance to be a part of making jiu jitsu professional. Moreover, with his experience of training celebrities who undoubtedly have limited time, Rigan might have the best skill set for making the greatest impact on the competitors he coaches this season. This “Professor to the Stars” might just shine the spotlight on his team as they win the championship.
THE CHAMP, NOW COACH OF THE CHAMPS: ANDRE GALVAO
Another legend of jiu jitsu rounds out the surreal list of coaches for PGF World 6. Andre Galvao has a vaunted competitive career as a six-time ADCC champion (most in history), including the record for super fight wins (4), and six-time IBJJF World champion. Like Roger Gracie above, Galvao’s exploits earned him spots in both the ADCC and IBJJF Halls of Fame. Galvao is a fourth-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and a black belt in judo. Beyond his own competitive accomplishments, Galvao also founded the Atos organization, one of the most competitive jiu jitsu academies in the world. The Atos team has won innumerable Gi, No-Gi, and Pan Team Championships. The Atos team spans 20 countries with 73 affiliate academies. Galvao has taught and led a team of killers, including Lucas “Hulk’” Barbosa, JT Torres, Tye & Kade Ruotolo, Josh Hinger, Keenan Cornelius, and Kaynan Duarte. Like many other top jiu jitsu competitors, Galvao challenged his martial prowess, taking on the challenge of mixed martial arts. Fighting in multiple promotions, including Strikeforce, Galvao showed he could win in mma as well. As both a BJJ Hall of Famer and mma veteran, Galvao has attracted many high-profile mma fighters as students. Many fighters including Anderson Silva, Israel Adesanya, Rodrigo Minotauro, Carlos Diego, Cat Zingano, and Cris Cyborg have all called Galvao their professor. Galvao has shown he can win and he’s shown he can shape and mold world champions. Now, Galvao will have a chance to see if he can draft and coach the PGF World 6 championship team and overall champion.
Strategies:
Zoltan Bathory, founder of Five Finger Death Punch and co-owner of Epic Roll, served as one of the coaches of Team Epic Roll in PGF World 5. He fell in love with the PGF World experience that he became member of the PGF ownership team. Along with Epic Roll co-owner and founder Matt Wahlstrom and guest coach Jeff Glover, Zoltan guided team Epic Roll through a historic season where they earned the nickname “the Yankees of the PGF.” They earned this title not only because of their dominant victory as the clear team champions but also because of their dominant auction draft strategy. Zoltan recently gave his thoughts on the PGF World auction draft and his strategies on the BJJ Balance Podcast. Like fantasy auction drafts, Zoltan’s main strategy was to make his opponents overpay for the competitors they want, leaving them with less money for the competitors he ultimately wanted. As of this writing, AJ Agazarm is arguably the most accomplished competitor with multiple word titles and a silver medal at ADCC. Will one coach become enamored enough with having AJ on their team that they overpay? Another strategy Zoltan embraced was winning the auction on a competitor who trained with one of the other coaches outside the PGF. Kywan Gracie, another announced competitor, is a black belt under Roger Gracie, even serving as an instructor at Roger’s academy. If Eddie Bravo outbids everyone and lands Kywan Gracie, Eddie would essentially be forcing Roger to coach against his own, real-life student throughout the PGF World season. Would Roger point out Kywan’s weaknesses to his team or would Roger refuse to coach during any match against Kywan? It’s an interesting question.
Additionally, the coaches will want go through as much tape as possible. Even with the level of competitors who have been announced, how did they win the matches to gain their titles? Many competitors who relied on winning matches by points, advantages, or referee’s decisions have greatly underperformed under PGF World rules. There are no points, advantages, or referee’s decisions in PGF World; there are only submissions. It’s like choosing a gi player who built their game around spider guard and taking them to a no-gi tournament…results will vary. Coaches will want to consider the scoring rules for the PGF – Kills (chokes) get the player and the team six points, while Breaks (joint locks) only get three points. So someone with a choke-heavy game should be worth more than a normal leg-locker. Still, if that leg-locker hits lightning quick submissions, it’s a tougher call since a Break (leg lock) in less than one minute gets four points – three for the Break with an additional point for the submission in less than one minute (Elbow Genie Rule).
Finally, once they’ve assembled their teams, the coaches would do well to consider taking some advice on game play from the current face of PGF World. Elijah Carlton, overall PGF Champion in Season 1 and Season 5 as well as the regular season champ for Season 3, shared his thoughts on PGF strategy on the Inside BJJ Podcast recently. With their experience in jiu jitsu, the coaches can help their players weigh their opponents. Elijah would recommend if a Kill is a possibility, then the player should try for it for a few minutes, then settle for a Break. If a coach believes their player would have a hard time getting a Kill, but can get a Break, then a quick Break could possibly get four points and save the player’s energy for their other matches. Then there will be matches when a coach knows their player is outmatched. It would likely be wise to advise the player to play things tight and force a draw or make their opponent settle for a break.
With $100,000 on the line for the winning team, and an additional $20,000 on the line for the winner of the finale tournament, the tension will be high this season. Players will be cheering their teammates on in every round, hoping they get the most points possible for their team. At the same time, if players don’t perform, it could cause friction within teams. Some competitors who have found success in other formats will underperform their expectations and might have a hard time handling the letdown. At least one competitor who fans have never heard of will start hitting submissions and win over everyone. Often called the Shark Week of Jiu Jitsu, PGF World 6 goes LIVE on April 21 with the Combine and Auction Draft on the PGF World YouTube Channel. From April 22-25, each night PGF World will bring the fans more than four hours of exciting jiu jitsu as each competitor gets three matches a night. By the end of April 25th, we will crown the Championship Team, awarding them their $100,000, and we will know the brackets for the finale tournament. Finally, on April 26, the finale tournament will determine your PGF World 6 overall champion. There’s still a lot of unknowns about the season, including the rest of the competitor roster, but we do know IT WILL BE EXCITING. Because, the PGF is everything you love about sports, plus jiu jitsu!
