One of the hottest jiu-jitsu events of the summer is going down live this weekend.
Chokes by the Ocean, hosted by Cat Clarke, will be taking place at the DeCoste Performing Arts Centre in Pictou, Nova Scotia, on July 29.
Chokes has a card that could easily rival, if not surpass, any of the top grappling tournaments going down this year.
In the main event, Black Hole’s Mike Wacker will be taking on the legendary “Nightmare” Diego Sanchez.
Mike Wacker is a 2nd degree BJJ black belt who has been studying martial arts since the age of seven. Though he’s got nothing but respect for his opponent, Wacker has promised to bring some “calculated aggression” to the Nightmare when he meets him in Nova Scotia.
Check out our interview with Professor Wacker from last month:
Mike Wacker’s Bringing Some Calculated Aggression To Diego Sanchez At Chokes By The Ocean
Diego Sanchez, of course, needs no introduction. No MMA fan could forget his five-round blood bath against Gilbert Melendez at UFC 166. However, Sanchez can do more than just stand and bang. The Nightmare has won nine of his 27 victories via submission, and he holds a BJJ black belt under Roberto Tussa.
Sanchez and Wacker aren’t going to be the only ones lighting up the Canadian coast tomorrow night, though. Some of Montreal’s finest from Tristar will be bringing the action to Novia Scotia — Ethen Crelinsten and Oliver Taza!
Crelinsten will be taking on 10th Planet’s Nathan Orchard in the co-main event. The Tristar fighter made headlines inside and outside of the combat sports community when he snapped the arm of an opponent who refused to submit to a Kimura. Of course, when he gets on the mats against Nathan Orchard, Ethan will certainly be on the defensive after the submission hunter and former EBI competitor.
Oliver Taza isn’t even five years into his training, but by the way he fights, you’d think he has been training all of his life. Of course, if you had been training at two of the best gyms in the world — Tristar and Renzo Gracie Academy under John Danaher — you’d probably learn a thing or two rather quickly, too.
Coming all the way across the pond from Gracie Barra Birmingham will be Bradley Hill. Bradley is a four-time IBJJF British National Champion, two-time No-Gi European Champion, and three-time IBJJF World medalist. Taza is no doubt going to need all of that training in order to get out of that match with his hand raised.
All of the adult matches on the card are as follows:
PRELIMS
Claire McDougall (Graice Winnipeg) VS Morgan Lipford (MXT)
Tacari Howe ( Renzo Gracie HFX)) VS Kalabe Arsenault (MXT
Cleea Straklevski (Team DNA) VS Gwen LeClair (Synergy)
Nick Power (Abhaya) VS Cole Barr (Forca Training Center)
UNDERCARD:
Brady MacDonald (Titans) VS Taylor McCafferty (Marmac)
Jesse Gough (Cunningham BJJ) VS Jon Kelly (MXT Jiu Jitsu)
Frank Adam (Renzo Gracie NYC) VS Mathieu Tarantini (The Vault)
Pat Carroll (Renzo Gracie HFX) VS Jesse Allen (MXT Halifax)
James Harnish (Marmac Athletics) VS Kent Peters (Zombieproof)
Andrew Tenneson (Jackson Wink) VS Brian McLauglin (Precision MMA)
MAIN CARD:
Shane Fishman (Body of Four) VS Devin Pirata (El Pirata)
Travis Conley (Underground Gym) VS Joel Jacquard (Renzo Gracie HFX)
Jaret MacIntosh (Titans Jiu Jitsu) VS Kyle Pindar (Body of Four)
Oliver Taza (Tristar) VS Bradley Hill (Gracie Barra UK)
Ethan Crelinsten (Tristar) VS Nathan Orchard (10th Planet)
Mike Wacker (Black Hole ) VS Diego Sanchez (Jackson Wink)
Those who can’t make it to Pictou can watch all of the action live here.
