ADCC on F2W: Torres Returns From Layoff For Vagner, Spriggs vs Tex
ADCC on F2W: Torres Returns From Layoff For Vagner, Spriggs vs Tex
Fight 2 Win is bringing us into no-gi season the right way by exclusively featuring this year’s ADCC contenders in the main and co-main events.
Fight 2 Win is bringing us into no-gi season the right way by exclusively featuring this year’s ADCC contenders in the main and co-main events.
The welterweight no-gi title on the line between two of grappling’s most entertaining submission specialists: JT Torres (Essential BJJ) and Vagner Rocha (Fight Sports). The co-main event features a 220lb no-gi match between Tim Spriggs (Team Lloyd Irvin) and Aaron “Tex” Johnson (Ribeiro). It all goes down at Fight 2 Win 119 this Saturday, July 27 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
JT Torres is the reigning ADCC champ, but he is not currently ranked in our no-gi rankings. Why? Because we haven’t seen him without the gi since he took gold at ADCC in 2017, defeating living-legend Lucas Lepri in the process. However, we see his gi game beautifully translate into his no-gi game. With transitions between judo-style footwork and foot sweeps, right into brute, wrestling-influenced takedowns it is safe to say that gi or no-gi JT Torres is one of the overall most complete grapplers on the scene today. He is also a submission machine, taking more than half his victories by way of submission, most frequently with a choke from the back.
As a multiple-time ADCC and EBI veteran Vagner Rocha is a name both revered and feared in the no-gi community. Vagner’s style is whatever it needs to be in the moment. From points to ADCC to submission-only, Vagner is up for the challenge and always puts on a crowd-pleasing performance.
This match-up is particularly exciting because both men were on the podium for ADCC in 2017– Torres with the gold and Rocha with the bronze. However, Rocha has been on a tear since then, dedicated to competing no-gi. Most recently he won at Third Coast Grappling and KASAI, giving him the momentum to climb the rankings and earn the number no.2 position in the no-gi 77kg ranking.
While both JT Torres and Vagner Rocha will appear in ADCC’s -77kg division, the co-main event features Tim Spriggs, who won the -99kg East Coast North American Qualifier, against Tex Johnson, who qualified at the same tournament in the +99kg division.
We are literally getting the best of the best in no-gi submission grappling. Both men dominated their qualifying tournaments for ADCC and have been competing steadily since. At ADCC, Tex won all four of his matches in under four minutes –a record for the organization. And it’s no surprise.
Tex has an incredible 63% submission rate. He once again proved his submission prowess taking home one of his biggest career wins with a heel hook victory over Felipe Pena at KASAI Pro 5 earlier this year. Look out for his submission attempts, from anywhere.
Spriggs has also been on a tear this year, taking down super tough opponents like the up-and-coming Devhonte Johnson, a former teammate of Tex, and he scored big with wins over 2015 ADCC champ Claudio Calasans and Marcelo Garcia-black belt Matheus Diniz at Spyder Invitational (although these matches were in the gi). Expect to see brazen wrestling, and an indominable will.