The 2015 Worlds No-Gi, this weekend, was filled with awesome matches. The thrills ran wild throughout the weekend, with a lot of last-second turnarounds and mind-boggling submissions. As we love lists as much as the next person, we have decided to list our 5 favorite matches of the weekend.
Here they are. Hope you agree with it. If you don’t, use the comments to point out which match(es) we left out.
Honorable Mention – João Miyao vs. Samir Chantre
Miyao vs. Chantre
Ok, they didn’t make the top 5, but it was a thrilling match indeed. First of all, it is amazing how both Samir and João Miyao were born with rubber ankles and feet. That’s the only explanation for not even bothering with repeat attacks to their extremities. In the end, Samir needed two points to win and got a takedown, but the referees reviewed the call and decided to give only an advantage. It meant the thrills didn’t end with the final struck of the clock.
5 – Tammi Musumeci vs. Mackenzie Dern: Featherweight final
TAMMI VS. MACKENZIE
Tammi vs. Mackenzie is a rivalry like few others. The two always mean business when they meet. It’s one submission attempt after another. In the featherweight final this Sunday. Mackenzie started attacking her favorite toe hold, but Tammi defended well. Then, it was time for Tammi to go for it and she worked a killer kimura from the closed guard that earned both a sweep and a mount, scoring six points. Mackenzie fought through the attack on her right shoulder (which required some icing later) and was able to escape the mount and sweep back, scoring her two points. When the clock ran out, Musumeci had earned her second gold medal at the Worlds No-Gi as a black belt and the crowd gave a standing ovation to the two athletes.
4 – Mahamed Aly vs. Jackson Sousa – Open class quarterfinal
Jackson vs. Mahamed
Two powerful opponents met at the quarterfinals of the black belt open class. It was expected to be a powerful encounter, and that’s exactly what happened. There was a lot of fighting for the best position while standing for a good wrestling takedown. Sousa managed to go ahead on the scoreboard with a takedown, but Aly wouldn’t give up and a hail Mary sweep meant the tie on points for the win in advantages and a spot in the semifinal.
3 – Felipe Pena vs. Matheus Diniz – Open class final
PENA VS. DINIZ
Felipe Pena was on fire during the weekend. He finished 7 out 8 opponents, in a near-perfect double gold campaign. The only match that did not end with the opponent tapping was the open class final. Matheus Diniz fought his heart out, but could not stop the champion and avoid the 10-2 final score.
2 – Matheus Diniz vs. Mahamed Aly – Open class semifinal
Diniz vs. Aly
Never give up! If the open class semifinal between Matheus Diniz and Mahamed Aly had a motto, that would be it. After being taken to the ground by Aly and being behind 2-0 on the scoreboard through the entire match, Diniz finally was able to get Aly’s back and finish the opponent with only 8 seconds to go on the clock. Thrilling!
1 – Felipe Pena vs. Jackson Sousa – Heavyweight final
PENA VS. SOUSA
What could top the feeling of winning a world championship gold medal with a submission on the very last second of the match? Right? That’s what Felipe Pena felt at the end of the heavyweight final. After 10 minutes of a grueling war against Jackson Sousa, Pena went after the foot and cranked it with a toe hold to get the tap as the clock struck one second to go. It was so close that GRACIEMAG first reported the match as a 2-0 win for Pena, but them corrected to a submission win, his seventh during the weekend.
So, do you agree with our list? Comment and post your own favorites.
