Everything you need to know about the Battle of the Promotions Quintet

Check out the full team line-ups and format for the Battle of the Promotions Quintet tournament, set for Saturday, January 27.

Four professional grappling promotions are set to come together this weekend for a unique, cross-promotional event featuring a number of the sport’s elite competitors.

This Saturday, January 27, in St. Petersburg, Florida, the promotions Sapateiro, Finishers Sub-Only, Midwest Finishers, and Enigma will each put forth a five-man team of grapplers to compete in a Quintet-style competition.

Check out the team line-ups below.

Battle of the Promotions Quintet team line-ups

Team Sapateiro:

  • Max Hanson
  • John Combs
  • Adrian Nez
  • Ryan Aitken
  • Andre Porfirio

Team Finishers Sub-Only:

  • Ethan Crelinsten
  • Sean Yadimarco
  • Rene Sousa
  • Kieran Kichuk
  • Sergio Vilas

Team Midwest Finishers:

  • David Stoilescu
  • Chris Wojcik
  • Sergio Ardila
  • Paul Ardila
  • Ernesto Rivera

Team Enigma:

  • Deandre Corbe
  • Hunter Colvin
  • Reese Lafever
  • Kaya Rudolph
  • Abraham La Montagne

Each team is populated with elite talent, but some names stand out among the rest. 

Team Sapateiro boasts ADCC veteran John Combs, as well as Combat Jiu-Jitsu champion Ryan Aitken – whose expertise in EBI overtime should serve him well in the event a team draw happens.

Team Finishers Sub-Only sports perhaps the most recognizable names, with ADCC veteran Ethan Crelinsten leading the charge alongside his B-Team teammate Kieran Kichuk, in addition to talented submission hunter Rene Sousa.

Team Midwest Finishers might be light on big names but does possess perhaps the most dangerous competitor on any team – multiple-time ADCC Trials champion Paul Ardila. A well-rounded grappler with a knack for finding the leg lock finish, Ardila typically competes at 99kg, so he is likely to hold a size advantage over many other competitors.

Meanwhile, Team Enigma will put forward a team led by talented no-gi specialist Deandre Corbe and veteran black belt Hunter Colvin, and supported by New Wave standouts Reese Lafever and Abraham La Montagne.

Quintet format and rule set

The team matchups will follow the typical Quintet format, with grapplers facing off in one-on-one, submission-only matches. If a submission occurs, the winner stays on the mat to face the opposing team’s next grappler. In the event no submission occurs, both grapplers leave the mat.

Matches are scheduled for eight minutes long and heel hooks will be permitted. If there is a large size difference between competitors, the smaller competitor can opt for a four-minute match.

If a team matchup ends in a draw, each squad can choose one competitor to put forth in a head-to-head EBI overtime to determine the winner.

How to watch: The Battle of the Promotions Quintet takes place on Saturday, January 27, and will air exclusively on Enigma TV (pay-per-view or subscription required) beginning at 7 PM ET.

Ben Coate

Ben has been involved with grappling, whether through wrestling or Brazilian jiu-jitsu, essentially his entire life. After wrestling throughout his childhood, Ben found Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a young adult and quickly fell in love. He has been training for over ten years and holds the rank of black belt, and remains involved in both the MMA and BJJ scene. Ben has been writing about combat sports since 2017. He has interviewed and profiled some of MMA's biggest stars, including multiple UFC champions.

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