Grapplefest 70kg champion Keith Krikorian will defend his title towards Gabriel Sousa at Grapplefest 18 on March 2.
Keith Krikorian and Gabriel Sousa will quickly meet in a rematch of the pair’s high-paced 2022 conflict.
On Saturday, March 2, at Grapplefest 18 in Liverpool, England, Krikorian will put his 70kg Grapplefest title on the road towards Sousa. Grapplefest introduced the matchup on Instagram.
The tenth Planet black belt captured the title in April 2023 with a fast submission victory over Sam McNally.
Advert ADCC Trials champion and multiple-time ADCC and Who’s Quantity One (WNO) veteran, Krikorian is likely one of the most energetic opponents on the elite no-gi scene. Past his win over McNally, he boasts notable submission victories over the likes of Josh Cisneros, Kieran Kichuk, and Gianni Grippo.
Sousa made his Grapplefest debut in July, taking out The B-Group’s Damien Anderson by way of determination in the primary occasion of Grapplefest 16.
Like Krikorian, the Brazilian is a fixture on the highest ranges of the game. He’s a 2022 ADCC silver medalist with spectacular victories over Diego “Pato” Oliveira, Mikey Musumeci, and, in his most up-to-date WNO look, Ash Williams.
Keith Krikorian vs. Gabriel Sousa
The pair first met in early 2022 in a 15-minute submission-only contest at WNO. In that match, Krikorian employed an aggressive leg lock assault to manage a lot of the motion, incomes a hard-fought determination victory – maybe the most important win of his profession as much as that time.
Followers can anticipate one other barnburner within the rematch.
For his half, Krikorian is a harmful submission hunter, primarily identified for his leg locks, back-takes, and opportunistic guard recreation. He dietary supplements these abilities with strong wrestling and guard passing, however his trademark talent set stays attacking the submission.
Sousa, in the meantime, is a buzzsaw guard passer. Typically, he prefers to move on the surface, consistently forcing his opponent on the defensive as he seems to be to circle to north-south place.
Stylistically, Krikorian and Sousa make for an entertaining match, with Krikorian trying to find leg locks whereas Sousa pushes an unimaginable tempo.
Methods to watch: Grapplefest 18: Keith Krikorian vs. Gabriel Sousa takes place on March 2, and can air stay on pay-per-view.