News about PGF Season 6 will be continually revealed throughout the next 58 days before the PGF premieres. To keep up with the latest news, check out the PGF Insiders Podcast on Brandon Mccaghren’s YouTube Channel. Of course be sure to check out the official PGF website: PGF World and follow @pgfworld on Instagram.
The editors at EggheadWarrior.com thank the PGF Insiders, and Brandon Mccaghren and Keelan Lawyer for providing the content of this article. The editors also scoured the interwebs for previous interviews with the coaches (articles and podcasts). The PGF Insiders will always work to provide the latest and greatest information regarding the PGF and you can see their weekly podcasts on the McDojo Life YouTube Channel or Brandon Mccaghren’s channel. Special thanks to Walo Jay for all the great photos. Those interested in Walo’s work can check out his YouTube page (link is specifically to Walo’s Handsome Kevin short) and Walo’s website.
Everything you love about sports, plus jiu jitsu. The Professional Grappling Federation (PGF) returns on April 21st in Las Vegas, Nevada. PGF Season 6 will skyrocket professional jiu jitsu competition to the PGF World with one of the highest paydays in jiu jitsu history, a cohort of legendary head coaches, and an ownership team poised to continue the PGF’s meteoric rise.
Starting during the height of the pandemic in 2020, the PGF provided many breakthrough elements for jiu jitsu competitions. First, PGF co-owner Keelan Lawyer’s use of gimbals for steady, mobile shots of the matches allowed fans to truly see the action wherever it went. The six-minute matches push the action. But more than anything else, the scoring format likely changed the game. In the PGF, competitors go through a week-long season, with three matches a night. Meaning, they have 12 matches in which to score as many points as possible in the hopes of making the season finale tournament as one of the top eight out of the full 20 competitors in the season. The only way to accumulate points is to score a submission, with competitors receiving six points for a KILL (choke), three points for a BREAK (joint lock), while also receiving an additional point if their submission occurs within the first minute of a round. The PGF calls that final scoring ability the “Elbow Genie Rule” after PGF standout Jonathan Roberts. These 20 competitors are divided into four teams by their coaches in an auction draft (more later). Besides the individuals competing to make it to the top eight and make the finale, the teams are also competing to score the most points in each of the 12 “blocks” of the season. A block consists of two, two team duals. The team who amasses the most points through submissions in the block receives an extra team point for each of its players. For every competitor, leaving a match without points is a lost opportunity, making a draw in the PGF a LOSS for both competitors. The result of these innovations has led to phenomenally exciting matches, with competitors pushing the pace even through the last seconds of a match.
PGF Season 5 champion Elijah Carlton speaks to PGF Announcer Stephen Eakin. PGF Season 5 showed how important team points can be. Without the help of his Epic Roll team points, Elijah would have come in second during the regular season to newcomer Travis Thomas. Photo Courtesy of Walo Jay..
The PGF has always endeavored to find a way to help its competitors be truly professionals. As the promotion has grown, Commissioner Brandon Mccaghren has ensured every competitor has earned money even before they stepped a foot on the mats, making them truly professionals. But now, with new members of the PGF ownership team and new sponsors, the PGF will be putting $100,000 in the pockets of the team who wins the PGF Season. Then, on top of that huge prize, the winner of the finale tournament will win an additional $20,000 for themselves.
While attendance at the luxurious location of PGF Season 6 is “invite only,” EVERYONE can watch EVERY MATCH of the regular season for FREE on YouTube. at the PGF World YouTube page.
To lead the four teams for PGF Season 6, the PGF owners have assembled a veritable Mount Rushmore of jiu jitsu. The best competitor in jiu jitsu history, 10-time jiu jitsu world champion Roger Gracie will be traveling from London, England to lead five competitors throughout the season. The father of no gi jiu jitsu, the leader of 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu, and grappling mad scientist, Eddie Bravo captain his own team during PGF Season 6. Jeff Glover enters PGF Season 6 as the only PGF Veteran, helping coach PGF Season 5 team champions Team Epic Roll. Taking a no gi world champion who is as unorthodox as it gets, giving him experience in the PGF ruleset, and then giving him a chance to draft his favorite competitors, Glover has to be looking forward to throwing a wrench in all the other coaches’ plans. Finally, another legend of the sport, Andre Galvao not only has a vaunted competitive career as a six-time ADCC champion and six-time IBJJF World champion, but he’s also the head of the Atos organization, one of the most competitive jiu jitsu academies in the world. Galvao has shown he can win and he’s shown he can shape and mold world champions. Now, Galvao will have a chance to see if he can draft and coach the PGF Season 6 championship team and overall champion.
The PGF has an embarrassment of riches looking at the PGF Season 6 head coaches. It is surreal to see the level of prestige and talent represented by these four. The only thing more impressive might be how bad they want their team to win the season.
PGF Commissioner Brandon Mccaghren and his partner Keelan Lawyer built the PGF. They had a vision for a jiu jitsu league. A jiu jitsu league all sports fans could embrace, not only jiu jitsu practitioners. For five seasons, they continually improved the product. To their league, they added fantasy jiu jitsu. They added head coaches. They added a live draft, then made it an auction draft. And of course, they had to include a combine for the coaches to gauge the competitors skills. As the Commissioner says, the PGF is everything you love about sports plus jiu jitsu. While Mccaghren and Conscious Keelan have kept the operation relatively small while working out the bugs, they found the opportunity to take it to the next level and beyond during PGF Season 5. In PGF Season 5, the company Epic Roll became a sponsor of one of the four teams. Five Finger Death Punch founder Zoltan Bathory, a judo and jiu jitsu black belt competitor, is one of the owners of Epic Roll and decided to attend PGF Season 5. After seeing the PGF first hand, he was hooked. As a hugely successful serial entrepreneur, Zoltan has an eye for talent and an eye for potential. Zoltan new with his experiences, talents, connections, resources, etc. that he could help bring the PGF to the masses. Zoltan saw investing in the PGF as a way to give back to martial arts, which he credits for all his success. Soon a new PGF ownership team formed. Zoltan brought his partner to the team, Heather Grace Gracie – she’s another serial entrepreneur. She’s also the granddaughter of Carlos Gracie and CEO of Gracie Fight Management. She sees the PGF as a vehicle to bring brazilian jiu jitsu, her family legacy, to the masses. With the grit and gumption of the original ownership team along with the business savvy, acumen, and vision of the new additions, the Professional Grappling Federation’s new ownership team is poised to increase jiu jitsu’s popularity with overall sports fans exponentially.
