The Professional Grappling Federation, the most engaging submission grappling promotion in the world, and their sponsor XMartial are teaming up to pay fantasy grappling winners $1000 and $1000 of martial arts gear. BJJ fans have the opportunity to sign up for FREE HERE to assemble their team each day of the PGF in the hopes of snagging the cash or gear.
Screenshot from PGF Fantasy website. Don’t worry, Egghead Warrior is ineligible to win the cash or gear (even though he would if allowed). By the way, Blue Belts Are People Too!
Often called “the Shark Week of Jiu Jitsu,” the PGF will run from 29 October to 4 November and will be broadcast LIVE AND FREE on Brandon Mccaghren’s YouTube Channel. Each day, the 20 PGF Competitors will have three matches to earn points in the hopes of making the playoffs. Only the top eight competitors, garnering the most points through submissions, will make the playoffs or post-season finale tournament on 4 November. Competitors earn points ONLY through submissions. Each KILL or choke earns a competitor six points. Each BREAK or joint lock earns a competitor three points. If a truly-exciting competitor secures a submission in less than one minute, they earn an extra point under the Jonathon Roberts “Elbow Genie” rule. If a competitor is disqualified or cannot compete, their opponent earns two points.
The PGF Fantasy League operates in an auction draft format. Each fan acts as a manager, with a certain budget (e.g. $70). Every day, a fan wanting to compete for the prizes will need to assemble a new team, divvying up their budget amongst their potential roster assembled from the 20 PGF competitors. Of course, that’s where the skill (and a bit of luck) comes into play. All the players will have varying prices. From the Super Premiums to the Penny Stocks as the EggheadWarrior.com Editorial board categorizes them. If a manager picks up the Jabroni Grappler Elijah Carlton who is the Royce Gracie of the PGF, they will pay a high price, greatly reducing their remaining budget. However, Elijah is an almost LOCK to get three submissions a night, so it might be worth it, especially if he’s racking up KILLS with his patented triangle – the Top Technique in PGF History. Regardless of their strategy, each manager must fill their roster completely each day to compete.
An example of the process of selecting your team. This example is from the PGF Season 4 Fantasy League.
As the competitors on each managers’ team grapples, the competitors’ points they score from submissions is added to the manager’s overall totals. At both the end of each day of the regular season and at the end of the regular season and the season finale, the Commissioner will total the manager’s points and rack and stack the teams.
An example of the rankings of Manager’s teams from Season 2. It’s also how that season should have ended…boo, hiss!! But Congrats to Phillip Matthews for winning that season and the money. Notice that McWhorter is at the bottom – suck it, McWhorter!!! Yes, I’m still mad about Season 1. Yes, the Editorial Board at EggheadWarrior.com is the Craig Jones of PGF Fantasy.
Each day of the regular season (Monday through Thursday), the daily winner of the PGF Fantasy League will win $100. The runner-up, or second place, for each of those days will win a $75 gift card to XMARTIAL.com. The fantasy manager who wins third place each of those days will win a $25 gift card to XMARTIAL.com. The OVERALL winner of the PGF Fantasy League including ALL THE REGULAR SEASON AND the FINALE will win $600!!! Of course, it’s worth mentioning again, the PGF Fantasy League is FREE to enter.
The Commissioner of the PGF, Brandon Mccaghren, is a 10th Planet Black Belt, and a commentator for Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC), Combat Jiu Jitsu(CJJ), and Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI). Having seen the best of jiu jitsu and submission grappling, the Commissioner wanted to bring the best elements of other sports to a submission grappling promotion. One of the best practices of other sports is the eponymous fantasy league. So, he made the PGF Fantasy League. But he also brought other elements of sports to PGF. He brought a pre-season in the form of qualifiers where potential PGF competitors seek to earn a spot in the regular season. One qualifier remains for this season, October 7, hosted by 10th Planet Huntsville. With only a couple of spots left, competitors better shine at that qualifier. The Commish also shortened the match times from normal jiu jitsu competitions. In traditional EBI, competitors had 10 minutes; in the PGF, they only have six minutes to get a submission. If competitors get a DRAW, it’s a LOSS! Because both competitors only have 12 matches to rack up points to get to the finale. Every draw is a LOST opportunity to shine and score points.
Brandon Mccaghren has taken many of the best elements of all professional sports and brought them to the PGF to optimize the excitement for fans. With the PGF Fantasy League, the Commish has given every fan the motivation to care about every match in the PGF. Every fan will be watching each match to see if their roster estimations paid off, but also to adjust their estimations of competitors for their next day’s picks.
Honestly, I started this entire blog (er, I mean the Editorial Board at EggheadWarrior.com started it) as a way of sharing my fantasy picks/analysis with other fans from the live chat (which builds a great community). Fans might not know every competitor by name before they start the season, but if the fans enter the PGF Fantasy League, they will likely know the competitors’ backgrounds, gyms, styles, etc. and really have buy in for each match by the middle of the PGF Season. Join us in watching the PGF, celebrating up and coming submission grappling athletes while also playing a little fantasy grappling and possibly putting some money in your pocket or grabbing some free gear. These grapplers and this production will win you over.
XMARTIAL has some great gear and has a lot of icons in martial arts repping them.
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.
The Professional Grappling Federation (PGF) draft will be pure pandemonium! The PGF is the only jiu jitsu promotion bringing fans a pre-season, a combine, and a live draft, before their regular season. On Sunday, 29 October, the four PGF Season 5 team managers will select their teams using an auction draft. Four team managers will draft the 20 PGF Season 5 competitors in the same style you would for a fantasy football auction draft…but this will be LIVE on Brandon Mccaghren’s YouTube Channel with the fans getting to see all the scheming and wheeling and dealing!
Stephen Eakin captures the uber saltiness of Evan Dewitt, a SOLID black belt, who ended up as the last active roster pick of the PGF Season 3 draft. Which outstanding grappler will be overlooked in the PGF Season 5 draft?
As PGF fans already know, the league commissioner, 10th Planet Black Belt Brandon “BMAC”Mccaghren, built the promotion to bring all the excitement of other sports to the submission grappling scene. He shortened matches to six minutes and only awards points to individuals who score submissions (six points for chokes/kills; three points for joint locks/breaks). He created the first jiu jitsu league in the world, complete with a pre-season (the qualifiers), a regular season, and a post-season tournament. To bring in a little excitement fans enjoy from professional football seasons, the Commissioner has instituted a combine and a draft.
PGF Season 5 competitor Kemoy Anderson picks Joanie Chamberland with the #1 pick in the PGF Season 4 draft. Could he be the #1 pick in the PGF Season 5 draft?
At or around 10am Central time on 29 October, the 20 PGF Season 5 competitors will participate in a combine. Competitors will be told to test your might (I really hope you just had Mortal Kombat music pop in your head) in five events. This combine will consist of five events. The first is Grip strength. They will use a GRIP STRENGTH measuring device to make it fair. While the PGF is a no gi competition, grips still count…a lot. Then the competitors will show off their SQUEEZE POWER…using a rollbot (I’ll let you google it). For the third event, competitors will showcase their explosive potential with the medicine ball toss. We all know core strength is paramount for grapplers and the fourth event tests it as well as reaction time. A “Hardcore Plank” will serve as the fourth event, where competitors perform a plank in the front leaning rest/pushup position and have to actively press buttons with their hands as they light up. The competitors will be rated on both time in the plank as well as how many buttons were correctly pressed. Finally, the event that has the most potential for true excitement, we have the “Catch and release” event. The final event involves one six-minute round with a local white belt. This round will have three, two-minute sections dedicated to wrestling on the feet, guard play, and top position play. For two minutes, the managers will watch the competitors wrestle; for 2 minutes the managers we will watch them play guard; and, for two minutes, the managers will watch them play top position. The concept for “Catch and Release” is to give competitors a chance to run their game a bit, so managers can see how the competitors move.
PGF Season 3 coaches at the front table waiting for Coach Sean Applegate to submit his first pick. In PGF Season 5, they’ll have to outbid each other in the PGF Season 5 Draft Auction!
The four team managers will have a handful of hours to go over their notes and build their draft strategy. Then, at 6pm Central, the PGF Season 5 Draft will go LIVE. Unlike the last few drafts that followed the “Snake draft” strategy, this season will be an Auction draft. Each of the four Team Managers will have $2500 in their budget. The Team Managers will get assigned a draft order. In the past, this order was decided by the most exciting Connect Four tournament in history.
Whichever Team Manager earns the right to go first, they will choose which competitor will step up on the auction block first. The Manager who makes the highest bid will add the competitor to their team. After the first competitor, the next Team manager in order will select the next competitor who will be up for auction. Fans new to fantasy auction drafts might not think there is any strategy to the draft order…but there is. With each Manager having $2500 to build their five-competitor roster, the math works out to an average budget of $500 per competitor. But that’s now how these things work out. A savvy Manager would choose early for auction a higher-level competitor who they didn’t want to pick (e.g. maybe they weren’t high on Kemoy who performed well, but not amazing in Season 2…btw, this is a hypothetical example of a clearly deranged Manager and not the strategy the editorial staff at Eggheadwarrior.com would endorse). This move could get the other Managers to overpay and reduce their draft coffers. This reduction in coffers could allow the original Manager to target their favorites and spend less. Enough strategy. The main takeaway is the Draft will be DYNAMIC, EXCITING, and you KNOW there will be SMACK TALK amongst the Managers.
