Novaes, in publicity photos

Black belt Jonatas Novaes teaches Jiu-Jitsu in Illinois alongside Rodrigo Comprido, and he just managed the biggest win of his career so far, in MMA.

“I was in the semifinal at Combat USA FC against a tough Ryan Thomas, a former UFC and Bellator fighter; it was a rough fight but I won it,” recounts Jonatas, who will fight for the belt in July.

“He accepted the fight on two weeks notice and had to drop weight classes, so he surely wasn’t as well trained as I was,” he said modestly.

“But this is how it went: I started by kicking his leg and knocking him off balance, and then with an inside kick I closed the distance and took him down,” he added.

“Ryan was good playing guard and caught me in an armbar, but it wasn’t in all the way, so I got out, got half-guard and then mounted. He flipped me, but I went straight for his arm and swept him back. He held out as best he could – and I was tired from stretching his arm out –, until I put his wrist under my armpit and he tapped right away.

The final will be against Rob Roy on July 16 in Wisconsin.