Epic Roll owners Matt Wahlstrom and Zoltan Bathory relish their number one pick, the eventual PGF Season 5 Champion Elijah Carlton. The Epic Roll team blew away the other teams, spending much more than the salary cap and paying a large luxury tax. Their strategy won them the season team championship and also got them nicknamed “the Yankees of the PGF.”
Fans who want to this team’s finished product for Season 6 can look forward to watching it LIVE AND FREE on the PGF World Youtube channel. The Combine and LIVE Auction Draft will be on April 21st. The main season will run from April 22nd to April 25th where the PGF Team Championship and $100,000 will be awarded. The post-season tournament will run on April 26th, crowning the PGF Season 6 Champion and awarding him $20,000. Competitors who want to be a part of this outstanding event can submit applications at the PGF World website, or better yet, they can enter, for free, into the pre-season qualifier. PGF Season 6 will only have one qualifier and it’s happening on March 1st at 10th Planet Las Vegas. Entry for competitors is free. The winner of the March 1st qualifier is guaranteed a spot in the season, but the Commissioner will be looking for other talented athletes either for at-large bids or as possible replacement/bench players for teams to use in case of injury. Competitors can sign up for the qualifier HERE.
Founded during the pandemic and originally set in a humble jiu jitsu school, the PGF stands at the precipice of forever changing professional jiu jitsu and the way fans consume it. With the new, pivotal ownership team, with the renowned PGF Season 6 coaches, and with enormously talented competitors (to be named soon), the Professional Grappling Federation will be on every sports fans’ screens starting on April 21st.
News about PGF Season 6 will be continually revealed throughout the next 11 weeks before the PGF premieres. To keep up with the latest news, check out the PGF Insiders Podcast on Brandon Mccaghren’s YouTube Channel. Of course be sure to check out the official PGF website: PGF World and follow @pgfworld on Instagram.
The editors at EggheadWarrior.com thank the PGF Insiders, and Brandon Mccaghren and Keelan Lawyer for providing the content of this article. The PGF Insiders will always work to provide the latest and greatest information regarding the PGF and you can see their weekly podcasts on the McDojo Life YouTube Channel or Brandon Mccaghren’s channel. Special thanks to Walo Jay for all the great photos. Those interested in Walo’s work can check out his YouTube page (link is specifically to Walo’s Handsome Kevin short) and Walo’s website.
In PGF Season 5, the Voice of the PGF, Matt Skaff left the commentary table and took a main role as a manager for one of the four PGF teams. In April, the PGF will return for season 6 as we discussed here. All indications point to this upcoming season of the PGF being HUGE! It will likely attract national, if not international talent. Still, the PGF has built not only the most exciting format for submission grappling, but also built storylines for competitors. With its pre-season, season, and post-season, fans have built relationships with PGF competitors. So, what if we build the ultimate PGF fans’ team to take on all newcomers? Who from PGF history could both make 170lb (PGF season 6 weight class) and could give some big-time talent a run for their money? Let’s give it a shot!
Thus far, we only really know that PGF Season is happening in Las Vegas, in April, and will be at 170lb. We also know the one announced competitor will be PGF Season 3 Champion David “Quadzilla” Evers who will be defending his title. Ok, so we need to make some assumptions before drafting our team. First, let’s assume the season will be roughly like season 5 – four teams of five players. For the sake of argument, let’s also assume each team will get a bench/replacement player. So, we can look at drafting six players to the All-PGF Team.
Pick #1 – David “Quadzilla” Evers – well, we can’t sleep on the returning champ. Quadzilla sported a 50% break rate in PGF Season 3’s regular season, meaning that half the time he hit the mats he was breaking his opponent’s joints. He also sported a 25% Elbow Genie Point score, meaning that in one out of four matches, he finished his opponent in less than one minute. Having come from both more traditional and 10th Planet backgrounds, Evers can take someone’s leg home, but still has those traditional submissions as well. Since moving back to Texas, he’s been emphasizing work on wrestling, so his opponents can’t just anticipate the Quadzilla sitting guard immediately anymore. Evers is built like a spark plug, meaning he’ll be a challenge for many opponents as they adjust to a competitor of his build. Sure, he was the fist announced PGF Season 6 competitor, but there was no way the Eggheadwarrior.com Editorial board was going to sleep on this rocket scientist.
PGF Season 3 Champion David “Quadzilla” Evers received his brown belt when he won the PGF. Photo Courtesy of Walo Jay.
Pick #2 – Elijah “the Jabroni Grappler” Carlton. The King of the PGF, Elijah Carlton won the regular season and post-season tournament in Season 1. He has only lost to one person in the PGF – eventual PGF Season 2 (225lb season) winner Hunter Colvin. The Jabroni came back for Season 3 (170lb) and won the regular season before bowing out due to an injury. Season 4’s 155lb weight limit was just a little to small for Elijah, but he came back for Season 5, winning the regular season and post-season tournament in the 185lb weight class. Elijah has answered all of our questions. We’ve known of his deadly triangle setups since season 1 which have proved almost unstoppable even in later seasons. But Elijah has also showcased his killer leg locks, wicked back takes to rear-naked chokes, and even proved his Eddie Bravo Inviational (EBI) overtime skills could help him secure a championship. As Walo Jay has said many times, until someone beats Elijah, you have to bet on him.
