Emerald City Invitational makes promotional debut with 170 lb tournament for $5,000 cash prize
This Saturday, April 10, the Emerald City Invitational will make its promotional debut at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania starting at 5 p.m. The event will feature a 170 pound EBI rule tournament with a cash prize of $5,000, plus a whole line up of no gi superfights. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and limited tickets are still available here. The VIP seats are already sold out and general admission seating is going fast so act now if you want to attend in person, since there is no guarantee there will be any tickets available at the door. If you can’t make it to the event live, it will also be streamed on Flograppling. Check out the full event line up and a list of the 170 pound tournament competitors below.
The Emerald City Invitational was created by Sam Micale, who has been a staple of the east coast submission only scene for years now. His background includes creating the Global Grappling League Invitational, so he has plenty of familiarity with how to run a pro jiu jitsu event. He has also picked up a lot of ideas from competing all over the country for different promotions, so he feels he is now able to pick and choose all of his favorite things that contribute to good experiences competing and in turn provide that for both the competitors and spectators at his events.
The first jiu jitsu competition Sam ever watched was EBI 2, so he has always appreciated that ruleset and specifically sought out Eddie Bravo’s blessing to use that ruleset for his events. Sam told me recently, “I am extremely fortunate to have received some great advice from him in the lead up to this event and it only makes me feel that much more confident and happy to put on these events under his ruleset. If it weren’t for him, we would most likely not be having this conversation at all and I may not have even focused on competing in jiujitsu instead of just kickboxing and mma, therefore not having an interest in promoting sport jiujitsu. The immense growth in the world of competitive no gi this past 10 years is massively due to the EBI events and the superstars made there.”
As far as the future of the Emerald City Invitational, the next event will be a 145 lb tournament for a $10,000 cash prize in late July. There will be less superfights and a slight change in the single superfight format, which was recommended Eddie Bravo himself, but the event will still feature a couple of higher level ranked black belt superfights for the main card and a stacked tournament lineup. Sam has already confirmed competitors such as Jon Calestine, Josh Cisneros, Frank Rosenthal, and Gabriel Sousa for the tournament.
Sam also plans on running an Emerald City Open in Syracuse, New York, which will include a paid qualifier division for a spot in the next Emerald City Invitational tournament. He will also give winners of the other advanced men’s and women’s divisions guaranteed superfight spots on the following Emerald City Invitational event. Sam also will be opening his own jiu jitsu academy, Emerald City Jiu Jitsu, in Syracuse very soon. He is excited to offer the area top notch training in a top notch facility. Sam plans on having regular seminars featuring competitors and coaches from all affiliations and all ends of the jiu-jitsu spectrum, as well as regular high level guest instructors. He told me, “My goal is to bring more light to competition jiu jitsu and jiu jitsu in general to upstate NY, a place that has so little to offer in terms of competitive jiu jitsu schools or tournaments.”
The number of high level competitors on this event is truly unheard of, so if you want to watch some elite grappling you should be sure to tune in this Saturday.
FULL EVENT LINE UP
UNDERCARD
Payton Hinkle (Sion BJJ) vs Sienna Cozzali (Essential BJJ)
Sophie Sharp (Studio 84) vs Kaylee Murphy (Black Hole BJJ)
Luis Salomon (Notorious MMA) vs Robert Cosme (10th Planet NYC)
Louis Dowd (OCBJJ) vs Johnathan Allen (BTT Boston)
Rachel Amey (50/50) vs Katie Bochenek (10th Planet Lombard)
Matt Dvorovy (Ambush Jiu-Jitsu Club) vs Dylan Garofolo (10th Planet Long Island)
Cathryn Ivy (Paramount BJJ) vs Gabby Etzel (The Hive)
Tomas Garcia (Ultimate Athletics) vs Rory Connors (Connors Martial Arts)
Nick Ortiz (DDS) vs John Lyons (Vault BJJ)
Savion Maranon (Marcelo Garcia JJ) vs Robert Shaffer (Fight Sports Miami)
Bri Robertson (10th Planet Pasadena) vs Sophia Casella (Team Renzo Gracie)
Ben Dixon (Oneonta Jiu Jitsu) vs Jordan Peitzman (No Coast BJJ)
Albruce Touaev (Harbor Jiu Jitsu) vs Danny Gutierrez (10th Planet)
Brett Martinez (Martinez BJJ) vs Rene Sousa (10th Planet Bethlehem)
Cameron Mellot (OCBJJ) vs Jeff Mock (10th Planet Bethlehem)
Trinity Pun (Renzo Gracie Middletown) vs Fatima Kline (Black Hole BJJ)
Calvin Tacey (OCBJJ) vs Alexander Nemeth (Strategic)
MAIN CARD
1ST ROUND 170 LB TOURNAMENT
David Zennario (Lucas Vicente BJJ) vs Eric Naples (RMNU)
QUARTER FINALS 170 LB TOURNAMENT
Frank Rosenthal (Renzo Gracie Bayside) vs Luis Quinones (10th Planet)
SEMI FINALS 170 LB TOURNAMENT
Jon Calestine (The Grappling Club) vs Rey De Leon (10th Planet NYC)
170 LB TOURNEY FINALS
170 LB TOURNAMENT COMPETITORS
- Aaron Harris (Black Hole BJJ)
- JM Holland (10th Planet Bethlehem)
- John Combs (Studio 84)
- PJ Barch (10th Planet Spring Valley)
- Andrew Kochel (Valley Jiu Jitsu)
- Nick Ronan (Serra BJJ)
- Alan Sanchez (10th Planet San Mateo)
- Gesias “JZ’ Cavalcante (Fight Sports Miami)
- Andrew Tackett (Brazilian Fight Factory)
- Bobby Emmons (Nice Guy Submission Fighting)
- Aaron Wilson (Soul Fighters)
- Andrew Solano (Essential BJJ)
- Danny Stolfi (Breathe Jiu Jitsu)
- Khalil Fadlallah (Detroit Jiu Jitsu)
- Werther Marciales (Fellowship Jiu Jitsu Saratoga)
- Ricardo Pena (Berks County BJJ)