Fans who want to watch previous iterations of the combine can watch the PGF Season 1 combine HERE and the PGF Season 3 combine HERE. Fans who want to watch the previous Drafts can see the PGF Season 3 draft HERE and the PGF Season 4 draft HERE.
For fans or Managers that need a little extra help in grading the draft prospects…man, if there were only some helpful individuals who did pre-draft shows. WAIT! There IS! The PGF Insiders has produced Pre-Draft Breakdowns for both of the previous drafts and will do so again. Fans who want to look back at the Outstanding Prognostication of the PGF Insiders can see their PGF Season 3 Pre-Draft Breakdown HERE. Of course, the Editorial Board at Eggheadwarrior.com will continue to bring you pre-draft boards as they have done in the past.
If anyone reading this article wants to become a part of the PGF or knows someone that should be a part of the PGF, YOU MUST ACT NOW! There’s only two qualifiers left! On 24 September (TOMORROW), 10th Planet HQ will host a qualifier. On October 7, 10th Planet Huntsville will host a qualifier. If you can’t make it to one of these qualifiers, you can only hope there will be spots open and hope you can find a promotion with BMAC involved where you can make an impression.
But seriously, the PGF is the most fan-friendly, fan-interactive, exciting submission grappling promotion on the planet. Check out Brandon Mccaghren’s YouTube channel from 29 October – 4 November for the “Shark Week of Jiu Jitsu” that is the PGF?
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.
Only 20 submission grapplers will get the chance to compete in the 5th season of the Professional Grappling Federation (PGF). As the Commissioner, Brandon Mccaghren, did in season 3, he’s bringing the people four teams of five on the active roster. He will have four reserve (or on the bench) competitors who will be assigned to teams, but they are not guaranteed matches. Prior to the regular season, the coaches of each team will come together for a draft to fill their roster spots. THE ROSTER IS NOW FULL!!! So, let’s go over PGF Season 5 roster.
THE VETERANS:
Elijah Carlton – THE CHAMP IS HERE! THE CHAMP IS HERE!!! Elijah “the Jibroni Grappler” Carlton is the Royce Gracie of the PGF. The black belt out of 10th Planet Atlanta (formerly out of Agoge Combatives in Chattanooga, TN) has racked up a likely untouchable record in the PGF. In the first three seasons of the PGF, Elijah submitted nearly almost all of his opponents. In the inaugural season, Carlton submitted everyone. In the follow-up, 225lb season, an undersized Jibroni Grappler submitted everyone except for two losses (one in the regular season and one in the finale tournament) to the eventual champion, Hunter Colvin. In the third season, two competitors forced draws, but the rest fell to Carlton. At the end of the regular season, the league-leading Carlton had to bow out of the finale tournament due to an injury. Outside the PGF, Carlton has been a great ambassador, even wearing his favorite PGF season 1 rash guard while scoring a submission on Chael Sonnen‘s Submission Underground. Carlton owns the High Rollerz brown belt championship and has garnered many victories in other competitions. Carlton has an impossible guard and wicked triangles and leg locks. Elijah Carlton IS the PGF Champ – if someone wants the title, they better be ready for the battle of their lives to take it. Fans can check out some of Elijah’s great Season 1 submissions HERE and some of his Season 2 submissions HERE.
Elijah Carlton victorious after a PGF Finale match. Photo Courtesy of Walo Jay.
Handsome Kevin Sherrill – The Season 3 Runner-up and the Reigning Handsome Daddy Belt holder, Handsome Kevin Sherrill is a force to be reckoned with. Fans should check out a full profile article on the Handsome One, HERE. But as an amuse-bouche to the full article…or just the bottom line up front (BLUF), Handsome Kevin Sherrill is a lifetime grappler, a state-champion wrestler from Georgia who wrestled D-1. After wrestling, he picked up jiu jitsu and has made submission grappling his life. He currently has his own team, Not Bad Combat Club, training out of the Executive Training Group facilities in Woodstock, Georgia. He trains a lot of places but Handsome Kevin spends most of his time developing his new skills and strategies with LHM. LHM is led by three ATT Atlanta black belts: Paul Ardila, Sergio Ibarra, and Ernesto Rivera who have ADCC and EBI experience. Handsome Kevin is a very dangerous brown belt with serious wrestling, back game, and leg attacks. For PGF related videos of Handsome Kevin (besides his matches), you can check out his interview for a Season 3 Preview HERE and an interview with the PGF Insiders HERE.
Matt Elkins – The NEWLY MINTED BLACK BELT and 10th Planet Moon Head (10th Planet Birmingham – I believe in conjunction with Ironclad Wrestling) has been a part of the PGF from the start. Matt Elkins was an Alabama state-wrestling champion as well as college wrestler. After wrestling, he transitioned to MMA, but found his lifelong calling for jiu jitsu. Elkins was one of the top regular season finishers for Season 1 and went far into the post-season finale. Some of his top notch wrestling from Season 1 can be seen HERE. You can also enjoy his PGF Finale Tournament Countdown HERE. You can also enjoy another insight video of him HERE. Matt Elkins returned for Season 2 but suffered a serious knee pop on the first day. It didn’t stop him from winning BLOCK 12! (if you know, you know). Elkins made it to the season finale tournament again and acquitted himself well. Matt joined his brother Jake as they coached a team for Season 4. According to Brandon Mccaghren (BMAC or the Commissioner), Matt Elkins has 5x’d his jiu jitsu since Season 2.
Matt Elkins during the PGF Season 2 Finale Tournament. Photo courtesy of Walo Jay.
Kemoy Anderson – This Season 2 alumn and Season 4 coach might just rip someone’s arm off this season. All the 10P Qualifiers and Team matches I’ve seen of Kemoy, he just seems to want to rip people’s arms off. But Kemoy also has serious triangles. He’s a brown belt currently out of 10P Austin (formerly 10P El Paso). You can Google Rated R 10P yourself and you’ll find plenty of highlight reels. He’s only gotten more dangerous since season 2.
Kemoy Anderson preparing for his PGF Season 2 Finale Tournament Matches. Photo courtesy of Walo Jay
Joshua “Full Time” Gibbs – Season 2 veteran and Winner of the Season 3 Such N SuchBATTLERAMA! (5:12:35) got the nickname “Full Time” because he was originally drafted in the last round of Season 3, meaning he was a replacement/bench player. After a teammate suffered a season-ending injury on the first night, Josh Gibbs became FULL TIME as he replaced the injured teammate on the roster. Then, when the Such N SuchBATTLERAMA happened due to fans in the chat and the owner of Such N Such putting down the money, the replacement/bench competitors had a separate tournament for themselves. Serving as both a Full Time competitor and as a replacement player, Josh Gibbs became essentially DOUBLE TIME. In one of the most exciting matches in PGF history, Josh “Full Time” Gibbs won $1k as the BATTLERAMA champion.
The Rock Troll Maximus Prime Jolly – The Rock Troll was an awesome surprise for PGF Season 4. He came out of nowhere and submitted all his opponents in the PGF Season 4 Chattanooga Qualifier. The Rock Troll went on to become one of the breakout stars of Season 4, scoring submission after submission in the Quintet team format. Maximus Prime fell short in the Season 4 post-season tournament semi-finals, but he wasted no time returning for Season 5. This time, at the PGF Season 5 Decatur Qualifier, the Rock Troll proved he could hang even at the higher weight class, submitting all his opponents on the way to win the qualifier. Fans should check out his full profile article HERE. It’ll be interesting to see how the Rock Troll sizes up against the larger, more experienced competitors such as Handsome Kevin Sherrill and Matt Elkins. Regardless of the matchup, I guarantee, the Rock Troll will put on a show.
Maximus “Rock Troll” Jolly tries to secure the rear-naked choke on eventual Season 4 runner-up Dane Leak. Leak won this semifinal round by quickest escape in overtime. Photo Courtesy of Walo Jay.
THE ROOKIES:
Carson Thigpen – A blue belt out of Renzo Gracie Nashville under the world-renowned BJJ competitor, coach, and now ADCC main commentator Shawn Williams, Carson Thigpen is a submission hunter! Fans can check out his full profile article HERE. But the BLUF is Carson Thigpen is a former college athlete with some serious quick twitch muscles and a competitive drive. He’s still a blue belt but every season a blue belt come along and wrecks a number of higher belts…this season it could be Carson Thigpen. He had some impressive showings at multiple qualifiers for Season 4 but suffered an injury just weeks before the regular season began, forcing him to pull out. Now, he’s earned his spot via his PGF Decatur Qualifier showing and then he returned for some great action at the PGF Nashville Qualifier despite already having an invite (a G move). Carson’s last matches were just a few months after he returned from injury. With the added prep time before the regular season, we could see a highlight reel competitor in Carson Thigpen.
Carson Thigpen and his defeated opponent leave the mats after their match during the Summit Grappling portion of the PGF Season 3 Finale. Photo Courtesy of Walo Jay.
