Video: ‘Big’ Dan Manasoiu takes out a judo Olympian at ADCC Open Canada

“Big” Dan Manasoiu recently submitted judo Olympian Javad Mahjoub in the final of the absolute division at the ADCC Open Canada.

In April, the ADCC held the first of several ADCC Opens slated to go down this year across North America, and a number of elite competitors showed up to test their skills.

Among them was New Wave’s “Big” Dan Manasoiu, who took home gold in both the heavyweight and absolute divisions.

In the final of the absolute division, Manasoiu took on a uniquely challenging opponent – Iranian judo Olympian Javad Mahjoub. The ADCC recently released a video recapping the event, which includes a highlight of Manasoiu’s match with Mahjoub.

In the video above, we see Mahjoub finding success early in the match, during the no-points portion, with a big takedown directly into a dominant position. The judoka also showed off legitimate submission skills with a deep armbar attempt.

But later in the match, once Manasoiu secured top position, the tables quickly turned, with the New Wave athlete securing what appeared to be a smother choke.

Mahjoub impressed in a losing effort – just his second time ever competing in submission grappling. The Iranian’s resume includes a decade-long career in judo at the international level, most notably winning an Asian Championship in 2013.

Still just a purple belt under his longtime instructor John Danaher, Manasoiu is one of the world’s top heavyweight grapplers. He is an ADCC Trials winner, as well as an Emerald City Invitational champion, and consistently shows an ever-evolving, well-rounded game each time out.