{"id":1934,"date":"2026-03-08T08:27:35","date_gmt":"2026-03-08T08:27:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/taipeibjj.com\/polaris-36-results-crelinsten-reusing-owen-jones-croydon-2\/"},"modified":"2026-03-19T15:41:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T15:41:18","slug":"polaris-36-results-croydon-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/taipeibjj.com\/zh\/polaris-36-results-croydon-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Polaris 36 Results: Crelinsten, Reusing Defend Titles, Owen Jones Crowned Featherweight Champion in Croydon"},"content":{"rendered":"

Polaris 36 delivered everything fans have come to expect from Europe’s premier professional grappling promotion \u2014 and then some. After a year of team-format Polaris Squads events, the promotion returned to its traditional super-fight card on Saturday, March 7, 2026, live from Fairfield Halls in Croydon, England, streaming exclusively on FloGrappling<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Three championship bouts topped the card, and all three delivered decisive finishes or dominant performances. Ethan Crelinsten defended his lightweight strap with a trademark back attack finish, Kendall Reusing looked unstoppable en route to the openweight title, and Wales’ own Owen Jones pulled off the upset of the night by outworking Gianni Grippo across three rounds.<\/p>\n

Here’s everything that went down at Polaris 36.<\/p>\n

Ethan Crelinsten Defends Lightweight Title With Rear Naked Choke<\/h2>\n
\"Ethan
Crelinsten vs Gerena in the Polaris 36 lightweight title fight \u2014 photo by Dominick Borowczyk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The main event lived up to the hype \u2014 briefly. Ethan Crelinsten, the Polaris<\/a> lightweight champion, made his return to competition after a long layoff dating back to CJI 2. His opponent, Belgium’s Sha\u00ef Gerena, had earned this title shot the hard way, winning a Polaris tournament where he defeated four men in one night. As a brown belt with impressive ADCC Trials experience, Gerena was no pushover \u2014 but Crelinsten made it look easy.<\/p>\n

\"Polaris
Aerial view of the Polaris 36 mat \u2014 photo by Dominick Borowczyk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gerena pulled guard immediately, inverting onto a leg attack. Crelinsten stayed calm, sitting to neutralize the threat. After some pummeling from double-seated position, Crelinsten came up on top, passed to turtle, and took the back. From there, it was textbook Crelinsten \u2014 he locked in the rear naked choke and got the tap.<\/p>\n

The finish was swift and clinical. Crelinsten’s path to the back has always been elite, and he showed exactly why he’s considered one of the best lightweights on the planet. His ability to transition from standing exchanges to back control without giving up position remains a thing of beauty for grappling fans.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, Crelinsten’s post-fight interview raised eyebrows. According to multiple reports, the Canadian essentially told Polaris he was moving on, potentially signaling a shift toward the UFC’s growing UFC BJJ platform<\/a> \u2014 a reminder that the professional grappling landscape is shifting fast.<\/p>\n

Kendall Reusing Dominates for Openweight Gold<\/h2>\n
\"No-gi
Reusing’s blend of wrestling, passing, and submission hunting proved too much for Lopez.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If there was any question about ring rust, Kendall Reusing answered it in devastating fashion. The American heavyweight hadn’t competed since August 2024 \u2014 a layoff of over 18 months \u2014 but she rolled through recent ADCC European Trials champion<\/a> Anabel Lopez like she’d never been away.<\/p>\n

Lopez jumped to closed guard early, but Reusing stayed standing and methodically broke the guard open. She passed to turtle, and as Lopez tried to roll to recover, Reusing transitioned to three-quarter mount, then full mount. From there, she isolated the arm and secured the armbar tap.<\/p>\n

The entire sequence was clinical. FloGrappling’s live blog summed it up perfectly: “Kendall looked as good as I’ve ever seen here.”<\/p>\n

What made this performance so impressive was the level of opposition. Anabel Lopez isn’t some unranked contender \u2014 she’s FloGrappling’s #5 ranked fighter who just won ADCC Trials by beating multiple world-class competitors. For Reusing to pass her guard, mount her, and finish her all in the first round speaks to an elite level of preparation and skill that goes beyond rankings.<\/p>\n