Your No Gi Neighbor Sawyer Griffin – A purple belt out of 10th Planet Decatur, Sawyer Griffin has displayed sick back take after back take in his PGF Qualifier time. Fans can read his full player profile article HERE. Sawyer could easily become fan favorite this season. Sawyer wasn’t a D1 wrestler or MMA fighter. He was just a man who got his degree and wanted something more than the 9-5. He found his passion in jiu jitsu. To be fair, he’s kind of a klutz when he’s not on the mat. But when he’s on the mat, he’s a stone cold killer, looking for that submission every second. He pushes the action and belittles any opponent (during the match) if they even think of stalling. Sawyer’s going to push the action and earn a lot of fans this season.
Sawyer Griffin locks in the rear naked choke against fellow PGF Season 5 competitor Carson Thigpen at the PGF Season 5 Decatur Qualifier.
Anakin McMahan – this man showed out at the ADCC Phoenix Open. He realized he had a tough road to hoe in his weight class so he also signed up for the Absolute bracket. In the Absolute, he showcased his true abilities. Anakin has a very interesting jiu jitsu journey leading from a bjj McDojo to training in a garage to become the submission grappler he is today. He’s a true representative of his current crew and not a mystery to opponents. After all, how are you going to keep secrets when your rashguard says “back takes and leg breaks?” But seriously, he’s a dark horse to win this thing. He has the right hunger and attitude…I might put a little money on this man reaching the finals…the finale tournament for sure.
Anakin McMahan working on the leg lock during the ADCC Phoenix Open.
Jacob Lamar – He’s a black belt out of Cobra BJJ in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He started MMA in 2008 and continued until 2014 when he found Cobra BJJ. So, he’s spent 15 years in combat sports with eight of those in bjj. He knows the level of competition he’s facing with Elijah Carlton, Matt Elkins, and Kemoy Anderson. While he doesn’t want to call any one out, he’s excited to test his mettle against these PGF veterans. He had a great interview with the PGF Insiders HERE.
Jacob Lamar has his hand held up in victory over a 10th Planet ATL product.
Paul Bahri – A former semi-pro soccer player (shoutout to JAX Armada), won the Jacksonville qualifier. He’s a blue belt out of 10th Planet Jacksonville. Just be ready for some DUUUUUUUVALLL callous by him. As I said, he was a soccer player, but he found bjj during COVID, so he only has a few years in the sport, minus six months or so he went back to semi-pro for a while after suffering the normal jiu jitsu struggles all new practitioners encounter. Now, he knows he’s facing an uphill battle going against such skilled, experienced competition. But he’s going to prepare himself for the challenge by hitting 2-3 classes a day and doing some serious running to enhance his cardio. As PGF fans well know, there’s always a standout blue belt I’m the season. Paul’s doing his best to earn that title. Fans that want to learn more about Paul can catch his PGF Insider interview HERE.
Nick Craton – Formerly out of 10th Planet St Paul in Minnesota, “the Minnesota Maniac” made the move to Toledo, Ohio to train with Dante Leon at Adamas Jiu Jitsu. Craton has a gift for the sport, reaching his brown belt in only five years. PGF Fans first likely got to know Nick when he wrecked the competition at the Mid South Classic (the competition PGF Veteran and Announcer Stephen Eakin hosts). Craton is a quick finisher with SICK leg locks. With Craton’s story of making the big move to train with an elite camp, he’s giving PGF fans some Reese Lafeever vibes from PGF Season 4 (who won it all). Pay attention of Craton might get on the mat, get the submission, and get off the mat before you catch him.
Nick Craton posing after winning the Mid South Classic, a tournament put on by Stephen Eakin and 10th Planet Perry. Craton drove from Minneapolis, MN to Perry, GA to have the opportunity to win this tournament. He’s driven (pardon the pun) and ready to take out his competition.
Landon Tourville – So many times we’ve seen the same thing…a seeming wandering warrior come out of nowhere and wreck the competition in a qualifier. At the PGF Nashville Qualifier, the warrior in question was Landon Tourville. He’s a 19-year-old blue belt out of Fathom BJJ in Highland, IL (just outside of St. Louis). He’s been training for four years and been tapping out black belts even though he’s a blue belt. Be careful. He comes with some sneaky, tough submissions like the bicep slicer that helped him win the qualifier. At 19, I think he might be the youngest competitor since Noah Randolph in PGF Season 1 (who was 16).
Landon Tourville posing with the Commissioner after winning the PGF Nashville Qualifier.
Matthew DeWees – Another blue belt out of 10th Planet Jacksonville, “Young Matthew” finished second to Paul Bahri, his friend and training partner at the Jacksonville Qualifier. DeWees showed off his skills again with some seriously technical matches at the Nashville Qualifier. Fans can learn more from his time as a guest on the PGF Insider/McDojo Life podcast.
Matthew DeWees locks in the calf crank on fellow PGF Season 5 competitor Carson Thigpen at the PGF Nashville Qualifier.
Cameron Hurd – He represents the Silverback Academy out of Chantilly, VA. Hurd is a HEAVY top-pressure guy who is all about that wrestling. Expect Hurd to wear his opponents out quickly then go for the submission. You can see an interview with him HERE.
Cameron Hurd after a victory. Photo credit to Caitlin Clarke.
Tony “Buddha” McClure – Buddha is your Huntsville Qualifier winner. He’s been training jiu jitsu for less than three years. He was a part of a small, but highly qualified high school wrestling program at Mount Zion High School (state qualifiers all four years). He’s a family man with a wife, two boys, and a full time job. He’s only a blue belt training out of Integrity Jiu Jitsu out of Carrolton, GA., but his jiu jitsu addiction along with his wrestling chops makes him a problem for any competitor.
Buddha is coming for some Toe Hold flip flops. Other competitors might just be having nightmares with Buddha getting his hands on their feet.
The MANTIS Travis Thomas – Travis is an up and coming MMA fighter. He’s the fastest promoted student from 10th Planet Decatur to both blue and purple belt. Like so many young men, he first didn’t know what to do with himself in adulthood. He lost his way for a bit. Rest assured, he’s found his path now. Thomas is a WARRIOR (full stop). He absorbs lessons at a ridiculously high rate. His athleticism and work ethic from MMA will make him DANGEROUS. Mark my words, he’s going to be the steal of the draft.
Travis Thomas will be looking to avenge his Handsomeweight Title loss if he gets a chance to face Handsome Kevin Sherrill this season.
THE WEST COAST MAFIA:
Sam Schwartzapfel – a former wrestler, turned jiu jitsu athlete. He was promoted to purple belt by Master Eddie Bravo this last summer. If you watched the PGF Los Angeles Qualifier, you saw Sam has SERIOUS wrestling and top pressure. His grinding style might have some issues with the PGF format (six-minute matches where only subs get you points). Still, no competitor will be able to look past Sam.
Fedor Nikolov – Eddie Bravo found the jiu jitsu equivalent of Ivan Drago from Rocky IV and made him his personal project. Previously out of 10th Planet Saint Petersburg (Russia), Fedor is now training out of 10th Planet HQ in Los Angeles directly training under the mad genius Eddie Bravo. You’ve seen him with a 10th Planet CJJ Qualifier. You’ve probably seen him elsewhere. You likely haven’t seen this man smile as he’s the new PGF Terminator (much love to Noah Randolph and Kevin Primeau). Many folks are already calling Fedor the new Hunter Colvin of the PGF – meaning, he’s the professional grappler that’s going to come in and HANDLE everyone. The editorial board at eggheadwarrior.com stands by our pick of Matt Elkins to be the victor this season – but Fedor will definitely make the post-season.
Fedor Nikolov is the first ever competitor to come from the wrestle back bracket to win a PGF Qualifier!
Cody “MOOSE” Fritz – The Young Moose out of 10th Planet Santa Barbara is calling everyone out! He’s a very smart grappler who is already analyzing everyone’s game. Moose is exactly the grappler the PGF Fans have been wanting. He’s going to come back with his shield or on it.
Be ready to hear a whole lotta MOOOSSSEEE calls during the PGF this season. He’s the type of competitor who will get the crowds excited!
This roster sports a number of veterans and exciting newcomers. Fans should be VERY excited for the Shark Week of Jiu Jitsu – PGF Season 5 will start October 29 and run through the Finale tournament on Saturday, 4 November. All the action will be live on Brandon Mccaghren’s YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
You can be guaranteed one of the most entertaining, exciting submission grappling experiences for fans and competitors alike. It’ll start with a combine Sunday morning, followed by a live draft that night. Then, the PGF will get right to the action the next day. Every competitor will get three matches a day and at least 12 matches total, leading to the fans knowing how the competitors stack up. Then, the top eight competitors, having accumulated points by earning submissions (6 points for a kill/choke; 3 for a break/joint lock; and a bonus point for a submission in less than one minute – the Elbow Genie Rule). The top eight will have a single elimination tournament with set time limits but with a two-round EBI overtime. Fans can join the action on BMAC’s YouTube channel and join in on the fun in the comment section. Commentators will be interacting LIVE with the fans in the comment section. Fans’ ability to interact with the production and build a community in the chat, these are just a few of the things that set the PGF apart and above all other submission grappling competitions. Not to further gild the lily, the fans, both practitioners and just sports fans, will LOVE the PGF.
But maybe one more point before I let you go – FANTASY!!!! I know many of you are avid fantasy football fans as I am. Well, we have fantasy PGF. I wrote a separate post about it. However, let me give you a big reason why you should JOIN THE FANTASY LEAGUE. You’re probably saying, “I’m a fan of so and so but I don’t know enough about everyone to play.” Don’t worry, the Editorial Board at Eggheadwarrior.com has your back. We’ll put out a pre-draft board and will push out fantasy analysis posts EVERY DAY with plenty of time for you to read the posts, agree or disagree, and set your lineup. Honestly, the Fantasy Grappling aspect of the PGF led us to start this blog. It’s a blast and will give you something to root for in every match. Even if we win the fantasy (so many times the bridesmaid), the PGF staff and production crew cannot win the $1000 or $1000 in gear. So, they’re up for grabs for any fan that tries – which is FREE!!!! May the odds be ever in your favor.
Ok, now go out and research these competitors. You have some fantasy PGF cash to win!!!
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.
Unless you’re a diehard Professional Grappling Federation fan, you likely don’t know Sawyer Griffin. And he wouldn’t want it any other way. No, he’s not the former collegiate wrestler looking for another competitive adventure. No, he’s not the former mma fighter looking for a sport with more longevity. Sawyer Griffin is the every man. The guy who was going on with his life when he discovered jiu jitsu – then everything clicked. Sawyer is the every man whose killer instinct was ignited when he hit the mats.
Sawyer Griffin sinking in the rear naked choke against an opponent.
After graduating high school, Sawyer was looking to do some sort of combat sports. He first thought of boxing, but his father told him to check out 10th Planet Decatur, led by the Commissioner, Brandon Mccaghren. About three years into training (he had taken a year off), Sawyer has earned his purple belt under a coach who loves to make people REALLY earn those belts. As Sawyer says, “they let you cook. Brandon loves to cook you while he’s on top. That’s just his game. His game is to make you suffer and to suffer for a long time and to make you scream to let him kill you. That’s the way he goes for his belt promotions. He wants you to have a psychotic break right before you get it, then wait 2-3 more months to see if you come back and can get it.” Well, Sawyer kept coming back and earned a very well-deserved purple belt.
Even as Sawyer hones his jiu jitsu skills, he’s just a regular guy. As Sawyer’s roommate and training partner Jackson Spry said, “Sawyer Griffin only has two modes: one for when he is on the mat and a totally different one when he’s not.” Off the mat, Sawyer is a full-on Clark Kent-type klutz. He trips over things that are not there; he hurts himself opening doors. But when he’s on the mat, “[Sawyer] is a full speed submission hunter that never stops moving forward and often mocks and taunts opponents when they resort to stalling or running away just to try and survive his blistering pace.” Spry said.
As his roommate and training partner Jackson Spry said, Sawyer off the mat is “downright awkward but very funny and loveable guy whenever he’s not competing.”
Despite his goofy ways off the mat, fans should not question his dedication. He’s smart, boasting a health and wellness management degree from Athens State University. Off the mats he shows his dedication through a very strict diet, essentially eating the same meal every day. He only breaks diet right after a competition. Sawyer recently started upping his game some more, by adding training with the burgeoning mma program at 10th Planet Decatur.
Back to Sawyer’s exploits in the PGF, he earned his invitation by finishing second place in the first two PGF Season 5 qualifiers. He has expertly dispatched every opponent except for the two eventual qualifier winners. But he’s even shown those qualifier winners something to consider. In the PGF Season 5 Wetumpka Qualifier, Sawyer Griffin faced PGF veteran and Handsome Daddy Belt-holder. Handsome Kevin Sherrill. Fans of the PGF know a little bit about Handsome Kevin Sherrill from his recent article on Eggheadwarrior.com. Besides being the PGF Season 3 runner-up, Handsome Kevin just happens to be a former Division 1 wrestler. Facing a wrestler of Handsome Kevin’s caliber, Sawyer’s obvious move would have been to sit immediately. What did Sawyer do? He went for a single-leg takedown. In both their matches at the Wetumpka qualifier, Sawyer refused to back down. He was constantly on the attack against the very seasoned wrestler and grappler who is Handsome Kevin. Sawyer came up short, but he showed the fans and the Commissioner that Sawyer Griffin has the warrior ethos, the come back with your shield or on it attitude that fuels the PGF.
Sawyer Griffin works a single leg takedown against Handsome Kevin Sherrill during the PGF Season 5 Wetumpka Qualifier.
Sawyer cemented his spot in the PGF, receiving his invitation after his performance at the PGF Season 5 Decatur Qualifier. There, he first faced Joshua “Full Time” Gibbs, two-time PGF veteran and winner of Season 3’s Such N SuchBATTLERAMA! (5:12:35). Sawyer showed a sick back take on the way to a rear-naked choke submission. In his next match, Sawyer secured a guillotine against a mma veteran in the form of Christopher McConnell. Sawyer lost his match against The Rock Troll Maximus Jolly, but came back and showcased another expert back take on the way to rear naked choking another PGF Season 5 competitor in the form of Carson Thigpen. While Sawyer eventually fell again to the Rock Troll, ending up as the runner-up for the Decatur qualifier, Sawyer once again showed he had the pace, the attitude, and the chops to finish PGF competitors and excite the fans.
Sawyer Griffin locks in the rear naked choke against fellow PGF Season 5 competitor Carson Thigpen at the PGF Season 5 Decatur Qualifier.
Fans wanting to know more about Sawyer Griffin can check out his Instagram. Better yet, they can check out the No Gi Neighbors Podcast where Sawyer and his roomate and training partner Jackson Spry talk about mma, grappling events, training, and the PGF. Of course, fans can check out the PGF Insiders podcast McDojo Life YouTube Channel or Brandon Mccaghren’s channel (if a member). For future competitors who will face him in the PGF, they better check out that tape and beware Sawyer’s back takes. Moreover, they better work on their cardio. Regardless of who Sawyer Griffin faces, he’s going to push the pace and he won’t back down an inch.
The editors at EggheadWarrior.com thank the PGF Insiders, Sawyer Griffin, and Jackson Spry 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.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is about technique; size, strength, or other attributes don’t matter. Yeah, if you believe that, I have some oceanfront property to sell you in Arizona. Carson Thigpen has serious technique on his side, but his athletic background could help set him apart from the crowd in Season 5 of the Professional Grappling Federation (PGF). His speed, flexibility, and strength have setup many highlight submissions for him in a number of PGF Qualifiers.
Carson Thigpen telling the field he’s coming for all of them after he quickly submits Chad “Dr. Von Flue” Rezzy at the PGF Season 4 Nashville Qualifier,
Every season, the PGF has a standout blue belt who becomes a fan favorite: someone like a Noah Randolph from Season 1, Evan Stapler from Season 2, Kevin Beuhring from Season 3, Nick Sahf from Season 4. Carson Thigpen looks to be this season’s fan-favorite blue belt.
Thigpen earned his roster spot as an at-large bid after competing in the PGF Season 5 Decatur Qualifier. He hit two highlight-level submissions; one against David “Turbo Tax” Cooper out of Ironclad Wrestling who has had some great performances at PGF qualifiers and one against Joshua “Full Time” Gibbs, the PGF Season 2 and 3 veteran as well as the BATTLERAMA CHAMPION. These two highlights, and perhaps along with the illustrious new mustache Thigpen was sporting, led Brandon Mccaghren (the Commish) to extend him an at-large bid.
Thigpen sporting the nice mustache with his hand raised after taking out Joshua “Full Time” Gibbs.
Admittedly, Carson Thigpen also suffered two losses at the PGF Season 5 Decatur Qualifier. He lost to eventual qualifier winner Maximus “Rock Troll” Jolly (see his profile here). Thigpen also lost against another at-large bid recipient in 10th Planet Decatur product Sawyer Griffin. But fans who watched the PGF Season 5 Decatur Qualifier likely don’t know the rest of the story about Carson Thigpen. Most importantly, during this qualifier, Thigpen had only returned to grappling for a little over two months after having a five-month layoff due to a grade-three AC joint separation and torn labrum surgery. Thigpen admitted to Matt Skaff during his post-qualifier interview that his defense/reactions were slow and his cardio wasn’t where he wanted it. With an additional five+ months of mat time and strength and conditioning between the qualifier and the PGF Season 5 Regular Season, rest assured, Carson Thigpen will be back to his old form. And by old form, fans need to know a little more about Carson Thigpen’s past, both before the PGF and with relation to the past seasons of the PGF.
PGF Commentator and 10th Planet Black Belt Matt Skaff interviews Carson Thigpen after the PGF Season 5 Decatur Qualifier. Photo courtesy of Brandon Mccaghren’s YouTube Channel.
Thigpen grew up playing baseball. While John Kruk (of Philadelphia Phillies fame) said “I’m a baseball player, not an athlete,” the modern baseball competitors beg to differ. Thigpen played baseball since he was able to walk. He started as a catcher, the leader of the team, then moved to pitcher later in his career. He earned his way through college as a pitcher for the Bluefield State University Big Blues, an NCAA Division II program.
Thigpen graduated in the spring of 2019. As he puts it, “sports players suffer two deaths: one when they stop playing and one when they finally die.” Thigpen was dealing with the loss of his ever-present sport after graduating and decided to start training in Muay Thai in the fall of 2019. Like so many other standout athletes, Thigpen thought about trying his hand at mixed martial arts (MMA). That is, he tried it until he got punched in the face a few too many times and realized BJJ might be the real sport for him. Essentially, he started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu just about the time the COVID 19 lockdowns started.
