After Rodolfo Vieira and Gabi Garcia, another ADCC champion has decided to the take the next step in their career: MMA. 2015 & 2017 ADCC champion Yuri Simoes has taken the big leap and signed with Singapore promotion One Championship.
Yuri stated on social media:
MMA has always been a dream of mine. @onechampionship give me a chance to have my mma debut at your event. I’m currently recovering from a serious knee injury but I will be 10000% ready to fight on the second semester of 2020. I promise you won’t be disappointed 😉
LET’S GO CHAMP 👊🏾
Yuri seems to have the right profile for MMA with his great wrestling, explosiveness and technical level.
Simoes had a disappointing campaign at ADCC 2019 where he injured his knee in his quarter final match against eventual division winner Kaynan Duarte.
He recently had to undergo knee surgery:
Today was the day of my knee surgery. Today also marks a day of a new journey for me – not only because of my jiujitsu career but mainly for my own personal growth. Why? Because I feel gratitude in a new form. I always knew low times can teach a lot, but I had not felt it in this level before. Man, I’m truly grateful for all the wonderful indivuals who stepped up to help me in a true time of need. These are the people I want to grow with – the people I will never forget and will help in their pursuits. There was some people that I’ll have to leave behind because when the sunshine and rainbows left, so did they.
I learned that there are truly amazing human beings in this world. With that being said, I want to thanks @mojassim80 for offering to help me and actually following through and taking care of my surgery. @stocktonshoulder Thank you so much for a successful surgery and the absolute best bedside manner. Thanks to my physical therapist and friend @max.munson for the great prehab work that we were doing prior surgery. I can’t wait to be back on the mats doing what I love!
