The jiu-jitsu world has been excited for Third Coast Grappling’s upcoming summer event, which will feature a match between Craig Jones and Josh Hinger among the many star-studded fights on the card.
As it turns out, though, Jones won’t be the only Aussie on the card. Promoter Ryan McGuire confirmed earlier today that Kit Dale would also be joining the line-up in a no-gi match against Gracie Barra’s Gabriel Arges.
Dale is widely regarded as one of the first big names of the Australian jiu-jitsu scene, and in 2017, he qualified for ADCC. Arges, for his part, is a two-time IBJJF World Champion and UAEJJF World Pro Champion.
3CG announced another exciting match a couple of days ago, and while the competitors at the event may not be world-famous grapplers, they’ve fought far more serious battles than the ones on the mats. In a 75-lb match, combat-wounded veteran Jonathan Dowdell will face para grappler Ruben Bueno.
McGuire had this to say about Dowdell: “I trained with Jonathan Dowdell almost daily when I first started training at Gracie Barra Texas until I changed schedules. He lost both of his legs in combat and still drove himself to train, walked in on his own, and kicked most everyone’s ass and never complained or used his disability as an excuse or to garner sympathy. He has the biggest heart of anyone in the room most days, and once he gets you in side control, it’s over. He’s never asked for special consideration and puts it on people daily who have full use of all their limbs. He’s an example daily not only to those who know him, but also to those from the outside looking in… He epitomizes the saying ‘Jiu-jitsu is for everyone.'”
McGuire also had words of high praise for Bueno: “Ruben Bueno applied for our tournament a few months ago, and he came from a good school, so I invited him out. Not once did he mention his disability, nor did he complain when he had an up-and-coming phenom in the first round. He actually scored on William and gave him a run for his money where most get bulldozed. Ruben has a heart the size of Texas and inspires everyone around him. Both of these guys will put on a show and really show how jiu-jitsu can be used and adapted to people of all shapes and sizes.”
3CG 2 will go down on June 21 of this year, and those who aren’t able to watch it in person in Houston can stream it live on FloGrappling!
