The full lineup has now been announced for the Polaris team that will be facing Who’s Number One in a crazy cross-promotional Squads battle at Polaris 35 on January 31st, 2026. As expected, it’s almost identical to the European team that emerged triumphant in the final of the Polaris Squads Intercontinental Championship at Polaris 34. There’s only been a single change to the six-man team and although it’s unclear why there’s been a replacement, the man in question is a valuable addition to the roster. He’s also the only non-European representing Polaris, as Lucas Kanard is coming all the way over from Australia after representing Asia & Oceania last time around.
Kanard is one of the under 95kg competitors and he will be joined at that weight by a pair of Polaris veterans and fan-favorites. Two-time ADCC Trials winner Santeri Lilius is one of them and after establishing himself as one of the best competitors in Europe, the Finnish black belt has been making waves globally in the last few years. The final under 95kg representative is Eoghan O’Flanagan; one of the best leglockers in the world who’s already had a big impact on both the Polaris mats and at ADCC. With Kanard and O’Flanagan in the same team, the Polaris heavyweights will be a huge submission-threat.
The rest of the team will be weighing in at under 75kg, starting with the Squad captain and the returning European Squad captain Taylor Pearman. Not only is Pearman another elite leglocker, but both of the team’s other lighter competitors are too. Polish rapid-fire finisher Mateusz Szczecinski is going to be representing Polaris alongside Owen Jones; one of the UK’s most entertaining breakthrough stars in recent years. It’s clear that Polaris have built their team with submission finishes in mind and it’s going to be very tough for their opponents to stop them; although the WNO Squad lineup is equally impressive.
The full Polaris vs WNO Squads event at Polaris 35, including the above lineup, will be available to watch live on January 31st, 2026 on FloGrappling, click here to subscribe and watch.
