This article is part of our week of ADCC 2022 coverage. To get live results, play by play, and commentary, we’ll have a live updates article running all weekend.
The 77kg division of ADCC 2022 has suffered a blow just a matter of weeks before the event takes place, and Magid Hage has been called up to replace Lucas Lepri on short notice as a result. Hage was originally one of the alternates booked to be on standby for the event in case of injury and he’s already had to jump into action. Hage is best known for his gigantic hands and the lethal baseball bat choke that he’s managed to develop with them when he’s competing in the gi, although it remains to be seen if he can utilise it with as much efficacy once the jacket is removed.
He made an attempt to qualify at the first ADCC South American trials event and actually made it all the way to the final before being unable to slow down the unstoppable force that was Mica Galvao that weekend. He’s been open in the past when we’ve managed to speak to him that he really enjoys the ADCC ruleset as it gives him the opportunity to ‘fire off submissions for the first half of the match and not really care’ which should be a clear indication of just how exciting Hage is as a competitor. Although it’s obviously a devastating blow to lose a high-profile name like Lucas Lepri from ADCC 2022, there is nobody better than Magid Hage to join the list of athletes making their ADCC debut this year and guarantee some fireworks in the 77kg division.
Magid Hage gave a comment on the news in a post to his official Instagram account:
“Happy Monday! Stoked on the news. Took a lot of work to get into this bracket of the 16 most dynamic grapplers on the planet.. Been ready! See y’all in Vegas!”
The news of Magid Hage stepping in to replace Lucas Lepri in the 77kg division of ADCC 2022 was originally announced in a post to the promotion’s official Instagram account however: