More on The Snowman's reign in the UK

By: Jon Shotter
Photos By: Giuseppe Vitolo

The Hackney Empire theatre in London’s East End is no stranger to hosting the leading lights of the stage and screen. Charlie Chaplin, WC Fields, Stan Laurel and Marie Lloyd have all performed there and although the venue is now more accustomed to hosting stand-up comedy and touring orchestras and operas, on Sunday March 11th, the Empire was once again host to the World’s leading exponents of their particular art.



The 10K Ground Clash is the sister event to the 10K Karate Clash, an established part of the Martial Arts Calendar. The Karate Clash was dreamt up by the promoter Joe Long in 2002, his intention, to host a karate competition that was accessible to the general public at large, combining top competitors with quality surroundings, and boxing style razzamatazz and coverage. Looking for an opportunity to diversify, in 2007, the promoters of the Seni Show; Fighters Inc; Masters of the Mat and 3on3, in association with European Fight Network (the promoters of the Urban Gorillaz Grappling Challenge and Gracie Invitational) decided to create a grappling tournament with the same goal. 32 top Grapplers, 1000 spectators, one night, one winner, with the biggest grappling prize outside of the ADCC World Championships… £10,000 Winner Takes All.

The 10K Challenge rules had a twist on more familiar rules such as those used by the CBJJ and ADCC. In order to promote maximum activity and submission attempts, positional points were only awarded for the first half of the 6 minute matches, with points for submissions attempts awarded for the duration of the match. In result, 16 of the 31 matches ended with a spectacular submission. Another innovation introduced by European Fight Network supremo Jude Samuels was the use of yellow and red cards for warning competitors of stalling and other rules infractions, rather than the more commonly used hand signals which can prove confusing to some spectators.

The list of competitors included World, Pan-American and European Champions in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission Wrestling, Mixed Martial Arts Champions and fighters amongst the cast of experienced British, Brazilian, American and European grapplers. The favourites coming into the tournament were Jeff ‘The Snowman’ Monson, the 2 time over 99kg ADCC Submission Wrestling World Champion and UFC veteran; Braulio ‘Carcara’ Estima, the 2 time BJJ World Champion and 6 time BJJ Pan-American Champion and Rafael Lovato Jr, one of the most decorated American BJJ Exponents and a Black Belt under the legendary Saulo Ribiero.

Accomplished competitors deserve accomplished officials and so Andy Roberts a BJJ purple belt with enormous competition experience both as a competitor and as a referee and Felipe Souza, a World Championship medallist and BJJ Black Belt instructor at Roger Gracie Academy in Ladbroke Grove were drafted in to oversee proceedings. The scoring and judging table was manned by Jon Shotter, partnered by William Koplitz, Luciano Cristovam and Vitor Estima

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Jeff Monson defeats Estima in 10K

By Spewy

London's Hackney Empire Theater was host to the first 10K Ground Clash on the 11th of March. Although grappling tournaments are now common place in Europe this one was set apart by it's winning purse of ten thousand pounds (about eighteen thousand dollars) to the winner. With such serious prize money on offer it is no surprise that it attracted some big names from both sides of the pond.

Also different from the run of the mill tournament was the setting, in a large traditional theater with only one main mat and a show production more usually found in a MMA event. Fighters were introduced from behind curtains to the splendor of music, announcements and pyrotechnics. A grand setting indeed for what was to become an intriging four hours of no gi grappling to a packed house.



The card :

Bracket one :
Braulio Estima
Ze Marcello
Haim Gozali
Pedro Bessa
Michal Russel
Tito Beltran
Paul Bridges
Tarec Saffiedine

Bracket two :
Jeff Monson
Tom Blackledge
Vincent Parisi
Neil Owen Mcevoy
Marcelo Bernado
Nicholas Gregoriades
Octavio Souza
Helio Perdigao

Bracket three :
Mario 'Sukata' Neto
James Zikic
Rafael Lovato Jr
Jess Laudin
Antony Rode
Chris Rees
Stephen Dawson
Chris Bright

Bracket four :
Lucio 'Lagarto'
Thiago 'Monstro' Borges
Simon Hayes
Marcus Riberio
Alexandre Izidro
Lee Catling
Gabriel Kitobar
Leo Negao

The competition ran to expectations with local favourite Braulio Estima coming through his bracket, Jeff Monson and Lovato Jr showing that jet lag is no barrier for the Americans, the final bracket being won by Leo Negao.

On to the Semi Finals. First up was Estima vs Lovarto Jr. Being supported heavily by the crowd Estima took Lovarto Jr down to the mat and secured his back before submitting the always improving American. Monson fought a very different match against the reluctant Negao. With almost five of the six minutes past without any score or action, Monson secured two take down points and that was enough to see him through to the finals.

After a ten minute interval containing a crowd pleasing interview with Londoner Roger Gracie, who when was quizzed who he would bet on for the final and unsurprisingly backing his long time friend and Gracie Barra team mate Estima to win, jokingly betting his own house no less, the final began. Estima in a move that was rather out of character lost one point early on to Monson with an usual and ineffective guard pull/sweep and soon afterwards could not stop the wrestling of Monson as the Snowman shot for the double leg and sunk it in deep. With the action now on the ground with Monson in Estima's guard the game really started with Braulio attempting several Triangle Chokes (his trademark submission) with Monson trying to capitalize on each attempt by countering with his own guard pass. What resulted was a stalemate that lasted the rest of the eight minute bout. Monson could not pass and Estima's attempts were becoming more desperate. With just two seconds on the clock there was a break for a cut over Estima's eye but that effectively signaled the end. Monson the winner by 3-0.

Post match interviews came with an obviously very upset Estima and a very humble Monson ceding that in his own mind he won over the better grappler. Such a move was appreciated by the partisan crowd and Jeff Monson walked away ten thousand pounds the richer receiving warm cheers.

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