Pick #3 – Jonathan “the Elbow Genie” Roberts. Perhaps the competitor with the most beautiful jiu jitsu in PGF history, Jonathan “the Elbow Genie” Roberts has a dang PGF rule named after him! In season 1 of the PGF, Roberts was submitting EVERYONE! Not only submitting them, he was finishing them lightning fast. The problem was Roberts submission of choice was arm bars from everywhere. In PGF Season 1, a Kill (or choke) was worth 7 points and a break (arm bar, leg lock, etc.) was only worth 3 points. So, despite dispatching his opponents with unmatched speed, Roberts was on the outside looking in halfway through the regular season. The Elbow Genie isn’t a heralded competitor outside the PGF, but he’ll catch a lot of unsuspecting opponents. Trust me.
Pick #4 – Handsome Kevin Sherrill – the PGF Season 3 runner up would make a fine addition to our team. As detailed HERE, Handsome Kevin is a lifelong grappler. He’s a state champion wrestler from Georgia and took his skills to Division 1 for the University of Northern Iowa. After finishing his wrestling career, he transitioned to jiu jitsu, training under great coaches like Coach Sean Applegate of 10th Planet Atlanta, Roan “Jucão” Carneiro at at American Top Team Atlanta, and now under Paul Ardila, Sergio Ibarra, and Ernesto Rivera in their LHM team. Of course, Handsome Kevin runs his own crew, Not Bad Combat Club, training out of the Executive Training Group facilities in Woodstock, Georgia. Handsome Kevin brings the charisma and skills to entertain all the fans.
Handsome Kevin Sherrill. Photo Courtesy of Walo Jay.
Pick #5 – Kevin Beuhring – The Elbow Genie himself told everyone to follow Kevin Beuhring after their match during Season 3 of the PGF. At that time, Beuhring had been training not much more than one year and was the standout blue belt of the season. Now he’s had a few more years to train and rack up accomplishments. He’s the Sapaterio and Midwest finishers 170lb champion. He’s shown his insane leg locking ability but also the ability to misdirect his opponents: making them fear the leg locks then taking their back and choking them out. Beuhring is a rising star. He took out an entire Quintet team himself during the PGF Season 5 Finale. Beuhring could really break through into national/international notoriety if he performed as well as he could in PGF Season 6.
Pick #6 – The Rock Troll Maximus Prime Jolly – with a tip of the cap to Randy “the Dumptruck” Roden, the Editorial Board of Eggheadwarrior.com has to round out the PGF Dream Team with the Rock Troll. As can be read HERE, the Rock Troll has been training jiu jitsu since he was 12 years old. He came into Season 4, submitting everyone in the qualifier he entered. Then, he made it to the semifinals of PGF Season 4, losing only by ride time. The Rock Troll returned for PGF Season 5, even though he was drastically undersized for the 185lb season. But the Rock Troll showed his jiu jitsu could overcome weight differences as he made it to the top eight and the Finale. Despite competing in two seasons, the Rock Troll has only been submitted ONCE and that was by the Season 5 runner-up Kemoy Anderson who easily weighed more than 200lb when they met. Jolly is a very exciting grappler who doesn’t back down. He would provide great entertainment and great results if he was in PGF Season 6.
So there you have it. The Editorial Board of Eggheadwarrior.com has put together the PGF Dream Team for PGTF Season 6 to take on the world. Did they get it right? Who would you have included that they missed? What about Caleb McCallister? Randy Roden? Mario Gaor? Dane Leak? Jeovany Ortiz?
Who knows who will be make this season’s roster? We will all find out a lot more sometime in January when the Commissioner Brandon Mccaghren makes his big announcement. Whoever makes the roster, PGTF Season 6 will be insane! Remember, VEGAS BABY, VEGAS!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS! Ok, it’s been a minute. But the wait has been worth it. Let’s talk some PGF News!
Just about two months ago, Professional Grappling Federation fans watched the wildly successful PGF Season 5. During the Finale, Elijah Carlton was named the King of the PGF once more.
But more importantly, PGF fans got an early Christmas present from Brandon Mccaghren, the PGF Commissioner, in the form of a special announcement during the PGF Season 5 Finale. The Commish announced that PGF Season 6 was happening…in VEGAS BABY, VEGAS!!!!
Since that time, we’ve received some additional news. Namely, PGF Season 6 will be at 170lbs. Thus, we’re looking at the same weight class as PGF Season 3.
Wait, don’t we have a 170lb PGF Champ? Why yes, yes we do. So that begged the question, will the PGF Season 3 champion defend his belt? AGAIN, the ANSWER WAS YES!!!! The PGF Insiders had PGF Season 3 Champion David Evers on their podcast and extended an official invitation to him to defend his belt which he accepted. So, Quadzilla will defend his belt against 19 other competitors who want to take the title.
What else do we know? Well, we have it official that Season 6 will happen sometime in April – see HERE. As stated above, it will be in Las Vegas. We also know that more HUGE announcements will be made in January.
As for now, that’s all the Editorial Board at EggheadWarrior.com feels comfortable sharing. They might know a little more, but as a result of previous slip ups, they are on “double secret probation” and don’t want to risk losing PGF Insider status.
Rest assured, PGF Season 6 will be a true revolution for professional submission grappling. As the Commish has said, folks years from now will look back on the PGF and say “this is where jiu jitsu became a sport.” And you can be a part of it. Go back and watch all the previous PGF seasons. You won’t be disappointed. The PGF was designed for the fans and it has always delivered. Egghead will be returning as a commentator and will give you insight into the history of the PGF, but wouldn’t it be better if you were nodding in agreement because you understood the references as opposed to learning something for the first time? You have four months to enjoy the previous seasons of the PGF before it breaks out nationally. You can be an OG of the PGF if you put in a little time right now. The PGF is already starting to get national press.
