Sengoku: Another Jiu-Jitsu King Tries MMA

Alexandre “Xande” Ribeiro vs. Takashi Sugiura

Crafted on an unfortunate idea of kakutogi classicism, our main event pairs a jiu-jitsu master and professional wrestler. Thankfully, it does give us the MMA debut of one of this generation’s greatest grapplers in Ribeiro.

While his arch rival, Roger Gracie, has garnered more BJJ all-star to MMA prospect attention, Ribeiro, 27, is an Abu Dhabi Combat Club champion and five-time BJJ world champion. He’s also a two-time absolute class BJJ world champion, having knocked off the aforementioned Gracie in the absolute final in June. Among the recent superstar grappling converts -- Gracie, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, Demian Maia, Andre Galvao and Robert Drysdale -- Ribeiro stands as perhaps the most surprising.

Once upon a time, his big brother, Saulo, one of the previous generation’s greatest grapplers, was supposed to set the MMA world on fire with his jiu-jitsu prowess. Instead, he encountered Yuki Kondo and, on one of the sport’s grandest stages (see Rickson Gracie-Masakatsu Funaki), sustained a 22-second epic beatdown that all but officially ended the mysticism of BJJ in MMA and his ambitions in the sport.

The 38-year-old Sugiura (1-2), an accomplished amateur wrestler, now lines his pockets by suplexing foes in Japan’s Pro Wrestling NOAH. With three MMA bouts to his credit, you may remember him as the fellow who Paulo Cesar “Giant” Silva attacked with a plank of wood in Pride. If you’re truly well-versed, you may remember his last MMA affair two and a half years ago, when Ryuta Noji auditioned on his face for a Japanese tap-dance troupe.

No matter Ribeiro’s motivations and no matter how badly his striking lacks, we’re looking at a first-round submission here. Ribeiro may be awkward early, but the far superior technical craft he wields on the ground will most certainly give him the victory over a shopworn pro wrestler.