Polaris, one of the world’s top grappling promotions, is set to bring fight fans another exciting card for Polaris 23, which takes place from the Doncaster Dome in Doncaster, England on Saturday. The event will feature a 66kg women’s grand prix, in addition to the return to competition for UFC middleweight Chris Weidman. Weidman is ticketed for a superfight main event against Owen Livesey.
Fight fans can catch Polaris 23 streaming live on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.
Superfight – Weidman vs. Lindsay
Weidman, the former UFC middleweight champion is set to compete for the first time since suffering a devastating sting leg injury at the hands of Uriah Hall in his most recent UFC outing at UFC 261. For fight fans, the injury proved to be shades of Weidman’s middleweight championship rematch with Anderson Silva, when Weidman shattered Silva’s leg on a checked leg kick. Nearly two years have passed since the fight with Hall at UFC 261, though Weidman told Ariel Helwani his leg is still not quite at 100 percent and is looking to ease back into the world of MMA.
Nevertheless, Weidman is set to return to competition in a world he knows better than most MMA fighters: jiu-jitsu. He famously won ADCC trials after around a year of submission grappling training, facing Andre Galvao in the opening round of ADCC 2009.
While there are countless more examples of Weidman effectively utilizing jiu-jitsu in high-level MMA fights, he will meet a new challenge in Livesey, the more experienced professional grappler. The former judoka has been a mainstay with Polaris since 2021 where he found quick success, though he is also a 2-0 mixed martial artist and could stand a good chance to build on his record if he ever decides to pursue the sport full-time. This past year proved to be Livesey’s most difficult year as a grappler, however, as he traded wins and losses in six Polaris matches. A victory over the former UFC champion will represent the highest-profile win of Livesey’s career to date.
Women’s 66kg Grand Prix
In addition to the superfight set to take place between Weidman and Lindsay, Polaris is set to put on a Women’s 66kg Grand Prix. Eight of the best female grapplers in the world will compete for a $20,000 prize at Europe’s largest professional jiu-jitsu event.
While the matchups and bracket will be announced shortly before the competition gets underway, the eight competitors have already been announced. Polaris under 55kg champion Ffion Davies will headline the field off her impressive run at ADCC 2022 and will be joined by three-time IBJJF No-Gi World Champion Elisabeth Clay, as well as the woman that defeated her at ADCC 2022, eventual 60kg champion Amy Campo. Canadian Brianna Ste-Marie, a silver medalist at ADCC 2022 and Combat Jiu-Jitsu world champion in both CJJ Worlds and Medusa, is also scheduled to compete, as is former ADCC European Trials winner Julia Maele, and Giovanna Jara, another 2022 ADCC Trials winner.
Rounding out the women’s field will be Maggie Grindatti and Joanna Dineva. Dineva earned her way into the grand prix, defeating five other women at London Grapple on February 4th in order to win the latest edition of Polaris Contenders. Grindatti, meanwhile, will be taking the place of Jaidyn Mueller, who was forced to withdraw from the event due to injury. Grindatti is a former IBJJF European Champion who is now set to make her Polaris debut on Saturday.
Polaris 23 Results
Women’s 66kg Grand Prix Finals
Elisabeth Clay def. Amy Campo via Points (1-0)
Superfight
Owen Livesey def. Chris Weidman via Unanimous Decision
Women’s 66kg Grand Prix Semifinals
Elisabeth Clay def. Ffion Davies via Toe Hold at 2:59
Amy Campo def. Brianna Ste-Marie via Rear Naked Choke at 9:52
Women’s 66kg Grand Prix Quarterfinals
Ffion Davies def. Giovanna Jara via Points (4-1)
Elisabeth Clay def. Joanna Dineva via Reverse Triangle at 8:57
Amy Campo def. Julia Maele via Rear Naked Choke at 5:45
Brianna Ste-Marie def. Maggie Grindatti via Armbar at 5:29
Preliminary Card
Ellis Younger def. Ben Ellis via Unanimous Decision
Liam Cann def. Chris White via Unanimous Decision
Shane Curtis def. Craig McIntosh via Unanimous Decision
Melissa Hill def. Julia Scardone via Armbar at 4:25
Cal Ellenor def. Alex Thompson via Kneebar at 6:09
Sam Quinn def. Josh Cherrington via Unanimous Decision
Miguel Alvarez def. Danny Ball via Heel Hook at 5:02
Rosie Clarke def. Amy Derwanz via Unanimous Decision
Seany Stewart def. Jamie Faulding via Unanimous Decision
Paul Lukowski def. Ian Jones via Unanimous Decision
Stephen Ellis def. Edward Phillipson via Rear Naked Choke at 3:02
Jake Goldthorpe def. Adam Peart via Rear Naked Choke at 8:02
