Fight 2 Win 133 will be upon us in just a few hours, and with it will come an exciting main event match between AJ Agazarm and Ary Farias. But before that, a no-gi match between two criminally underrated competitors will take place, and based on their history, we can expect an exciting, fast-paced match between two good-natured rivals.
Gabriel Sousa and Hiago George — both competitors on the light end of the weight spectrum who won gold at the UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro earlier this year — will be facing off in a 145lb match at tonight’s event in Fresno. Both competitors are among the top in their divisions, and while George has been building his impressive black belt resume since 2015, Sousa was only promoted to the rank last year. In that short time, though, the two have faced off six times, with each one winning three of those matches. And while first-time matches are fun, Sousa is excited to have another rematch — this time without the gi — against such a competitive opponent. “We’ve fought a couple [times] in the gi and it was always tough matches,” says Sousa. “Here is the type of the athlete who likes to fight forward, doesn’t steal to win. That’s the way I like to fight.”
Sousa acknowledges that the two have a rivalry, but says that it’s “nothing crazy.” “It’s good because it makes me train way more and pushes me to my best every day.”
As a matter of fact, George was connected to a tough time in Sousa’s life, during which he says he had a “rough semester.” During one of their matches together, Sousa injured his meniscus, requiring significant recovery time. He made his competitive return at the World Pro: the competition that he says has meant the most to him and the event where he caused a massive upset by defeating Joao Miyao to win gold. “The World Pro was the tournament that I could train 100 percent, and of course, that was my first main title at black belt. It marks a lot,” he says.
Sousa says he’s excited for his F2W debut, and the aggressive, sub-only ruleset that Fight 2 Win offers will provide a new challenge for him and George. Those who have followed their careers will also enjoy seeing these two quick competitors in action on the stage in a no-gi match. The opportunity for something new against a long-time opponent is a challenge that Sousa welcomes with open arms. “I will face one of the toughest athletes from my weight. Fight 2 Win is different — the show, the respect, and the matchup.”
Make sure you’re watching when Sousa vs. George, plus many other exciting matches go down when Fight 2 Win 133 streams live on FloGrappling tonight from Fresno, CA.
