Pit Submission Series 6 took place on June 28th, 2024 and both of the matches on the card delivered some great results. As always, it acted as a supporting card for a Karate Combat event and it led into the card brilliantly thanks to the elite grapplers taking part. There was some controversy later on in the night however, as a brawl broke out at Karate Combat 47 and it only ended when someone was choked unconscious. Pit Submission Series 6 went off without a hitch though, and both of the exciting matches that were booked for the lineup produced plenty of action.
Isaque Bahiense and Joao Gabriel Rocha were up first, and the two men started battling in the clinch right from the start. Bahiense pulled half-guard after around two minutes but stood up when Rocha gave him space shortly after. Bahiense pulled guard again and tried to wrestle up this time but Rocha disengaged and they returned to standing. Another guard-pull by Bahiense and Rocha was trying to pass from a distance for a while, before he dived in on a bodylock and almost secured side control. Bahiense defended well and eventually worked his way back up to his feet after being put under pressure by Rocha.
Rocha hit a lovely throw-by and took Bahiense’s back standing, but Bahiense dived to the ground in order to stay safe. He stood back up shortly after and got pushed back into the pit wall by Rocha, sliding down it and working to stand back up again. Bahiense repeated the cycle of pulling guard and standing up when Rocha disengaged, but he got hit with a clean double-leg into the pit wall at one point. Rocha tried to sit back on a leglock but gave up a false-reap entry in the process, and Bahiense started attacking a heel hook.
Rocha escaped but exposed his back in the process, with Bahiense taking a bodylock and coming up on top for the sweep instead. Rocha recovered to closed guard and created space to wrestle up, but Bahiense pulled guard again shortly after. Bahiense stood up again and after a little more action in the clinch, Rocha jumped on a guillotine that he couldn’t quite finish. Bahiense started working to pass but there was only a few seconds left and he finished the match in Rocha’s guard, with Rocha being awarded the split decision win.
The final match saw the return of UFC middleweight Philip Rowe, who was facing fellow MMA fighter Lucas LaRue. Both men were handfighting aggressively from the start and maintaining a higher pace on the feet than the first match. LaRue hit a quick double-leg just before the one minute-mark but Rowe worked from deep half-guard and wrestled up for a sweep. LaRue attempted a sweep of his own but Rowe was doing a great job of passing heavily, eventually retreating when LaRue threatened a triangle choke. LaRue stood up with him and Rowe pulled guard shortly after, working his way to closed guard.
Rowe used a beautiful pendulum sweep to take top position right against the corner of the pit, and LaRue exposed his back when trying to defend. Rowe sunk his first hook in quickly and managed to get the second in while they were pressed against the pit wall. Rowe locked up the rear-naked choke and even though LaRue’s hand was caught inside, he squeezed hard regardless and secured the submission win. Rowe got the results he wanted at Pit Submission Series 6, earning redemption after losing his debut to Craig Jones at the promotion’s second event.
Pit Submission Series 6 Full Results
Philip Rowe defeats Lucas LaRue via Submission – Rear-naked Choke
Joao Gabriel Rocha defeats Isaque Bahiense via Decision – Split
The full Pit Submission Series 6 event replay, including both of the above results, is available to watch on the promotion’s official YouTube channel:
