One of Europe’s most prestigious Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu shows returns to Liverpool this weekend as Grapplefest goes down in the Fusion Nightclub on Saturday, December 3
The event will showcase some of the world's best in a night of submission-only grappling matches. This is the 14th Grapplefest since it began in 2017. In that time it has boasted the likes of UFC fighters, multiple British MMA fighters and various BJJ champions.
Liverpool-based gyms such as Next Generation and HAMMA MMA actively appear in the show, showing what Merseyside have to offer on a global scale.
Competitors travel from every corner of the planet to compete in Liverpool, with some being international superstars in BJJ. From five-time BJJ world champion, ONE championship flyweight champion and Joe Rogan Podcast guest, Mikey Musumeci, to multiple-time world champion Craig Gordon, the Grapplefest promotion is never shy of star power.
This year will be no different. The main event is a title fight between two monsters of men. ‘The Hillbilly Hammer’ Jacob Couch attempts to get the 90kg belt against current champion Eoghan O’Flanagan. Both men have been responsible for some of the best matches in Grapplefest and have previously competed at ADCC, arguably the most famous Jiu-Jitsu tournament on the planet.
Couch was victorious in his Grapplefest debut in February and has since competed in some of the most-viewed matches of the year. ‘The Hillbilly Hammer’ became a hit online following his appearance in a documentary about his gym in a small mountain town in Illinois.
His opponent O’Flanagan is one of the biggest British talents in BJJ. As well as placing fourth in the ADCC worlds tournament, O’Flanagan captured first in Europe. The English standout will be hoping to keep his Grapplefest belt by defeating one of the toughest men in the sport.