Reusing’s wrestling background continues to be her superpower. Her ability to stay on top, pressure through guard, and create submission opportunities from dominant positions makes her one of the most dangerous grapplers in women’s openweight competition.<\/p>\n

Owen Jones Shocks Gianni Grippo for Featherweight Title<\/h2>\n
\"Submission
Three rounds of tactical warfare saw Jones control the pace with superior wrestling and top pressure.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The biggest story of the night came in the featherweight championship bout. Owen Jones, the #10 ranked fighter from Wales, faced off against #14 Gianni Grippo \u2014 a veteran with far more experience at the highest levels of professional grappling. These two had been scheduled to meet multiple times across different organizations, and the matchup finally materialized in Croydon.<\/p>\n

\"Polaris
Victory celebration at Polaris 36 in Croydon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jones came out firing in Round 1, working underhooks and knee picks to take Grippo down within the first minute. When Grippo played his signature De La Riva guard, Jones passed effectively, switching sides and maintaining top pressure. Grippo stood, only for Jones to sit him back down with a single leg. After Grippo tried waiter position, Jones cleared and took the round 10-9 across all three judges’ scorecards.<\/p>\n

Round 2 saw a chess match develop. Grippo pulled guard and worked to suck Jones into K Guard engagements, but Jones stayed disciplined, passing on the outside and keeping heavy pressure. The round’s most dramatic moment came when Grippo found a waiter position but Jones snapped on an armbar counter \u2014 Grippo hitchhiked free, but it showed Jones wasn’t just content to play safe. Jones transitioned into 50\/50 and controlled from there, taking another 10-9 round.<\/p>\n

Down two rounds, Grippo needed a submission in Round 3. He pulled and wrestled up, putting Jones down briefly, but Jones found a modified bear trap position from bottom that stalled Grippo’s offense. As Grippo worked to advance, Jones shifted into reverse closed guard and threatened a leg attack. Grippo cleared and brought heavy pressure in the final minute, locking in a front headlock as time expired \u2014 but it wasn’t nearly enough to swing the scorecards.<\/p>\n

Jones won by unanimous decision, 30-27 across all three cards, and was crowned the new Polaris featherweight champion. It was a masterclass in guard passing<\/a>, wrestling, and positional control.<\/p>\n

PJ Barch Grinds Out Decision Over Shane Fishman<\/h2>\n
\"Professional
Barch’s relentless body lock passing game overwhelmed Fishman across all three rounds.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

10th Planet’s PJ Barch \u2014 affectionately known as the “Butter Panther” \u2014 put on a pressure-passing clinic against European guard specialist Shane Fishman. Barch’s game plan was clear from the opening seconds: close the distance, establish body locks, and make Fishman carry his weight.<\/p>\n

Fishman’s creative guard game kept things interesting. He used fishnet grips, waiter guard, and constant leg pummeling to threaten sweeps and scrambles. But Barch refused to be drawn into extended guard battles, consistently disengaging from leg entanglements and re-establishing his passing pressure.<\/p>\n

The scores told the story \u2014 Barch won on two of three cards after Round 1, swept all three cards in Round 2, and cruised to a 30-27 unanimous decision. Fishman was game and showed flashes of his unique bottom game, but Barch’s physical style and relentless top pressure proved too much.<\/p>\n

Ross Nicholls Edges Sam Gibson in UK Battle<\/h2>\n

Two of the United Kingdom’s finest no-gi grapplers clashed in a match that was all about scrambles, transitions, and leg attacks. Ross Nicholls and Sam Gibson traded positions throughout three competitive rounds, with Nicholls showing more initiative in attacking from various positions.<\/p>\n

In Round 1, Nicholls pulled guard and immediately inverted onto a leg, only for Gibson to counter with his own entry. Both cleared and reset standing. In Round 2, Nicholls worked from half butterfly and X guard before falling back on leg attacks. Round 3 featured the wildest scramble of the night \u2014 Gibson shot up from bottom and ended up deep in a guillotine, but things were halted when Gibson suffered a cut that required medical attention.<\/p>\n

