ADXC 4 is scheduled for May 18th, 2024 and this will be the promotion’s first time in Europe, so we’ve put together a full preview of the event. It’s set to be a superb event and as usual, ADXC has arranged for both gi and no gi matches throughout the card. The gi main event features Espen Mathiesen and Leon Larman in what will no doubt be a very exciting matchup, while the no gi main event will be the final match of the night and it sees UFC veterans Benoit Saint Denis and Marc Diakiese battling it out. There’s a ton of entertaining matches set to take place before the pair of main events as well, and fans will no doubt enjoy watching each one unfold.
ADXC 4 Full Preview
Benoit Saint Denis vs Marc Diakiese – Welterweight No Gi
The no gi main event will feature two UFC fighters going against one another under a different ruleset than what they would usually compete under. Although Marc Diakiese has more experience in the cage than Benoit Saint Denis does, Saint Denis is ranked in the top 15 of the lightweight division. He’s earned most of his wins through using his fantastic grappling too, as he has 9 submission finishes compared to Diakiese’s 1. Saint Denis is definitely the favorite coming into this match and it seems likely that he’ll be able to get the finish too.
Espen Mathiesen vs Leon Larman – Welterweight Gi
The gi main event stars Leon Larman, who will no doubt be getting a lot of support from his fellow countrymen in the crowd. He will be getting a rematch against Norwegian Espen Mathiesen, who narrowly beat him on points at the Abu Dhabi World Pro back in 2021. Mathiesen has had a very busy time over the last two years and has won tons of matches, including an impressive performance against Pablo Lavaselli at ADXC 2. Although this should be a close match again, Mathiesen probably does still have the edge over Larman and should come out on top.
Ffion Davies vs Morgan Black – Bantamweight No Gi
The no gi co-main event features Ffion Davies and Morgan Black, two women who are both at the very top of the sport right now. While this will undoubtedly be a tough match for her, Ffion Davies has been dominating the competition for quite a while now. Morgan Black has put in some impressive performances lately though and she should be able to give Davies more of a challenge than she faced at ADXC 2. Davies is still expected to win though and the most likely outcome is that she gets to show off her crushing top game along the way to a decision victory.
Leonardo Mario vs Khaled Alshehhi – Bantamweight Gi
Leonardo Mario and Khaled Alshehhi are meeting in the gi co-main event and both men will be eager to put on a show after being given a big opportunity like this. They have actually met once before, as Leonardo Mario locked up a footlock in order to submit Khaled Alshehhi just last year. That was the first tournament that Alshehhi had entered at black belt though and he’s gone on to have some great wins since then. It’s a tough match to call but if Mario can bring his best performance again then he should be able to make it 2-0 against Alshehhi.
Abdul-Kareem Al Selwady vs Amin Ayoub – Welterweight No Gi
MMA veterans Abdul-Kareem Al Selwady and Amin Ayoub are meeting on the main card and they both have some competitive grappling experience, so this won’t be entirely new to either of them. Ayoub has far more submission wins throughout his MMA career but Al Selwady is coming off a win at the very first ADXC event. Both men have a possible path to victory here, as Al Selwady can use his wrestling to stifle his opponent and get a decision win while Ayoub has the skill to finish him if he gets the chance. Al Selwady should be able to work his game and get the win, but Ayoub isn’t going to go down without a fight.
Cassio Silva vs Marko Oikarainen – Flyweight Gi
Cassio Silva and Marko Oikarainen are both veteran competitors and they are no strangers to tough matches, so it’s going to take a lot for either of them to tap. It’s unlikely either one of them gets the submission win really, especially with the unique format that ADXC uses for their matches. There will still be plenty of action even though it’s probably going to a decision, and Silva might have just enough of an advantage to win on the judge’s scorecards.
Nathiely De Jesus vs Elizabeth Mitrovic – Welterweight No Gi
This match between Nathiely De Jesus and Elizabeth Mitrovic could easily serve as the main event of any fight card and it’s bound to produce some fireworks. The favorite coming into it should be Nathiely De Jesus, as she’s been an elite competitor for the better part of a decade now. Elizabeth Mitrovic has hit a whole new level over the last year or two though and she’s been in great form, so she should be able to give De Jesus a real challenge. A win here would be huge for Mitrovic so she’ll be giving it her all, but De Jesus is the favorite for a reason and she should come away with the win.