Thigpen trains out of Renzo Gracie Nashville under the world-renowned BJJ competitor, coach, and now ADCC main commentator Shawn Williams. Thigpen learned about the PGF after seeing a number of his training partners compete against PGF Season 3 standout Kevin Beuhring. As Thigpen knew of Beurhing and watched him on the PGF, Carson learned Summit Grappling Championship was looking for competitors for super fights at the PGF Season 3 Finale. Thigpen threw his hat in the ring and soundly won the first Summit Grappling Championship match of the night. Fans might not have known at the time, but they hadn’t seen the last of Carson Thigpen.
Carson Thigpen and his defeated opponent leave the mats after their match during the Summit Grappling portion of the PGF Season 3 Finale. Photo Courtesy of Walo Jay.
Thigpen returned to the PGF for the Cincinnati Qualifier. He started off the qualifier with a match against the eventual winner Brandt Basaran in this match. Basaran hit a “wild-man leg lock” in not much time. Next, he face Lance McConnell in this match. It was a very exciting match with McConnell, the seasoned brown belt, getting a lot of nice looks at Carson’s neck. But Carson kept flowing with every attack. Eventually, Carson secured the toe-hold submission. Next, Carson faced Max Stiers from Queen City Grappling (having the home field advantage) in this match. Carson showed a beautiful leg lock entry securing the submission. Then, finally Thigpen went up against Basaran again with the same result as their previous match. Even though he was the runner up, Thigpen showed serious resilience in fighting back to the final match after losing his initial match. Between his resilience and explosiveness, he earned the Commish’s respect and interest.
After Cincinnati, Thigpen didn’t rest. He had a great showing at PGF Season 4 Nashville Qualifier. In his first match, he took on PGF fan favorite Mario Gaor. Gaor is now a black belt and is a veteran of seasons 1, 3, and 4. Thigpen allegedly completed his second takedown ever in competition against Mario. Then Thigpen impressed Mario by going for a Dagestani handcuff. Eventually, Thigpen found his way to a toe-hold submission (which would have gotten him some sweet flip flops if he was a part of season 3). In his second match, Carson vied against Chad Rezzy also known as Dr. Von Flue who had secured a von flue choke in his previous match. Thigpen quickly worked the leg entanglement and got the leg lock, giving a finger-gun salute to the camera. Carson later took on Juan Martinez in a qualifier match. In that match, he almost got the nickname “Handsome Eddie Cummings.” Carson secured a straight ankle submission in about 20 seconds. To be sure, the PGF Insiders and the Editorial Board at Eggheadwarrior.com are huge fans of Juan Martinez (who after all was 7th in PGF Season 4 regular season standings and acquitted himself well in the post-season tournament)…so it should say something that Carson was able to get the quick submission against a competitor who had a very solid showing at the PGF Season 4 regular season. Thigpen met his match against eventual PGF Season 4 regular season point leader and post-season tournament runner-up Dane Leak in this match. Carson tried to enter the legs, but Dane, the cagey black belt, navigated his way out of the situation and got Carson in his closed guard. Eventually, Thigpen fell prey to Leak’s back game along with a number of smothers on the way to the rear naked choke finish. Carson was eventually knocked out by a PGF Season 4 competitor who finished in the top four in the regular season, Samson “The Hustler” Phommabout. Carson showed some great technique but left his arm vulnerable during a false reap attempt and Sampson took advantage of it. Regardless, after his SOLID showings at two different qualifiers, Thigpen received an at-large bid from the Commish for PGF Season 4.
Unfortunately for us fans, as mentioned above, Thigpen suffered a grade-three AC joint separation and a labrum tear only three weeks before the PGF Season 4 began. Thigpen’s doctors got him into surgery within a week of the diagnosis. Luckily, after he was able to get out of the sling, Thigpen had almost complete range of motion. He stretched a bit with his physical therapist then was off to the races with strengthening.
Now, having secured his spot in PGF Season 5, Thigpen can start focusing on competing during the regular season. While some might thing Thigpen should rest up, he assures everyone he will be the most active competitor around. He wants to keep sharpening himself against competition. While Thigpen was excited to feature his athleticism and size by cutting to 155 pounds for Season 4, he sees some opportunities by competing at 185 pounds for Season 5. Thigpen normally walks around at 186-190 pounds, he won’t have to worry about any drain resulting from a hard weight cut. Thigpen says he knows the littler grapplers in the season may be able to put a pace on him now; Thigpen knows he can use his added size to pressure them. As mentioned above, Thigpen is a proven athlete. Given five months to prepare for the PGF Season, one has to believe we’ll see an explosive, strong, durable Carson Thigpen when PGF Season 5 kicks off on October 29th. Call him just a blue belt all you want, but for PGF Season 5, he’s going to bring the heat.
Carson Thigpen leaves the mats victorious after his match at the Summit Grappling portion of the PGF Season 3 Finale. Photo Courtesy of Walo Jay.
For those interested in watching who might join Carson Thigpen and the rest of the PGF Season 5 roster or those interested in joining them on the roster, you need to pay attention to the pre-season QUALIFIERS. On August 12th, 10th Planet Jacksonville will host a qualifier. On August 26th, One Nation Jiu Jitsu will host a qualifier. On 24 September, 10th Planet HQ will host a qualifier. On October 7, 10th Planet Huntsville will host a qualifier. The Commissioner has said he is looking to add qualifiers in Austin and other locations, but the details have not been finalized so make sure to subscribe to his YouTube Channel and follow him on Instagram (or check back here) to get the details on additional qualifiers when they become available. Prospective competitors should not delay registering for qualifiers.
The editors at EggheadWarrior.com thank the PGF Insiders and Carson Thigpen 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). If you’d like to see the PGF Insider interviews with Carson Thigpen that provided most of this content, you can view the first one HERE and the second one HERE or you can download podcast from ITunes, Podbean, Spotify, and other podcast outlets. Special thanks to Walo Jay for all the great photos. Those interested in Walo’s work can check out his YouTube page and Walo’s website.
Some Professional Grappling Federation fans call him “Maximus Prime.” Most know him as “The Rock Troll.” But every competitor this season will have to recognize Maximus Jolly for what he really is…a serious contender. Before the season starts, let’s look back at how PGF fans got to know Maximus, his intentions for this season, and explore a little of his martial arts journey.
Maximus first impressed as a buzz saw at the Season 4 Chattanooga qualifier. His “grip it and rip it” mentality led him to submitting all his opponents, even when they should have been in safe positions. But another thing stood out about Maximus: his smile. PGF commentator Lindsey Mccaghren pointed out his ever-present half-smile looked made him look a little like the Rock Trolls from the movie Frozen. Even after that impressive performance, Maximus didn’t have a lot of footage on the internet for the PGF coaches to analyze. He proved to be the steal of the draft, taken by Coach Sean Applegate in the fourth round. Maximus’s killer instinct made a huge impact, leading him to take fifth place in the regular season, eventually falling in the semifinals of the post-season tournament.
Maximus “Rock Troll” Jolly tries to secure the rear-naked choke on eventual Season 4 runner-up Dane Leak. Leak won this semifinal round by quickest escape in overtime. Photo Courtesy of Walo Jay.
PGF Season 5 will be at 185lb, about 20% heavier than Season 4’s 155lb limit. Some fans have questioned whether the smaller Season 4 competitors would return for Season 5 with this large increase in size. The Rock Troll was undeterred. Maximus decided to take his shot at the Decatur qualifier. Given that 10th Planet Decatur is essentially PGF Headquarters, that’s a bold move. Nevertheless, just like last season, the Rock Troll won his qualifier, securing each victory with submissions. Maximus posits he can take advantage of his greater speed and stamina, being a smaller grappler. Moreover, he says his opponents will find his shorter limbs harder to control. At the same time, the Rock Troll knows he can’t allow someone who cut down to 185 lb. but walks around at 200+ lb. to smash him. Maximus has not shortage of confidence for this season which he put on display in his interview with the PGF Insiders on the McDojo Show. The Rock Troll knows that Handsome Kevin Sherrill has already laid claim to the PGF Season 5 belt; however, the Rock Troll said he’s going to take that belt away from Handsome Kevin, along with that Handsome Daddy Belt he won during the PGF Season 4 finale.
Maximus “Rock Troll” Jolly is primed to make a run at the PGF Season 5 belt. Maximus has said the PGF is his fort and he’s going to defend his fort.
Now that we know how the Rock Troll became a fixture in the PGF and his plans for this upcoming season, let’s take a look at how the Rock Troll started his martial arts journey. First, one should be careful to remember when not talking about the PGF, Maximus prefers his “Maximus Prime” moniker.
Maximus “Prime” Jolly has said his nickname is “Prime” unless it’s with regard to the PGF, then it’s “Rock Troll.”
Maximus Prime started training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Sarasota, Florida when he was 12. Like the beginning of so many other martial arts journeys there was a bullying involved. Soon, Maximus switched to Gracie Tampa Bay. He trained under an innumerable amount of coaches during this period. He was home schooled, allowing him to attend morning and evening bjj/judo classes at multiple schools in the area. Still, Gracie Tampa was his home base. His first coach and mentor was David Cainas, a bjj black belt under Rob Kahn and also a Judo black belt. Rob Kahn is one of Royce Gracie’s first black belts and built the Gracie Tampa Network. Cainas taught judo and kids bjj. Besides Cainas’ classes, Maximus mostly attended adult bjj classes taught by Rob Kahn himself, Broc Hooten, Matt Arroyo, Ben Zapata, Luis Mata and others. Initially, he trained with Cris Rodriguez and Dan Martinez for kids/teens bjj.
