Jake Shields, Brad Pickett, Garry Tonon, and Dillon Danis are scheduled to compete at August 19 event.
Professional grappling continues to break headlines after a big weekend that featured Submission Underground 4 and Fight to Win Pro 34. On Tuesday, news broke that Polaris Pro’s next event not only features big names, but even bigger grudge matches.
Set for August 19, Polaris 5 brings out some of the matches and names that fans tune in to watch. The biggest planned bout pits Garry Tonon against Dillon Danis in a match that’s been brewing for an extended time.
Danis and Tonon are two of the best athletes competing in the sport today. Back in 2015 Tonon submitted Danis via inside heel hook in the first round of the ADCC tournament. Since that date, both men have taken each other to task in face-to-face confrontations and over social media. Danis has become even more of a “public” figure due to his association with Conor McGregor and his involvement in an incident with Nate Diaz before UFC 202. Their rivalry has enveloped other team members of the Danaher Death Squad and those in Danis’s camp as well. This match at Polaris 5 will be the first time they’ve battled since that 2015 event.
Jake Shields is keeping his professional grappling run active as he’s coming off of a big win over Danis at Submission Underground 4. He’s slated to face Dan Strauss at the same event. While most recognize Shields from his success in mixed martial arts, his abilities as a grappler are worthy of praise as well. He’s faced names such as Pablo Popovich, defeated Leonardo Santos and fought to a draw against Leandro Lo. Strauss is a very game and aggressive opponent which creates an interesting style matchup for Shields.
UFC and WEC veteran Brad Pickett is also stepping into the competitive grappling space and he’s going to face Phil Harris. Pickett recently ended his MMA career, retiring after UFC London. Pickett was a mainstay among the lighter weights in MMA and his recent departure from the sport ads a compelling story to this card.
Harris also has an extensive background in both MMA and grappling, including a run with the UFC back in 2014. He has competed for Polaris and other promotions in the past, where he’s seen success since leaving MMA.
Polaris 5 will be available through streaming on the Polaris website. More bouts are planned to be announced in the coming weeks and months.
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