It’s an exciting time for 2022 ADCC 88kg World Champion Giancarlo Bodoni, as he is getting his moment in the spotlight! On January 31st, FloSports will release a feature-length documentary, “Becoming Dangerous: The Rise of Giancarlo Bodoni,” which delves into his journey to the top. But that’s not all. There’s also some major breaking news about Bodoni as he has just signed to face the Tezos WNO light heavyweight champion Pedro Marinho in the co-main event of Tezos WNO Championship: Ryan vs Pena II. This highly-anticipated rematch, which was originally scheduled for November but was delayed due to injuries, will take place on Saturday, February 25th, in Costa Mesa, CA, for the 205 lb Tezos WNO belt.
Their first encounter at purple belt ended with Bodoni winning by submission, but Marinho has since secured a submission victory of his own by tapping Bodoni in the finals of the IBJJF Orlando No-Gi Open in 2021. Since their last meeting, both athletes have grown and accomplished great feats. Marinho finished 2021 as the two-division no-gi world champion and the Tezos WNO champ, while Bodoni excelled in the ADCC format, winning the East Coast Trials in 2021 and then the ADCC in September 2022.
Tezos WNO: Ryan vs Pena II 6-week countdown
In the main event, Bodoni’s teammate Gordon Ryan will face his bitter rival Felipe Pena, a Gracie Barra teammate of Marinho, in the fourth instalment of one of the most storied rivalries in jiu-jitsu at Tezos WNO Championship. More matches will be announced soon. Don’t miss out on the chance to witness this epic event live on Saturday, February 25th in Costa Mesa, CA.
Becoming Dangerous: The Rise Of Giancarlo Bodoni Available January 31st
Hold onto your seats, grappling fans! The highly-anticipated documentary “Becoming Dangerous: The Rise of Giancarlo Bodoni” is set to release on January 31st. This 60-minute film details the incredible journey of Bodoni as he goes from being a deep cut in his division to being named the 2022 FloGrappling Breakthrough Grappler of the Year and ADCC 2022 88kg World Champion. He took down some of the top talents in the game, including Tye Ruotolo, Matheus Diniz and Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa, and submitted the reigning champ, Diniz. This is a film you won’t want to miss, so mark your calendars for January 31st and get ready to watch it on FloGrappling!
Several Key Athletes Shift Weight Class For The Euros
In other exciting news, registration for the 2023 IBJJF European Championships is now closed, and weight class shifts have been announced for several key athletes. We can’t wait to see how these changes will impact their performances. For example, 2022 light featherweight world champion Meyram Maquine Alves jumped up two categories to lightweight, two-time heavyweight world champ Kaynan Duarte moved up to super heavyweight, Fellipe Andrew dropped down in weight, and Anna Rodrigues is up at featherweight. The competition is sure to be fierce!
And that’s not all. Four athletes have been announced for the upcoming IBJJF FloGrappling Grand Prix, scheduled for March 3rd in Austin, TX. The men’s lightweight bracket will include three-time IBJJF Pans champion Johnatha Alves and 2022 IBJJF Worlds silver medalist Andy Murasaki, and the women’s lightweight bracket will include five-time world champ Ana Carolina Vieira and three-time world champ Andressa Cintra. Two more athletes will be announced for each bracket in the coming weeks, and there will also be several super fights that are sure to be exciting.
Get ready for a thrilling event on March 3rd!
Featured image credits to Dominik Borowczyk