Rest assured, the momentum has build up. The inertia of the PGF is moving forward and is unstoppable. The PGF will take over submission grappling. And you can be a witness to this takeover this April as it streams from Las Vegas!
LET’S GO! The PGF Finale is TODAY at 4pm Central time. We have the PGF Season 5 Finale Tournament where the top eight regular season finishers will face off in the Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI) rules format single-elimination tournament. The winner of that tournament will be crowned the Season 5, 185 lb PGF champion. But there’s so much more happening today. There’s a four-team Quintet style tournament and Nekiaya Jackson returns to the mats to defend her 135lb female PGF championship belt in a four-person female tournament. Visit PGFHOME.com to find out how to purchase the pay per view or join Brandon Mccaghren‘s YouTube Channel at the Jedi level.
For the Quintet tournament, we have teams from 10th Planet Decatur, 10th Planet Atlanta, Ironclad Wrestling, and Not Bad Combat facing off. 10th Planet Decatur’s main coach is the Commissioner Brandon Mccaghren. 10th Planet Atlanta’s main coach is Sean Applegate. Ironclad Wrestling is led by the Elkins brothers (Jake and Matt). Handsome Kevin Sherrill is the head of Not Bad Combat. These competitors all know each other and all of them will be fighting for the pride of their coaches and bragging rights.
The Ladies 135lb Championship Tournament has Nekiaya Jackson returning to defend her title. She’ll face off against Darby Jones in the first round. On the other side of the bracket, Chelsea Spurlin and Anna Dobbins will compete for a chance to make the championship match. Nekiaya has to be the clear betting favorite, but the other ladies might have something to say about that.
Thanks to XMartial.com, the BATTLERAMA is returning! The four PGF Season 5 alternate competitors were all given a chance to compete for an up to $2500 prize, with XMartial offering to match up to $1250 of donations from the live chat. While the exact amount is unknown at this time, the last BATTLERAMA champion PGF Season 5 competitor Josh Gibbs walked away with $1,000 which was more than most of the Season 3 competitors. The four competitors will be PGF Season 5 replacement players Alex Rodriguez, Luke Church Claunch, Sawyer Griffin, and Noah Randolph. Luke Church actually came in to become a regular season player when Sawyer was sick at the beginning of the season, but Sawyer had to come in to replace an injured Anakin McMahan. Noah Randolph was in the stands watching the PGF on day 1, but got called up to be a regular player when Jacob Lamar was injured and needed a substitute. In the first round Alex Rodriguez and Sawyer Griffin will face off. Then Luke Church and Noah Randolph will vie for a chance to make the BATTLERAMA final match.
Of course, the event everyone is really tuning into watch is the PGF Season 5 Finale Tournament. Here’s the bracket:
Matt Elkins had to bow out of the finale tournament so the next man up, Sam Schwartzapfel, stepped in to face the Jabroni grappler. As it turns out, finishing first actually makes Elijah have a tougher match than if he had finished second. We talked about how the stacked Epic Roll team made finishing in the top eight easier and also robbed the fans of some great matches. Well, we’re going to get one of those great matches we wanted to see. Elijah is the PGF GOAT but he’s facing a D1 wrestler with a great truck game. There’s a real chance Sam could force Elijah into EBI overtime for the first time. If Elijah can’t get a sub, we’ll all see how good his EBI overtime game. Sam is a real threat here.
Both Fedor and the Minnesota Maniac were highly touted coming into the PGF season. Fedor has shown a methodical, stoic approach to jiu jitsu, but had some problems getting finished within the six-minute matches of the PGF regular season. With the 10 minute EBI format of the PGF Season Finale tournament, Fedor should feel right at home and be able to implement his normal game. Coming into the PGF Season, Craton was known for his dangerous leg lock breaking mechanics and a phenomenal anaconda. Craton showed all the PGF fans relentless leglock entries but experienced some problems finishing off the attacks against a number of opponents. At any moment either of these competitors could lock in a submission. Expect a quiet crowd as they anticipate a lightning quick submission from either competitor.
In a match of the breakout performers of PGF Season 5, The Mantis Travis Thomas faces Landon Tourville. Every season, a blue belt enters the PGF and shows that belt rankings mean a lot less than even a few years ago. Tourville laid claim to the that role. Thomas, known for being the top ranked mixed martial artist in the Southeast, had little grappling footage coming into the season. Other than his loss to Handsome Kevin Sherrill in the Handsome Daddy Belt competition at the PGF Season 4 Finale, fans could find little footage of Thomas. The 10th Planet Decatur members warned everyone who would listen that Thomas had a real chance at winning this season. Thomas proved them right. Thomas subbed Tourville with a triangle in their match on the final day of the regular season, so the Mantis has to be the favorite in this match.
Kemoy has been overlooked before the season and underappreciated during the season. He changed gears between his time as a Season 2 competitor to his matches in this season. Kemoy brought a very deliberate approach which wasn’t as flashy, until he decided to strike, which normally ended up with his opponents tapping out. Undersized for this season, the Rock Troll Maximus Jolly’s “grip it and rip it” style proved that jiu jitsu really is meant for smaller individuals with skill to take out larger opponents. He had a bit of a hiccup on day 3, acting out sorts, but got back to his Rock Troll days on the final day of the season, securing three submissions. During that day 3 hiccup, Kemoy gave the Rock Troll his first submission loss in both of his PGF seasons. All signs indicate a VERY motivated Rock Troll entering this match looking to get that loss back, but he’ll have to prove his jiu jitsu can take out one of the largest and most skilled competitors in the league.
