Ricardo ‘Pezao’ de Oliveira vs. Patrick DeCaro. Photo: StefanoPicchio

The big names of the IBJJF’s first event in Switzerland were, appropriately enough, Swiss locals themselves. Thomas Oyarzun and Karim Khalifa, training partners at Alliance Geneva, not only took gold in the middleweight and super heavyweight divisions respectively but also closed out the open weight division.

In his own division, Karim defeated Marcio Da Silva by armbar in under a minute to take his first title of the day, whilst Thomas finished Francisco Ramos by triangle choke after a controlling performance in an active match.

When it came to the absolute, Karim faced another Swiss local in the form of Patrick DeCaro. Unfortunately an accidental knee reap off the first attack of the match led to a disqualification that ended a potentially entertaining match before they could really get started.

Thomas ended up facing his training partner’s divisional opponent Marcio Da Silva in his own absolute match, and despite the size disadvantage and his opponent’s pressure he managed to secure an armbar from the guard to take his place in the final opposite his friend and training partner. Karim took the top spot on the podium and Thomas took the gold medal home as they shared the victory between them.

Alliance Geneva head instructor, Ricardo ‘Pezao’ de Oliveira was not content to allow his students to take all the glory this time out though. Adding to their already impressive performance he took home another title for his academy in the medium heavyweight division. The division was initially a four man affair, but a last minute drop out gave Switzerland’s Patrick DeCaro the first slot in the final. On the other side of the bracket, ‘Pezao’ defeated France’s Julien Cazier by points to set up the final. Ricardo then defeated Patrick by a guard pass to take the medium heavyweight title and add to the Alliance medal haul in Zurich.

In the remaining black belt division, Roger Gracie student Oliver Geddes took the top spot on the podium in the lightweight division, defeating France’s Douglas Barcelos in the semi-final by Ezekiel choke and Zurich native and crowd favorite Felipe Broa in the final by kneebar. Felipe, head instructor of Carlson Gracie Zurich, had overcome Belgium’s Wim Deputter by referee’s decision after a thrilling match that came down to the last minute to reach the final.

For full results, click here.

For a photo album, click here.

Desert Force looks set to move MMA up another step in popularity in the Middle East, thanks to TV. Photo by Khalid Walid Hassan.

In the midst of the current era of political turmoil, the Middle East will again be the stage for a major MMA event. With Amman, Jordan, hosting the event, countries that now and again flare up in armed conflict will get to see their representatives do battle in the Desert Force cage.

As previously reported here on GRACIEMAG.com, MBC Action, a Middle Eastern channel spanning 22 Arabic-speaking nations, will broadcast the event. The network has run a number of ads for the event ever since the end of the sacred Muslim month of Ramadan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VzNujmwfkQ

The lineup will feature an array of different accents. Making his debut in the sport, Mallick Quraan is the son of a Jordanian father and American mother. Born in the USA, he was raised in New Jersey and learned Portuguese from his capoeira teacher. Despite never having visited Brazil, he is fluent in the language. Also featuring at the Middle Eastern event is Gabriel Tayeh, a Brazilian of Palestinian parentage, who is doing his training camp at X-Gym in Rio de Janeiro. The Sul Jiu-Jitsu black belt from Porto Alegre commented on the opportunity:

“It’s a Middle Eastern tournament but half the fighters are of other origins. I feel that makes the event all the greater, because it brings experience and a different technical level from Brazil, the USA and Europe. The folks in the Middle East are really tough, so it’s a good mix.”

Aside from the fighters, there will be Jiu-Jitsu black belt coaches and assistants from Brazil—like Alex Negão Paz, who will be cornering Yahya Alhammadi—a head of security for a prince of Abu Dhabi—, as well as Francimar Bodão, who is training Jordan’s Haider Rashedd.