Magdalena Loska vs Nia Blackman – Lightweight Gi
This battle between Magdalena Loska and Nia Blackman will be one of the most interesting matches in this preview of ADXC 4, as they are at opposite ends of their professional grappling career. Magdalena Loska is a third degree black belt who has shared the mats with pretty much all of the best competitors in Europe and beaten plenty of them. Nia Blackman on the other hand has been a top prospect for a while and she’s only just burst onto the highest stages in the sport with a gold medal at ADCC Trials earlier this year. Although Loska is far more experienced, Blackman should end up winning what will likely be a close matchup.
Stevie Ray vs Ibrahima Mane – Middleweight No Gi
Stevie Ray and Ibrahima Mane will be opening the main card in another match between MMA veterans, although this one is a little different to the others. Although MMA was the combat sport that made him famous, Stevie Ray has actually been making a bit of a name for himself as a professional grappler since retiring from MMA. He’s gotten wins for several major promotions like Grapplefest and even Polaris, so he does have an advantage over Mane in that respect. Mane will be difficult to submit but Ray has competed at a higher level in MMA and with more grappling experience to complement that, he should be able to beat him regardless.
Preliminary Card
Florian Bayili vs Youness Bennouali – Lightweight Gi
Florian Bayili is an incredible athlete and he’s excelled at multiple sports, so it was only natural that he was going to excel at Jiu-Jitsu. He’s only been a black belt for a little under a year but he’s already shared the mats with some elite competitors and that experience is invaluable. His opponent Youness Bennouali is a top French brown belt prospect and he’s had some great performances on his journey through the colored belt ranks, so he might be one to watch for the future. For now this is probably a little too much of a challenge for him though and Bayili is the favorite to win this match.
Geo Martinez vs Nicolas Renier – Catchweight No Gi
Geo Martinez and Nicolas Renier are going to meet in what will probably be the most exciting match of the preliminary card, and its thanks to both of them having exciting styles. Nicolas Renier is one of the top Luta Livre proponents in the world and he’s had some great success as a competitor, presenting a unique challenge to most of his opponents. Geo Martinez is equally difficult to prepare for and the 10th Planet veteran has one of the best guards around, with a fantastic rubber guard and lethal leg attacks. Martinez should be able to submit Renier, but it definitely won’t be easy and there will be plenty of highlights along the way.
Luca Anacoreta vs Kalim Mastouri – Middleweight Gi
Luca Anacoreta is one of the best BJJ competitors to ever come out of Italy and he is known for always hunting the finish in his matches. Kalim Mastouri on the other hand is a French black belt with an impressive 7-0 amateur MMA record, with all of his wins coming by way of submission. Given the high finishing rate that both men have, it’s very unlikely that this actually goes the distance and as the match goes on they will both probably start taking even more risks. A no gi match might be a little more even but Anacoreta has the advantage in the gi and he should be able to beat Mastouri.
Alexander Alexandrov vs Kasper Larsen – Heavyweight No Gi
In another battle between top European competitors, as Alexander Alexandrov will be representing Bulgaria and Kasper Larsen will be flying the Danish flag. Alexandrov has managed to get a number of wins on the AJP Tour circuit over the years and he is always a tough challenge for anyone, but Kasper Larsen is a fantastic competitor in his own right. This is very a close match on paper and a lot can change depending on how good each man’s preparation has been, but we’re picking Larsen as the eventual winner.
Shamma Alkalbani vs Lina Grosset – Bantamweight Gi
Purple belts Shamma Alkalbani and Lina Grosset are opening the preliminary card and they’ve both had plenty of experience on the AJP Tour circuit during their journey through the colored belt divisions. Alkalbani is around a decade younger than Grosset and that might translate into an advantage on the mats, but the level of success she’s been able to get in competition will count for more. Alkalbani has gotten some great wins at this belt level already and she’s clearly a great prospect, so the odds are in her favor here.
The full ADXC 4 event, including all of the above matches in this preview, will be available to watch live on May 18th, 2024 on TX7.ae.