The fantasy season is done so we won’t worry about prognostication in the post. The only sure thing is the PGF Season 5 Finale will blow everyone away. It’s going to be hours of phenomenal jiu jitsu, great walkouts and interviews led by Stephen Eakin, and outstanding commentary by Brandon Mccaghren and T.J. Desantis. But wait, there’s more! Brandon Mccaghren will be making an announcement that will shake up professional jiu jitsu for years to come. Fans need to make sure to join the fun and watch the PGF Finale today. Visit PGFHOME.com to find out how to purchase the pay per view or join Brandon Mccaghren‘s YouTube Channel at the Jedi level.
In the final day of the regular season, the top competitors showed why they were considered the top competitors. The top two continued to distance themselves from the pack while the dark horse also separated himself from the others. A PGF veteran and former coach solidified his Finale future. A fan favorite returned to his true form and was celebrated by his teammates. The teams showed how much they had coalesced. The fans showed how much they had embraced the competitors. PGF Season 5 proved the PGF was everything you love about sports with jiu jitsu. Let’s take a look at the Best of Day 4, the final day of the PGF Season 5 regular season.
Elijah Carlton attempts to get a leg lock on Fedor Nikolov.
Elijah Carlton (Team Epic Roll) – Black Belt, 10th Planet Atlanta. The PGF’s Royce Gracie did enough to win yet another regular season in the PGF. He sunk in a rear naked choke against a very resilient Matthew Dewees who forced many opponents to settle for a draw if not a loss. He locked in the regular season championship by getting a heel hook against David Cooper in less than one minute, earning the Elbow Genie bonus point. Elijah has proved he is inevitable as he has said so many times.
Travis Thomas works to secure the triangle choke against Noah Randolph.
MANTIS Travis Thomas (Team Level) – Purple Belt, 10th Planet Decatur. The breakout star of PGF Season 5 put an exclamation on the season with two triangle chokes for two kills. He took out PGF multi-season veteran Noah Randolph with a traditional triangle from bottom. Then, in a match with playoff implications, the Mantis sunk in a modified triangle for a kill against PGF Season 5 Blue Belt Standout Landon Tourville. Thomas and Tourville will rematch in the first round of the PGF Finale Tournament. Travis Thomas has proven he is a remarkable grappler this season and a real contender to meet the Jabroni Grappler Elijah Carlton in the Finals…and possibly beat him.
Nick Craton facing off against PGF veteran Noah Randolph.
Nick Craton (Team Epic Roll) – Brown Belt at Adamas Jiu Jitsu, formerly of 10th Planet St. Paul. After being forced to settle for a draw against PGF veteran Noah Randolph, Craton made an impression on the night. He heel hooked PGF Season 5 blue belt standout and Day 1 GOAT Landon Tourville. Then, Craton cranked another heel hook, this time on Sawyer Griffin and quick enough to earn him the Elbow Genie point. Many fans picked Craton as the dark horse to win the PGF. Now after finishing third in the regular season, he’ll have a chance to make a run at the title.
Kemoy Anderson works to stabilize the scarf hold/kesa gatame position against his opponent.
Kemoy Anderson (Team Level) – Brown Belt, 10th Planet Austin (formerly 10th Planet El Paso). Kemoy faced two very game opponents in Fedor Nikolov and Sam Schwartzapfel. He took the 10th Planet Headquarters teammates both to draws, denying them the chance to improve their regular season standings. Kemoy ensured he made the playoffs, sinking in the triangle against a very game Young Matthew Dewees. Heading into the Finale playoffs, Kemoy will face a very motivated Maximus Jolly. The Rock Troll is looking forward to avenging his first PGF submission loss, which was to Kemoy.
PGF Veteran and Referee Nick Sahf raises the Rock Troll Maximus Jolly’s hand in victory.
The Rock Troll Maximus Prime Jolly (Team Epic Roll) – Purple Belt, Upper Cumberland MMA/10th Planet Cookeville. The Rock Troll had a rough day 3, but he came back with a vengeance on the final day of the regular season. Coming into the final day of the PGF regular season, he was tied for 7th place and on the bubble. The Rock Troll returned to his grip it and rip it ways, securing two heel hooks and an Mikey lock. With those three breaks, he catapulted himself into fourth place for the regular season. And with that ranking, he gets to run it back with the man who gave him his first submission loss in the PGF: Kemoy Anderson. Expect to see a very motivated Rock Troll in the PGF Finale.
The regular season is done. The stage is set for the PGF Season 5 Finale. The Rock Troll gets to avenge his submission loss to Kemoy Anderson (or suffer a second loss). Elijah Carlton has to face a very tough Sam Schwartzapfel and possibly fight for his future in Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI) overtime rounds. The Dark Horse Nick Craton has to prove himself against the Russian Nightmare Fedor Nikolov. And the two breakout stars of the season, Travis Thomas and Landon Tourville get a chance to run it back. The PGF Season 5 Finale will be ELECTRIC and it’s all available LIVE this Saturday. Visit PGFHOME.com to find out how to purchase the pay per view or join Brandon Mccaghren‘s YouTube Channelat the Jedi level. See you there.
Skin in the game – a term used to many times in so many contexts, but it’s really about one’s connection to an endeavor. The Professional Grappling Federation (PGF) provides so many ways to connect with the athletes and the production. Fans get to see competitors take their shot at making the league as they compete in the qualifiers (sometimes multiple qualifiers). They get to see them in interviews with the PGF Insiders. Fans get to see the competitors rack and stack themselves in the PGF Combine. They can watch as the Team Managers jockey for position in an attempt to win the best team in the PGF Live Auction. Finally, they get to watch as the competitors actually figure out who is who in the PGF during the regular season. But the Fantasy League gives fans another level of investment in the PGF matches. Fantasy managers research the competitors, reading blog posts (thank you), looking at film available online, looking at matchups. Fantasy managers are next-level fans who might not have known a competitor before they joined the PGF, but these fans are INVESTED in the competitors as soon as the first day of the regular season hits. And we’re here to celebrate the dedicated, diligent, and admittedly a little lucky managers who won the daily and season PGF Fantasy prizes put up by XMartial.com
XMartial realized the potential of the PGF and the excitement around the fantasy jiu jitsu aspect and decided to offer $1,000 and $1,000 in gear to the winners of the PGF Fantasy league. As mentioned before the season in a previous blog article, PGF Fantasy managers could win daily prizes and prizes for the overall winner. Daily winners of the Fantasy receive $100 in cash. The second and third place finishers both receive a $50 gift card to XMartial.com. The OVERALL winner of the PGF Fantasy season wins $600. The second place winner gets a $400 gift card to XMartial.com and the third place winner gets a $200 gift card winner for XMartial.com.
The first day of the PGF was an outstanding event, but PGF Fantasy managers had limited information about the competitors on their teams. Many had to take leaps of faith when figuring out how to spend their $100 budget, always filling their full roster. The Daily PGF Fantasy winners for Day 1 were:
PGF Fantasy Winners Day 1
Okay, even with a 20lb brain, I don’t know how the six folks tied for seventh is going to work out for the gift card situation. Still, we all know that Victor Colon with his Devas Squad will receive $100 for putting together the best PGF Fantasy Day 1 team.
Your Day 2 Fantasy winners!
Some familiar names made the top 3 for PGF Fantasy Day 3. Matt Anderson, sometimes called the Manderson in the PGF, was a standout competitor for Season 1. He took the Day 2 daily title with his Mando’s Maulers. So he’ll walk away with $100. Daniel Siriphongs, the PGF superfan, took the third place with his Execute Order 66 crew (that’s a Star Wars reference for the non-nerds). He’ll get a $25 gift card to Xmartial.com.
PGF Season 5, Day 3 winners.
On Day 3, PGF Season 3 and Season 4 alumnus, Evan Dewitt was able to take the daily prize with his DeWitt it and Quit it team. Chelsea Spurlin with the highly creative team name of Spurlin snuck in that second spot and Steve Hattoy with his MaddHattaz team rounded out the top three.
For the final day of the PGF, Evan Dewitt added to his winning streak, but he had to share it with the PGF Season 3 Kevin Beuhring standout’s father Alex Beuhring aka Big Daddy. Both should receive $50. Amari Hattoy learned from the other Hattoy and with her Baby MaddHattaz she took the third/second spot. Amari should receive a $50 XMartial.com gift card. I expect Rachel McAllister with Team Duchess and Clark Barlowe with team Hindulotine to each get $25 XMartial.com gift cards.
Of course, with the four daily competition winners figured out, we need to move on over to the OVERALL SEASON WINNERS! Yes, yes, we all know Egghead did not win the overall season title and didn’t win any of the daily titles either. With all the writing and other things going on with the season, Egghead actually spends about five minutes before we go live to pick his own team. The most important things are giving the fans some analysis and good analysis as part of the commentary. With those build in excuses/copes said aloud, here are your PGF Season 5 Overall Season Winners:
PGF SEASON 5 FINAL FANTASY SEASON RANKINGS!!!
Scott Carter with his “The Gentlemens grappling club” team wins the overall PGF Fantasy season. He will receive $600. PGF veteran Evan DeWitt with his “DeWitt and Quit it” ended up in the second place overall. He will receive a $400 XMartial.com gift card. Chelsea Spurlin with the ever-inventive Spulin team will receive a $200 XMartial.com for taking third place. I kept our fourth place winner in the pic because Daniel Siriphongs has been a great help over the years keeping track of stats, etc. Thanks Daniel, sorry you barely missed it.
For all the Fantasy Managers out there, we hope you had as much fun this season as we did. Also, we hope being a fantasy manager has helped build a connection between you and our amazing competitors. We hope you join us for the PGF Finale this Saturday. Look at PGFhome.com to buy the PPV. In the finale, we’ll see a ladies 135 lb bracket where PGF Season 5 Manager and First Female Champion of the PGF Nekiaya Jackson will defend her belt. There’s a Quintet tournament and of course we’ll see the top 8 season finalists will face off to see who is the ultimate PGF Season 5 Champion. It’s going to be a blast and we hope you’re there. Oh yeah, there’s also the HUGE announcement that Commissioner Brandon Mccaghren will make – you DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. See you at the Finale.
PGF Fantasy Managers, you’re hitting the home stretch. We’ve learned it’s all about the matchups. As usual, we’re getting close to game time, so I’m not going to give a big preamble. Good luck to all of you as you vie for the XMartial.com cash and gear prizes!
Elijah Carlton (Team Epic Roll) – Black Belt, 10th Planet Atlanta– $27. He faces Young Matthew Dewees, Fedor Nikolov, and David Cooper. Expect him to get two submissions, possibly three. – 15 points.
MANTIS Travis Thomas (Team Level) – Purple Belt, 10th Planet Decatur – $25. He faces Landon Tourville, Noah Randolph, and Cam Hurd. Thomas faces Landon Tourville, Noah Randolph, and Cam Hurd. Thomas has scored three submissions on multiple days and he has a real chance at scoring three submissions today as well. – 12 points.
Fedor Nikolov (Team Toe Hold Red) – Brown Belt, 10th Planet HQ (formerly 10th Planet St. Petersburg) – $23. He faces Kemoy Anderson, Elijah Carlton, Moose Fritz. He took out the Moose twice in the LA Qualifier and will be counting on that win. The matches against Kemoy and Elijah should give us a lot of information about what we can expect in the Finale. – 3 points.