Maximus Prime Jolly poses with instructors. On the left, Rob Kahn was one of Royce Gracie’s first black belts and the leader of the Gracie Tampa Network. On the right, David Cainas was Jolly’s first mentor and coach, teaching him jiu jitsu and judo.
After Tampa, Maximus moved with his family to Salem, Oregon. It’s about one hour South of Portland. While in Oregon, the Rock Troll continued his training. He studied under James Puopolo at Salem-Keizer BJJ. Professor Puopolo was the 2013 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds champion. He is also an Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) tournament veteran. Puopolo earned his black under Raphael Lovato Jr. He trained Maximus for a year.
Maximus Jolly with James Puopolo, his instructor while he trained at Salem-Keizer BJJ in Oregon.
Finally, Maximus and his family moved to Tennessee where they now reside. Maximus now trains at Upper Cumberland MMA/10th Planet Cookeville. He’s studied there for a little more than two years. His main instructors are Michael Bartlett, a black belt under Brandon Mccaghren, and Jonathan Robbins, a brown belt. Between winning the Chattanooga Qualifier for Season 4 and the regular season, Maximus received his purple belt from Coach Bartlett.
Maximus poses with Coach Bartlett and Coach Robbins after receiving his purple belt.
Having recently turned 21, the Rock Troll has been training consistently for more than eight years. He’s not only cross-trained in one geographic area; he’s naturally cross-trained throughout the United States. Besides his constant training in jiu jitsu, Maximus and his family live on a homestead in the Tennessee countryside. As part of his daily chores and the normal operations of the homestead, the Rock Troll gets country strong. Just imagine a little Rocky IV montage with Rocky running in the wild and strength training with farming implements. Maximus would probably argue he’s not getting Rocky strong; he’s getting Rock Troll strong.
On the left, the Rock Troll works his grips and upper body. On the right, the Rock Troll works on his cardio, running for one hour in the Tennessee countryside.
The Rock Troll has put all his potential PGF competitors on notice: he’s coming for that championship belt. With his varied training background, youthful vigor, and Rock Troll training, the fans can expect to see Maximus Jolly having the time of his life during PGF Season 5. Rest assured, he’s almost guaranteed to have that half smile on his face as he’s finding ways to turn his opponent’s legs into “rotisserie chicken” as he would put it. In the eyes of the Eggheadwarrior.com editorial board, The Rock Troll could be a dark horse bet to do exactly what he says – win it all.
The Rock Troll takes a break between throwing logs around the homestead and heading off to train jiu jitsu. Three jiu jitsu matches a day during the PGF regular season should be nothing for this country boy’s stamina.
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). If you’d like to see the PGF Insider interview with Maximus “The Rock Troll” Jolly that provided most of this content, you can view it HERE or you can download podcast from ITunes, Podbean, Spotify, and other podcast outlets. Special thanks to Walo Jay for all the great photos. Those interested in Walo’s work can check out his YouTube page and Walo’s website.
Action, action, and more action…Brandon “BMAC” Mccaghren designed the Professional Grappling Federation to give fans the exciting matches they wanted. Currently still in the pre-season for Season 5, the PGF’s regular season and post-season tournament will take place October 29th – November 4th in Decatur, AL with all the action live-streamed on Brandon Mccaghren’s YouTube channel. This season, 185 lb and under men will have a chance to earn the belts in their respective weight classes. In the first four seasons of the PGF, Mccaghren has continually improved the PGF, optimizing the innovations he used to make the PGF the most exciting submission grappling. This post will discuss more news about the PGF but will first discuss those innovations – namely their match/scoring system, innovative camera work, advanced interactive community capabilities, and a full sports season (pre-season, regular season, and post-season).
In the Quarter Finals of the PGF Season 4 Finale, Dane Leak fights to secure the rear naked choke while Alex Hall defends. Photo Courtesy of Walo Jay.
An inspired match and scoring/points system biased towards action. Competitors can ONLY SCORE points with a SUBMISSION. Each match is ONLY SIX MINUTES LONG! Competitors have to push the pace! Each competitor only has 12 matches in the regular season to accumulate as many points as possible, putting a premium on opening up their games. Competitors can score via Kills or Breaks. A “Kill” or choke gets a competitor 6 points; a “break” or joint lock earns a competitor 3 points. Per the “Elbow Genie” rule, if a competitor scores any submission within the first minute of the round, they get an extra point (putting an even higher premium on action). No referee decisions exist! Competitors either secure a submission or they don’t. To be clear, if competitors don’t score a submission in their match- it’s a loss. There are no ties – if neither person gets a submission it’s the same result as each of them – losing the fleeting opportunity to put points on the board. Since only the competitors finishing in the top eight of the score ranking will advance to the post-season tournament, the pressure is on every competitor to make the most of their opportunities. This scoring scheme encourages competitors to pass the guard (weighting kills twice as much as breaks), but with the Elbow Genie rule it also incentivizes quick submissions. The competitors have reacted to this scoring scheme by showing us great, exciting, high-paced jiu jitsu.
Innovative camera work.Conscious Keelan and Isaac Stackhouse bring us unmatched camera work. With the rig Keelan first put forth in Season 1 and has perfected in subsequent seasons, the viewers constantly have the best seat in the house. Keelan used a gimbal to allow him to move around the action, often just barely outside of reach, to closely capture the grappling. We’ve all been frustrated watching a grappling competition online with only one stationary camera – it’s the worst. So often, the competitors will be on the edge of the screen and have their backs to the camera. The PGF has experienced jiu jitsu practitioners capturing the action from the mats. With talented grapplers behind the camera, these grapplers can anticipate how and where to move to maintain connection with the action. The end result is fans being able to fully follow and appreciate the competitors’ efforts without fear of losing sight of the action.
Interactive community. The PGF is the most interactive submission grappling promotion out there. Besides live fans at the events, the live broadcasts over YouTube allow fans from all across the world to hop into the chat and participate in the PGF community. Fans can ask the commentators questions or provide inside information on competitors. Since the first season, fans have been able to compete in fantasy PGF, where fans become team managers and use their budgets to put together the best roster of PGF competitors who will score the most points via submission each night. In recent seasons, we’ve also seen the chat put out bounties where they pay the competitors money if they hit certain submissions; or just send super chats to reward competitors for outstanding work. These bounties and super chat rewards have become a very nice source of revenue for competitors. The Commissioner is such a believer in his fans that he’s allowed the chat to help make rulings on submissions (e.g. Kill or Break). The PGF first started during the pandemic which quickly meant interacting with fellow fans on the YouTube chat was many fans’ only opportunity to congregate around jiu jitsu. Even as medical restrictions have lifted and fans have been able to practice their own submersion grappling, the online community has only grown further. Whether supporting someone they know, cheering against a heel, or just hopping on to enjoy some very exciting jiu jitsu, fans quickly find themselves a part of a growing, welcoming community.
Passionate staff. I’ll steal this point from “Handsome” Kevin Sherrill from season 3 and one of our qualifiers for Season 5. As a lifelong grappler (collegiate wrestler then added jiu jitsu), Handsome Kevin has been around grappling for a couple of decades. He remarked in multiple interviews that the passion the staff had translated to a great experience. Everyone “wants” to be at the PGF and are excited to make it a great success. The standout staff member from season 3 had to be Stephen “the Dream” Eakin. Eakin is the head of 10th Planet Perry and a black belt under Ritchie Boogie Martinez of the 10th Planet Freaks in San Diego. Serving as emcee, announcer, and post-match interviewer, Stephen has added a lot of flair and fun to the PGF. Whether he was getting the crowd excited for a match or pulling out nuggets of gold from the competitors after matches, Stephen put his everything into every aspect of his job. Of course, we have to mention the commentators. Lindsay Mccaghren and Matt Skaff have been calling the matches since the inaugural season. Both being 10th Planet Black Belts under Brandon Mccaghren, they have a real appreciation for competitors’ strategy and they have the experience to explain what’s happening to the fans. As long time training partners, they’ve always had great chemistry. Starting in season 3, they added a PGF superfan to the mix, with Egghead Warrior adding stats, prognostication, and a willingness to ask novice questions regarding the action to further help novice fans understand the action (blue belts are people too, but they sometimes need their black belts to explain things).
Nekiaya Jackson posing with her PGF women’s bantamweight championship belt at the Season 4 Finale. Photo Courtesy of Walo Jay.
While all these aspects make the PGF a truly outstanding promotion, it wouldn’t be possible without the competitors. The last four seasons have seen competitors from as far West as California and as far East as Jacksonville, Florida. The PGF has seen standout white belts and dominating black belts. Every season seems to have at least one blue belt who becomes a fan favorite. The variety in belts has led to some lower belts being “dunked on” by more experience higher-belted competitors; however, it’s also led to storied upsets. But to get the acclaim of the fans, the competitors first have to earn a spot in the PGF. Currently, the only way to earn a spot into the PGF is to compete in the preseason.
