There’s been a shakeup in the team lineups for Polaris 31, as Owen Jones has been forced to withdraw on just a few days’ notice and he has been replaced by top prospect Pawel Jaworski. It’s unfortunate news for Jones, the promotion, and the fans themselves of course; but a staph infection has ruled him out of competition completely. Polaris have managed to find an excellent replacement for him though, as Jaworski is one of the top brown belts in Europe. Not only is he a fantastic grappler in general but he’s actually coming in fresh off a victorious appearance at Polaris 30.
Jaworski will be a fantastic addition to the lineup for Team Europe, and the roster already includes four ADCC Trials winners even after Jones has stepped down. Jaworski might not be as established as his teammates, but he had a breakthrough performance at the Ocean BJJ Pro Championship last year where he defeated two of the best competitors in Europe. Since then he has gone from strength to strength and along with his impressive Polaris debut, he also won a silver medal at the UWW Grappling World Championship 2024. He’s definitely capable of making an impact at Polaris 31, but it’s not going to be easy for him.
Along with the rest of Team Europe, Jaworski will be up against the stacked team representing North America. There are plenty of tough matches waiting for him but it’s exactly this kind of opportunity that can help any competitor become a star. With several ADCC veterans standing opposite him, a submission win over one or more of them would likely earn Jaworski even more big matches in the future. He has the perfect style for bith the Polaris Squads format and to produce those kinds of upsets too, as he’s an elite leglocker and he will hunt for the finish relentlessly.