Matt Elkins (Team Toe Hold Blue)– Black Belt,10th Planet Birmingham – $20. He faces Sam Schwartz, Sawyer Griffin, and Landon Tourville. Since he’s tied for 7th (tied for last one in) he must get some more subs to ensure he makes the finale. All three will be tough, but are winnable matches for Elkins. – 15 points
Landon Tourville (Team Toe Hold Red) – Blue Belt, Fathom BJJ – $20. He faces Travis Thomas, Nick Craton, and Matt Elkins. He’s been a star this season. But he needs to finish the job by getting at least one submission today. If he doesn’t, other competitors will rise up and he could fall behind. None of these competitors are an easy or even likely win for him, but we’ve doubted him before and been proven wrong. – 3 points
Nick Craton (Team Epic Roll) – Brown Belt at Adamas Jiu Jitsu, formerly of 10th Planet St. Paul – $20. He faces Noah Randolph, Landon Tourville, and Sawyer Griffin. These opponents have all proven tough, but if Craton wants to prove he’s one of the top competitors, he’ll need to submit them. – 9 points.
Kemoy Anderson (Team Level) – Brown Belt, 10th Planet Austin (formerly 10th Planet El Paso) – $18. He faces Fedor Nikolov, Matthew Dewees, and Sam Schwartz. With Team Epic Roll likely to get 3 more team points for their competitors, Kemoy can’t rest on his laurels today. He needs to get subs. Young Matthew has proven tough to submit, but Kemoy will get it done. His other matches against the 10PHQ teammates should prove challenging. He has the ability to submit them, but not a high percentage chance. – 6 points.
The Rock Troll Maximus Prime Jolly (Team Epic Roll) – Purple Belt, Upper Cumberland MMA/10th Planet Cookeville – $18. He faces Moose Fritz, Josh Gibbs, Luke Church. These are very winnable matches and he’ll need to get subs since he’s now on the bubble, tied for 7th. We could easily see three breaks from a refocused Rock Troll. – 9 points.
Cameron Hurd (Team Epic Roll) – Purple Belt, Silver Back NOVA – $17. He faces Buddha McClure, Paul Bahri, and Travis Thomas. All three opponents are young, athletic guys. Cam has shown the ability to dominate exchanges but has secured limited submissions. There’s a real chance he misses the playoffs. – 6 points.
Sam Schwartzapfel (Team Epic Roll) – Purple Belt, 10th Planet HQ and 10th Planet NYC – $17. He faces Matt Elkins, Handsome Kevin Sherrill, and Kemoy Anderson. Sam is the first person out, looking in. This lineup of opponents, three of the top five rated competitors coming into the season, does not help his chances of making the finale. – 3 points.
Noah Randolph (Team Toe Hold Blue) – Purple Belt, 10th Planet Decatur -$14 He faces Nick Craton, Travis Thomas, and Paul Bahri. Thomas has likely face Noah many times since they’re from the same gym. Noah is dangerous, but unlikely to get subs in these matches. His best shot will be against Paul Bahri.
Handsome Kevin Sherrill (Team Toe Hold Red) – Brown Belt, LHM/American Top Team Atlanta – $14. He faces Sawyer Griffin, Sam Schwartz, and Matthew Dewees. Even if he gets three kills, Handsome Kevin is unlikely to get into the finale/playoffs, so he’s grappling for pride. Still, expect some high level, fun matches from him. – 6 points.
Sawyer Griffin (Team Level) – Purple Belt at 10th Planet Decatur – $14. He faces Handsome Kevin Sherrill, Matt Elkins, and Nick Craton. He’s shown himself to be very game, but he’s not getting a submission against these guys.
Cody “MOOSE” Fritz (Team Toe Hold Blue) – Purple Belt, 10th Planet Santa Barbara – $13. He faces Maximus Jolly, David Cooper, and Fedor Nikolov. He wants a chance to avenge his two losses to Fedor at the LA qualifier. Maximus is a tall order to beat. He will likely find a way to get a sub against Cooper.
Luke Church Claunch (Team Level) – Purple Belt at 10th Planet Decatur – $13. He faces Paul Bahri, Buddha McClure, and Maximus Jolly. This lineup is much more likely to possibly have a submission win for Church, but it won’t be easy. – 3 points
Tony “Buddha” McClure (Team Toe Hold Blue) – Blue Belt, Integrity BJJ and Fitness – $13. He faces Cam Hurd, Luke Church, and Josh Gibbs. He has two winnable matches with Church and Gibbs. Hurd will be a great match likely ending up in a draw. – 9 points.
Paul Bahri (Team Toe Hold Red) – Blue Belt at 10th Planet Jacksonville – $13. He faces Luke Church, Cam Hurd, and Noah Randolph. All these opponents are durable and hard to submit. These should be good matches, but likely draws. – 0 points.
Matthew DeWees (Team Toe Hold Blue) – Blue Belt at 10th Planet Jacksonville – $13. He faces Elijah Carlton, Kemoy Anderson, and Handsome Kevin Sherrill. This lineup is so tough. If he can force draws, it will be a win.
Joshua “Full Time” Gibbs (Team Toe Hold Red) – Brown Belt at Nomad Jiu Jitsu of Lynchburg, Va – $10. He faces David Cooper, Maximus Jolly, and Buddha McClure. He has a real shot at getting on the submission board against David Cooper. He also has a shot against Buddha. He’s unlikely to give the Rock Troll his second submission loss of his PGF career. – 6 points.
David Cooper – Blue Belt, Ironclad Wrestling. – $10 He faces Josh Gibbs, Moose Fritz, and Elijah Carlton. Unlikely to get a submission, but can help you round out your team. He has a shot to get a win against Gibbs but unlikely to get a win against Fritz or Carlton.
Alex Rodriguez (Unknown) – Blue Belt at 10th Planet Orange Park – $10. He’s not on the roster, but he might have to step in if someone is injured.
Anakin McMahan (Team Level) – Brown Belt, SubHounds – $17.Anakin being out after possibly having his foot broken by that toe hold that Paul Bahri put on him.
Jacob Lamar (Team Toe Hold Blue) – Black Belt, Cobra Brazilian Jiu Jitsu – $16. Lamar suffered a torn cornea and can no longer participate in the PGF.
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