The PGF preseason consists of qualifiers spread throughout the country. Qualifiers are normally run as a double-elimination tournament. Competitors can assure their spot in the PGF by submitting all their opponents en route to winning the qualifier. Just like the regular season, qualifier matches are six minutes long, pushing the pace. However, unlike the regular season, if a match goes to a draw, the Commissioner will decide who advances. Before each qualifier, the Commissioner admonishes every participant that this decision will be based on who he thinks is the more exciting grappler. Mccaghren finds more and more ways to incentivize action.
The first qualifier was in Wetumpka, Alabama (a suburb of Montgomery) with the second qualifier taking place at PGF Headquarters in Decatur, AL. Competitors still have multiple opportunities to earn a spot. On August 12th, 10th Planet Jacksonville will host a qualifier. On August 26th, One Nation Jiu Jitsu will host a qualifier. On 24 September, 10th Planet HQ will host a qualifier. On October 7, 10th Planet Huntsville will host a qualifier. The Commissioner has said he is looking to add qualifiers in Austin and other locations, but the details have not been finalized so make sure to subscribe to his YouTube Channel and follow him on Instagram (or check back here) to get the details on additional qualifiers when they become available. Prospective competitors should not delay registering for qualifiers. Season 5 is likely going to be similar in form and function as Season 3, meaning there are only 20 spots available for the men’s 185lb division . As of now (updated as of 21 Sept), 15 of the 20 spots are taken (or 75%). Season 3 runner-up Handsome Kevin Sherrill secured the first spot with the first qualifier win. During the second Season 5 qualifier, three competitors earned spots. Season 4 semi-finalist, Maximus “Rock Troll” Jolly out of 10th Planet Cookeville won the second qualifier earning the second spot. Multi-qualifier standout and 10th Planet Decatur student Sawyer Griffin earned an at-large bid, due in part to some ridiculous back takes he displayed. Rounding out our current roster is Carson Thigpen out of Renzo Gracie Nashville. Thigpen was an exciting prospect who qualified for Season 4 but had to bow out due to an injury. A college athlete showing serious quick-twitch muscle skill while going for folks legs, he could be a real spoiler this season. For a complete rundown of the roster, see the post below.
Once competitors make it to the regular season, the real action starts. First, before the season even starts, the coaches for the four teams will participate in a LIVE DRAFT! For the sports fans out there, we know live drafts can be special with soooo much anticipation. These drafts can see coaches load up on players they know and have coached, but they can also lead to overlooked players taking to the microphone and calling out the field. No matter what happens, it’s a great time.
After competitors receive their team assignments, they compete in three matches a night against other teams, essentially in a round-robin fashion. This scheme means every competitor will face every member of opposing teams…there’s no place for opposing team members to hide. Competitors also quickly start keeping track of who scores submissions, so the know how much more they have to turn up their effort. Again, all these matches will be live streamed on YouTube. After the season concludes, the top eight competitors will face off in the post-season tournament. In the post-season, competitors face off in a slightly new ruleset. These matches are submission only, but with Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI) overtime rules. EBI rules means each competitor gets a chance at starting from an advantageous position (back control or spider-web [arm bar position]) and having two minutes to submit their opponent. In overtime whoever submits their opponent in less time or who can escape the fastest (in the case of no submissions) moves on to the next round. Eventually one competitor gets the ultimate prize- the PGF championship belt.
But really, it’s the fans who get the best prize – a phenomenally fun, exciting, and welcoming promotion. From the pre-season qualifiers to the regular season and post-season tournament, fans will come to know the competitors and find reasons to cheer for them. One thing fans won’t find in the PGF is a boring match. Even if a match goes to a draw, the competitors will be pushing the action. Brandon Mccaghren has formed the PGF to provide every possible incentive for exciting grappling matches, and he’s succeeded.
This article and its content may be disseminated/copied and distributed and/or used as the source for derivative works as long as some credit is given to this site (e.g. akin to a Creative Commons copyright). 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. Walo Jay has also agreed that anyone looking to promote the PGF may use his photos as long as credit is give.
The Professional Grappling Federation returns to HQ – 10th Planet Decatur this Saturday, 13 May for the second PGF Season 5 qualifier. Fans will be delighted to see multiple fan favorites vie for the second roster spot, joining Handsome Kevin Sherrill in competing for the 185 pound championship. Those fan favorites include Joshua “Full Time” Gibbs, Maximus “Rock Troll” Jolly, Carson Thigpen, and Sawyer Griffin. But fans should also be looking for a late entrant…Nekiaya Jackson, last season’s ladies 135 champ, might just sneak into qualifier.
Starting with the gentlemen, we start with a true gentleman. Joshua “Full Time” Gibbs got his start with the PGF in Season 2. Season 2 was the 225 pound men’s division. Coming from Nomad Jiu Jitsu, Gibbs was undersized for the division but competed admirably. Throughout the entire season, he was all class. Gibbs exhibited an ever-positive spirit while never giving up against the competition. Gibbs came back for Season 3. Even though he performed exceptionally well at the pre-season combine (I believe he was the best at the assault bike event), the coaches waited until the last round to draft him. This selection meant Gibbs was relegated to being an “alternate” or “bench” player for his respective team – meaning he would only get a match if the coach had or chose to pull another competitor out of a match. Gibbs watched the first night of competition from the bullpen, garnering no matches. Still, he remained upbeat and even went on a two-mile run the next morning to get his physical training in (he was a Navy man after all). Shortly after his PT, Gibbs got the call, a teammate was injured on the first night and Gibbs was going from replacement to FULL TIME. Gibbs performed admirably in the regular Season 3 competition like he had in Season 2, but he REALLY shined during the first-ever Such N Such BATTLERAMA! The fans watching PGF Season 3 live stream began to raise money for a special single-elimination tournament for the replacement/bench players who were drafted in the last round. So, on the last night of the regular season, the alternates had their shot. After defeating PGF veteran Louis Collins, Full Time Gibbs had to face a Tasmanian Devil in the form of Matthew Boiles. Boiles came at Gibbs with a flurry of attacks, but Gibbs continually escaped and endured. After tiring Boiles out, Gibbs scored the submission, earning him a nice check for $2,000 as the winner of the Such N SuchBATTLERAMA! (5:12:35). Gibbs now stands ready to enter Season 5 of the PGF. He’s a two-season veteran. In our talks with Gibbs, he assured us “I’m not going to be an alternate this season.” We’ll see how it shakes out for FULL TIME, but rest assured he has a lot of fans who have his back.
Maximus “Rock Troll” Jolly took the PGF by storm in Season 4! He came from 10th Planet Cookeville and proved to be a buzz saw, submitting all his opponents at the Chattanooga qualifier. During his second match, the First Lady of the PGF, 10th Planet Black Belt, and PGF Commentator, Lindsay Mccaghren mentioned Jolly looked like the main Rock Troll from the Disney film Frozen, with his constant half-smile. From that moment, Maximus formerly “Prime” Jolly became the Rock Troll. Jolly put his character on display with a very fun interview with the PGF Insiders before the season began. In the regular season of PGF Season 4, Jolly was a standout. He snagged limbs left and right, leg or arm. The Rock Troll put some real fear into his opponents. Eventually, Jolly made it to the Season 4 Finale, losing in the semifinals. Small in stature, the Rock Troll sports a banty rooster’s demeanor and a farm hand’s strength. And Jolly isn’t afraid to grip it and rip it whenever he secures an opponent’s limb. Asked about this upcoming qualifier, the Rock Troll said he’s choosing to show off some of his other skills. He simply said “Chokes will be on display.” And he assured us he’s going to choke everyone at the qualifier.
Carson Thigpen showing he’s coming for his opponents during the PGF Season 4 Nashville qualifier.
Carson Thigpen brought the heat at the Nashville Qualifier for Season 4. The former college baseball player went hard and fast for the submission every time, normally targeting his opponents’ legs. The grappler out of Renzo Gracie Nashville showed some real charisma when addressing the crowd and the camera. He further showed that charisma during an interview with the PGF Insiders before the season. Unfortunately, shortly before the season, Thigpen sustained an injury and could not compete. But Thigpen has healed and is roaring to get back into the PGF. In his own words, “I was super bummed out when I got hurt causing me to miss last season. I felt like I would make a huge statement in the 155 division, being a bigger guy. Now, I’m better fed leading up to the events, I’m less stressed worrying about my weight, and I’m so much stronger at 185. I think it’ll be shocker to see the upgrades I’ve made to my game as well as learn I’ve only been training full time again for a few months, since my surgery and recovery. I spent everyday on the wall, while injured, watching every class and every roll picking up little details to springboard me when I got healthy. My confidence is high going into this weekend, and I’m looking forward to bringing the action this Saturday!” So, we’ll see if Thigpen follows the likes of so many MMA fighters who actually perform better when they don’t cut weight. Either way, we all know Thigpen’s going to be pushing the pace and looking for submissions.
For fans wanting to see these and other great submission grapplers, they’ll have to watch Brandon Mccaghren’s YouTube channel this Saturday, 13 May at 11am EDT/10am CDT. Since it’s live on YouTube, fans can join on in the chat and interact with folks at the event, talking smack, giving superchats to competitors, or putting out bounties for certain submissions. The most exciting format in submission grappling is back for it’s 5th season and everyone should tune every chance they get.
