Polaris 22 results: Roberto Jimenez wins middleweight grand prix
Below are results and video highlights from Polaris 22, featuring an eight-man middleweight grand prix.
Roberto Jimenez is now a Polaris champion.
On Saturday, November 5, the Ecuadorian black belt won the eight-man middleweight grand prix at Polaris 22 from Southampton, England. Jimenez defeated Shane Fishman, Hunter Colvin, and Jed Hue on his way to the middleweight title and pounds £20,000 in what was one of the best performances of his career.
Jimenez’s guard passing and trademark back-taking skills were on full display in each of his matches. The Studio 76 representative was able to secure a submission in his final two matches – first a triangle choke over Colvin and, in the final, an arm triangle on Hue.
Jimenez dominated much of the action in the final, passing the guard and taking Hue’s back to earn a 5-2 lead before he landed the match-ending submission.
Hue, one of England’s top black belt competitors, earned his way to the final on a pair of smart, tactical, points wins over Alan Sanchez and Oliver Taza, respectively.
Williams submits Condit
And in the main card’s lone superfight, Polaris three-division champion Ash Williams heel hooked former UFC champion Carlos Condit. Williams and Condit wrestled early, with the taller, heavier Condit landing a clean double leg takedown.
Williams showed an efficient guard, though, and worked his way into a leg entanglement and a quick inside heel hook finish just over four minutes into the match.
A recent ADCC veteran, Williams called for a grappling match against current UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling. That match would make sense: Sterling is a black belt under Matt Serra, and recently competed in a submission-only match at High Rollerz.
Polaris 22 main card results:
Middleweight grand prix quarterfinals:
- Hunter Colvin def. Owen Livesey via submission (rear-naked choke)
- Roberto Jimenez def. Shane Fishman via points (9-2)
- Jed Hue def. Alan Sanchez via points (4-0)
- Oliver Taza def. Mateusz Szczecinski via judges’ decision
Middleweight grand prix semifinals
- Roberto Jimenez def. Hunter Colvin via submission (triangle choke)
- Jed Hue def. Oliver Taza via points (1-0)
Middleweight grand prix final
- Roberto Jimenez def. Jed Hue via submission (arm triangle choke) – Polaris middleweight championship
Superfight
- Ash Williams def. Carlos Condit via submission (heel hook)