According to Zaid Abu-Soud, one of the promoters of the event, the central idea in putting on the show is the search for champion-caliber fighters from the region to launch at major shows with a worldwide scope in the near future: “The Arabic youth needs sporting heroes, and MMA can provide it for them.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=expNr80R9Lk

Desert Force V – on MBC Action
Amman, Jordan
September 7, 2012

Mazen Alhindi (KSA) vs Ahmded Albousairi (KUW)
Noureldin Isam (SUD) vs Daniel Hilal (LIB)
Karim Khalifa (TUN) vs Abdullah Abou Hamdan (LIB)
Abdelali Mouira (MAR) vs Silvester Saba (LIB)
Mohamad Mashaly (EGI) vs Mallick”Rato” Quraan (JOR)
Tarek Suleiman (SIR) vs Mohammed Abu Naim (PAL)
Moh’d Ibrahim Elmgharbel (LIB) vs Bechir Majri (TUN)
Mahmoud El-Sayed (EGI) vs Yahya Alhammadi (EAU)
Rida Mourak (MAR) vs Gabriel Tayeh (PAL)
Amr Wahman (EGI) vs Ammar Tchalabi (KSA)
Bilel Missaoui (TUN) vs Haider Rasheed (JOR)

Desert Force pretende subir mais um degrau no MMA no Oriente Médio, graças à TV. Foto: Khalid Walid Hassan.

Mesmo atravessando uma época de turbulência política, o Oriente Médio será novamente palco de um grande evento de MMA. Em Amam, na Jordânia, países que volta e meia resolviam disputas através de conflitos armados vão poder ver seus representantes no octógono do Desert Force.

Como adiantado aqui na GRACIEMAG.com, o canal MBC Action, que cobre 22 países de língua árabe, promete transmitir o evento. A emissora já tem feito, desde o fim do Ramadan (o mês sagrado muçulmano), várias chamadas no seu horário comercial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VzNujmwfkQ

O evento terá muitos sotaques. Estreante no esporte, Mallick Quraan é filho de um jordaniano e uma americana. Nasceu nos EUA, foi criado em Nova Jersey e por lá aprendeu português com seu mestre de capoeira. Mesmo sem jamais ter visitado o Brasil, fala português fluente. Outra figura presente no evento árabe é o brasileiro de origem palestina Gabriel Tayeh, que faz sua preparação na X-Gym no Rio de Janeiro. O faixa-marrom da Sul Jiu-Jitsu de Porto Alegre comentou a chance:

“É um torneio árabe, mas quase metade dos lutadores é de descendentes que vivem fora daquela região. Acho que isso engrandece o evento, porque traz experiências e um nível técnico diferenciado do Brasil, dos EUA e da Europa. O pessoal no Oriente Médio é muito casca-grossa, então é uma boa mistura.”

Fora os lutadores, teremos ainda faixas-pretas de Jiu-Jitsu brasileiro como treinadores e assistentes – é o caso de Alex Negão Paz, que acompanha um dos seguranças do Príncipe de Abu Dhabi, Yahya Alhammadi, e também o caso de Francimar Bodão, que treina o jordaniano Haider Rashedd.

Segundo um dos promotores do evento, Zaid Abu-Soud, a ideia principal do evento é a busca de campeões da região para serem lançados em breve nos grandes torneios de abrangência mundial: “A juventude árabe carece de ídolos no esporte e o MMA pode proporcionar isso para as pessoas.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=expNr80R9Lk

Desert Force V – on MBC Action
Amam, Jordânia
7 de setembro de 2012

Mazen Alhindi (KSA) vs Ahmded Albousairi (KUW)
Noureldin Isam (SUD) vs Daniel Hilal (LIB)
Karim Khalifa (TUN) vs Abdullah Abou Hamdan (LIB)
Abdelali Mouira (MAR) vs Silvester Saba (LIB)
Mohamad Mashaly (EGI) vs Mallick”Rato” Quraan (JOR)
Tarek Suleiman (SIR) vs Mohammed Abu Naim (PAL)
Moh’d Ibrahim Elmgharbel (LIB) vs Bechir Majri (TUN)
Mahmoud El-Sayed (EGI) vs Yahya Alhammadi (EAU)
Rida Mourak (MAR) vs Gabriel Tayeh (PAL)
Amr Wahman (EGI) vs Ammar Tchalabi (KSA)
Bilel Missaoui (TUN) vs Haider Rasheed (JOR)