After the restart, the final minute saw both men scrambling hard before Nicholls got the nod on the scorecards. A competitive match that showcased the depth of talent in British grappling.<\/p>\n

Sarah Galv\u00e3o Submits Libby Genge With Kimura<\/h2>\n
\"Women
Women’s grappling action at Polaris 36 \u2014 photo by David Kiehl<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brazilian prospect Sarah Galv\u00e3o continued what FloGrappling called her “magical rookie season” with a second-round kimura finish over the UK’s Libby Genge.<\/p>\n

Galv\u00e3o dominated the opening round, working to a body lock early. When Genge tried to throw her way out, Galv\u00e3o took the back and spent the remainder of the round hunting chokes. Genge showed toughness by surviving multiple deep strangles, but the pressure was constant.<\/p>\n

Round 2 started differently, with Genge being more selective and moving her feet. But Galv\u00e3o snatched a front headlock, hit a beautiful sumi gaeshi throw, and though Genge cleared to top position in closed guard, it was Galv\u00e3o who found the finish. From Williams guard, she threw up a triangle choke with her legs crossed the “wrong” way \u2014 and used the position to isolate a kimura grip that forced the tap.<\/p>\n

It was a creative, high-level finish that showed why Galv\u00e3o is one of the most exciting young grapplers in the world right now.<\/p>\n

\"Polaris
Polaris 36 featured three championship bouts at Fairfield Halls in Croydon, England<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Polaris 36 Full Results<\/h2>\n

Main Card<\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Ethan Crelinsten def. Sha\u00ef Gerena<\/strong> \u2014 Submission (rear naked choke), Round 1 | Polaris Lightweight Championship<\/em><\/li>\n
  • Kendall Reusing def. Anabel Lopez<\/strong> \u2014 Submission (armbar), Round 1 | Polaris Women’s Openweight Championship<\/em><\/li>\n
  • Owen Jones def. Gianni Grippo<\/strong> \u2014 Unanimous decision (30-27) | Polaris Featherweight Championship<\/em><\/li>\n
  • PJ Barch def. Shane Fishman<\/strong> \u2014 Unanimous decision (30-27)<\/li>\n
  • Ross Nicholls def. Sam Gibson<\/strong> \u2014 Unanimous decision<\/li>\n
  • Sarah Galv\u00e3o def. Libby Genge<\/strong> \u2014 Submission (kimura), Round 2<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Undercard<\/h3>\n
      \n
    • Romao Carvalho def. Jack Sear \u2014 Decision<\/li>\n
    • Mikael Rhaillander def. Jean Luca Maltese \u2014 Decision<\/li>\n
    • Franck Takoudjou def. Bruno Jardim \u2014 Rear naked choke<\/li>\n
    • Dominic Klingher def. Chase Vaughn \u2014 Decision<\/li>\n
    • Emily Leyva def. Martina Zola \u2014 OT Decision<\/li>\n
    • Nikolas Koretsis def. Chris Leydendeckers \u2014 Decision<\/li>\n
    • Matt Ludlow def. Nathan Jones \u2014 Decision<\/li>\n
    • Joshua Onwordi def. David Cartwright-Khoza \u2014 Decision<\/li>\n
    • Andy Roberts def. Jota Viklander \u2014 Decision<\/li>\n
    • Muhammad Mustafa def. Harry Powell \u2014 Decision<\/li>\n
    • Chloe Roberts def. Lucie Maximo \u2014 Armbar<\/li>\n
    • Tommy Graelish def. Cameron Wakeford \u2014 Decision<\/li>\n
    • Archer Colaco def. Asim Hussain \u2014 Scottish Twister<\/li>\n
    • Michael Tomlinson def. Connor Soper \u2014 Scottish Twister<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Watch the Polaris 36 Undercard<\/h2>\n

      The full undercard was streamed free on YouTube. Watch the prelim bouts here:<\/p>\n

      \n