The editors at EggheadWarrior.com thank the PGF Insiders, Joshua Gibbs, Maximus Jolly, Carson Thigpen, and Sawyer Griffin 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.
Handsome Kevin Sherrill is your first confirmed Professional Grappling Federation (PGF) Season 5 Contestant! Showing he has brains to match his good looks and grappling ability, Handsome Kevin snuck into the first qualifier at Coosa Jiu Jitsu and Wellness in Wetumpka, Alabama and snagged the first spot on the roster. Now everyone is chasing him in the hopes of winning the PGF. But Handsome Kevin called his shot long ago. Back on 29 October 2022, right after defending his Handsome title and winning the “Handsome Daddy” belt, Handsome Kevin called his shot, thanking the Commissioner, Brandon McCaghren, for making the 185 belt for him as well.
Handsome Kevin went on to call out the Jabroni Grappler, the man formerly known as the Bad Guy of the PGF, Elijah Carlton. Carlton was the winner of PGF Season 1, runner-up for Season 2, and was the betting favorite for Season 3 before sustaining/re-aggravating an injury.
Fans most recently know Handsome Kevin Sherrill from his appearance on PGF Season 4’s finale where he faced off against Travis “the Mantis” Thomas for the “Handsome Daddy” Belt. However, Handsome Kevin’s star began to shine quickly when he stepped up during PGF Season 3 to win the Atlanta Qualifier. In that qualifier, Handsome Kevin faced off against fellow fan favorites Kevin Beuhring and Matthew Boiles. Handsome Kevin showed a devastating mix of high-caliber wrestling with leglocks and a deadly back game.
But what sets Handsome Kevin truly apart from the crowd is his charisma. Fans could see it in Handsome Kevin’s Season 3 promo video. While other competitors gave the same analysis of their strategies, Handsome Kevin quickly shined saying he was only working on getting “those Toe-Hold sandals” who was a sponsor of the season and awarded a pair of sandals for every toe-hold submission. On the first night of the season, Handsome Kevin debuted his trademark hair flip in his second match. That match, against Jonathan “Elbow Genie” Roberts, was a phenomenal display of grappling by both competitors. Finally, Handsome Kevin settled into his signature hair flip and wink to the camera when he faced fellow Rome, GA wrestling state champion Randy “Dumptruck” Roden on the fourth night of PGF Season 3.
While Handsome Kevin’s charisma makes him stand out, he backs it up with serious submission grappling. His skills eventually led him to be the runner-up for the PGF Season 3 title. Sherrill has been a lifelong grappler, wrestling since he was 13. His skills eventually earned him a scholarship to University of Northern Iowa to wrestle at the division 1 level. After leaving college, Handsome Kevin found brazilian jiu jitsu. He’s been on the jiu jitsu journey for about seven years. Sherrill spent a good amount of time at 10th Planet Atlanta under the tutelage of his coach from PGF Season 3, Sean Applegate. Currently, Handsome Kevin has moved on and has his own team, Not Bad Combat Club, training out of the Executive Training Group facilities in Woodstock, Georgia. While Sherrill leads and teaches the Not Bad Combat Club, he cross-trains at around six places in the Atlanta area. One of the places Sherrill trains is at American Top Team Atlanta under Roan “Jucão” Carneiro. However, Handsome Kevin spends most of his time developing his new skills and strategies with LHM. LHM is led by three ATT Atlanta black belts: Paul Ardila, Sergio Ibarra, and Ernesto Rivera who have ADCC and EBI experience. The LHM trio have been cornering Handsome Kevin for nearly a year and he attributes the vast majority of his current approach to jiu jitsu to them.
Handsome Kevin has seized the initiative by securing the first roster spot for PGF Season 5 and he’s already letting other potential competitors hear that they’re all chasing him. Sherrill has also said he’ll be personally bringing teammates to other qualifiers. Whether allies of Handsome Kevin or those hoping to challenge for the Handsome Daddy belt, there are only a handful of opportunities left to earn a spot on the PGF Season 5 roster. In just a few days, on May 13, 10th Planet Decatur (PGF HQ) will host a qualifier. On August 12th, 10th Planet Jacksonville will host a qualifier. On August 26th, One Nation Jiu Jitsu will host a qualifier in Nashville. The Commissioner has said he is looking to add qualifiers in Los Angeles and Austin, but the details have not been finalized so make sure to subscribe to his YouTube Channel and follow him on Instagram (or check back here) to get the details on additional qualifiers when they become available.
As a reminder, the PGF is the only submission grappling league with a pre-season, regular season, and post-season. The qualifiers serves as the pre-season. The regular season will begin October 29. The season will be broadcast LIVE on YouTube each day. Each competitor will have 15 guaranteed matches over the season. At the end of the regular season, the top eight competitors will move onto the post-season tournament on Saturday, November 4.
As it stands, Handsome Kevin Sherrill is the only competitor who can safely circle that 29 October date on the calendar. But given his experience with the gauntlet that is the PGF and his formidable skills, it’s safe to say he has November 4th circled as well. After all, Handsome Kevin’s called his shot.
The editors at EggheadWarrior.com thank the PGF Insiders and Handsome Kevin Sherrill 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). If you’d like to see the PGF Insider interview with Handsome Kevin Sherrill that provided most of this content, you can view it HERE or you can download podcast from ITunes, Podbean, Spotify, and other podcast outlets. 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.
The Professional Grappling Federation (PGF), powered by SUBVERSIV, starts its Season 5 Qualifiers TODAY (22 April 2023) at Coosa Jiu Jitsu and Wellness in Wetumpka, Alabama (suburb of Montgomery, AL). This qualifier kicks off Season 5 of the PGF where 185 pound and under men will vie for their respective PGF championship titles.
The PGF is the only submission grappling league with a pre-season, regular season, and post-season. This weekend, the pre-season kicks off at Coosa Jiu Jitsu and Wellness. The qualifiers serve as the preseason to the PGF. To earn a spot in the regular season, prospective competitors MUST participate in a qualifier. Most qualifiers operate as a submission-only jiu jitsu tournament, adding the “wrestle back” losers bracket seen in many wrestling tournaments (essentially a double-elimination tournament). The winner of pre-season qualifiers earn an automatic bid to the regular season. But to incentivize exciting submission grappling action, the Commissioner (10th Planet Black Belt and ADCC and CJJ commentator Brandon Mccaghren) will select an unknown number of the most exciting competitors for at-large invites to the regular season.
The regular season will begin October 29. The season will be broadcast LIVE on YouTube each day. Each competitor will have 12 guaranteed matches. At the end of the regular season, the top eight competitors will move onto the post-season tournament on Saturday, November 4.
The PGF brings the most exciting rule set to a submission grappling league. Each match is only six minutes long, forcing each competitor to push the action. Moreover, the ONLY way to score points is securing a submission. Kills, or chokes, garner a competitor six points. Breaks, joint locks, earn a competitor three points. If competitors score a submission in less than one minute, the Elbow Genie rule gives the competitor a bonus point. With a set amount of matches and therefore opportunities to score points, competitors must make the most of every opportunity. Essentially, A DRAW IS A LOSS! So every competitor should take risks to score submissions, which opens up the matches (i.e. stalling seen in other formats is dis-incentivized).
The post-season tournament on November 4 will likely be a single-elimination, submission-only tournament using Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI) overtime rules. In the last four seasons, the tournament was preceded by a number of “super fights” between fan favorites from the season and other exciting competitors.
But, to make it to the post-season tournament and be crowned champion, every competitor MUST participate in a qualifier. If you’re reading this post and are interested in competing, it’s too late to head to Coosa Jiu Jitsu in Wetumpka for today’s qualifier, but the PGF has three additional qualifiers on the books. On May 13, 10th Planet Decatur (PGF HQ) will host a qualifier. On August 12th, 10th Planet Jacksonville will host a qualifier. On August 26th, One Nation Jiu Jitsu will host a qualifier. The Commissioner has said he is looking to add qualifiers in Los Angeles and Austin, but the details have not been finalized so make sure to subscribe to his YouTube Channel and follow him on Instagram (or check back here) to get the details on additional qualifiers when they become available.
Each season of the PGF has made big jumps in the quality of the broadcasts and event overall. From day one, the PGF was the most exciting competition format in submission grappling. Conscious Keelan, the Commisioner’s partner in the PGF and head of Subconscious Studios, was ahead of everyone in the grappling broadcast game, using a gimbal to bring the fans right into the action. Fans didn’t have to worry about competitors moving to dead space on the broadcast, Keelan constantly moved the camera to catch the action.
But the PGF is also the most interactive submission grappling promotion. Besides live fans at the events, the live broadcasts over Youtube allow fans from all across the world to hop into the chat and participate in the PGF community. Fans can ask the commentators questions or provide inside information on competitors. In recent seasons, we’ve also seen the chat put out bounties where they pay the competitors money if they hit certain submissions; or just send superchats to reward competitors for outstanding work. The Commissioner is such a believer in his fans that he’s allowed the chat to help make rulings on submissions (e.g. Kill or Break).
Whether your are a competitor or a submission grappling fan, you need to check out Season 5 of the PGF. You’ll see exciting competition with compelling storylines from competitors. Finally, you’ll join a community of competitors, production staff, and fans who truly put untold passion and their entire hearts into this promotion. It’s really something special.
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