ADCC North American TrialsSaturday, October 28th, 2006Wayne, NJThe ADCC’s North American Trials were completed, and it was a day full of surprises and amazing performances. Despite losing in the finals of the lightweights, Jeff Glover went home with the Most Technical Fighter award. For the first time in the NA Trials, the weight divisions were expanded to 16 men, so 2006 saw the tournaments grow into attritive battles that were very compelling – the Trials has lifted it’s level yet again.Champion Sim Go took home the title in the lightweifghts, using a highly technical and aggressive style similar to ADCC vet Baret Yoshida. In the Welterweights, Canada’s Mark Bocek broke through and earned the title after several 2nd place finishes.The cruiserweight division was hotly contested, with several wars in the semi-finals. Upstart Chris Moriarty went home with the title after taking out ADCC 2005 veterans Justin Garcia and Rick Macauley in a brutal field.The lightheavyweight class saw Misha Cirkunov establish dominance in every single match with explosiveness, power and speed rarely seen at this weight class. In the heavyweights, Mario Rinaldi of ATT took home the title, and treated the crowd to his patented back flip as well.The newly expanded weight classes in the women’s division were a huge success, as the refined weight classes saw competitors from all over North America come to compete. The ladies did not dissappoint as the tournaments developed into great competitive battles.Highly technical Felicia Oh from California earned the title in the newly minted Women’s Flyweight division. This weight class really turned in some compelling matches, proving that the two weight classes for the ladies used in the 2005 competition was not enough!Cassandra Rivers-Blaso delivered the win in the lightweight division, defeating Laura D’Auguste, who competed very well throughout, despite a heavy focus on her MMA where she is acknowledged as #1 at her weight.Kelly Paul from San Francisco battled to the title in what may have been the most competitive division all day.Women’s Heavyweight champion Celita Schutz had pehaps the competiton’s best throws, as her Judo background led her to the title over highly technicalOlga Bakalopoulos. Both women were the class of what proved to be a very competitive field.ADCC 2007 – NORTH AMERICAN TRIALS CHAMPIONS:Men’s Lightweight (65 kgs and under):1st Place: Simpson Go (Cobra Kai)2nd Place: Jeff Glover (Paragon Jiu Jitsu)Men’s Welterweight (66-76 kg):1st Place: Mark Bocek (Nova Uniao-Canada)2nd Place: Mike Fowler (Lloyd Irvin)Men’s Cruiserweight (77-87 kg):1st Place: Chris Moriarty (Alliance)2nd Place: Rick Macauley (Team Balance/Hassett’s)Men’s Light-Heavy (88-98 kg):1st Place: Misha Cirkunov (Cobra Kai-Canada)2nd Place: Eliot Marshall (Amal Easton/Renzo Gracie)Men’s Superweight (99 kg and over):1st Place: Mario Rinaldi (American Top Team)2nd Place: Roy Nelson (Xyience Center-Las Vegas)Women’s Flyweight (55 kgs and below):1st Place; Felicia Oh (Jean Jacques Machado/10th Planet)2nd Place: Yael Young (Canada Representative)Women’s Light (55-60 kg):1st Place: Cassandra Rivers-Blaso2nd Place: Laura D’Auguste (Tiger Shulman)Women’s Middleweight (60-67 kg):1st Place: Kelly Paul (Ralph Gracie)2nd Place: Emily Kwok (Ricardo Almeida/Renzo Gracie)Women’s Heavyweight (67 kg and over):1st Place: Celita Schutz (Performance/RGDA)2nd Place: Olga Bakalopoulos (Canada)
