Mateusz Szczecinski added another major achievement to his decorated grappling career by winning the Polaris 38 Welterweight Grand Prix, securing the championship and the $30,000 prize after defeating three elite opponents in a single night.
The Polish standout delivered an impressive performance throughout the tournament, earning two submission victories before edging out PJ Barch in a closely contested final that ended in a split decision after 15 minutes of action.
Szczecinski opened his campaign with one of his trademark leg attacks, forcing Deandre Corbe to tap to an Achilles lock in the opening round. He followed that performance with another spectacular finish in the semifinals, catching Michael Liera Jr. in a first-round armbar to advance to the championship match.
On the opposite side of the bracket, Barch reached the final by defeating Taylor Pearman by decision before submitting Tommy Langaker with a rear-naked choke in the opening round of their semifinal. The championship bout featured a tactical, back-and-forth battle, but the judges ultimately awarded the victory to Szczecinski, further strengthening the Academia Gorila representative’s reputation as one of the world’s premier submission specialists.
The event also crowned a new bantamweight champion as Sarah Galvão delivered a dominant performance against Zara Di Tofano. Galvão controlled the match from the outset, applying relentless pressure before securing an arm-triangle choke late in the opening round to capture the title. The victory extends her unbeaten record in black belt superfights.
Atos Jiu-Jitsu enjoyed a successful night overall, with Emily Leyva and Nata Tença also earning victories on the undercard.
Polaris 38 Main Card Results
- Mateusz Szczecinski def. PJ Barch via split decision (Grand Prix Final)
- Sarah Galvão def. Zara Di Tofano via arm-triangle choke (Round 1)
- PJ Barch def. Tommy Langaker via rear-naked choke (Round 1)
- Mateusz Szczecinski def. Michael Liera Jr. via armbar (Round 1)
- Tommy Langaker def. Sebastian Patyk via overtime decision
- Michael Liera Jr. def. Carson Coles via decision
- PJ Barch def. Taylor Pearman via decision
- Mateusz Szczecinski def. Deandre Corbe via Achilles lock (Round 2)
A freelance journalist with more than seven years of experience covering a wide range of topics, with a focus on delivering accurate, engaging, and well-researched reporting. He studied at the University of Birmingham, where he developed a strong foundation in journalism and communications. Martin is a 10th Planet BJJ brown belt and has been training for approximately 10 years and a keen follower of submission grappling.
