The 42-year-old BJJ legend will take on two-time ADCC World Champion Giancarlo Bodoni in a middleweight submission match at AN 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on Sunday, November 16 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. Lovato makes his promotional debut with a perfect MMA record of 11-0 and a recent 2024 ADCC Silver Medal.
Bodoni captured ADCC gold in both 2022 and 2024, becoming the first athlete to win consecutive championships in the 88-kilogram division. The 29-year-old New Wave Jiu-Jitsu product collected victories over IBJJF and ADCC world champions under legendary coach John Danaher.
The fifth degree black belt recognizes the enormous challenge. His detailed scouting revealed a dangerous opponent who could win comfortably from any position.
“He’s very complete. He can win at the top, he can win at the bottom. His wrestling is good. He also has very good defense. Even if he’s in a little bit of trouble, he can usually not only survive but actually come back and win or fire off another attack,” Lovato said.
“He doesn’t give up. Technically he is a great challenge. There are no real holes in his game. There are no real weaknesses.”
Rafael Lovato Jr. aims for a submission finish, despite Giancarlo Bodoni’s defensive mastery
Rafael Lovato Jr. earned 76 submissions in 141 career wins. The Oklahoma native built his legacy on relentless pressure that capitalized on microscopic mistakes rather than simply beating his opponents.
Lovato recently made history by becoming the first athlete to win all four IBJJF majors in both Gi and No-Gi competition last June. His continued excellence, despite being more than a decade older than his opponent, is a testament to continued elite performance.
His strategy is to systematically take down opponents before securing dominant positions. He sees potential attacking opportunities that could force Bodoni into unfamiliar defensive scenarios.
“I have a few attacks where I can put him in a position where I can fire them. Like I said, I don’t expect it to be easy to finish him. I don’t think I’ve ever really seen him submit,” he said.
“But I believe by the time I get to a dominant position, I’ll have split it up enough that I can at least get a good look at it.”
#Rafael #Lovato #respects #Giancarlo #Bodonis #wrestling #game #complete #BJPenn.com