Karate Combat 62

Jacob Rodriguez marked his competitive return on July 25, 2026 — his first match in over 17 months — against veteran Vagner Rocha in the evening's final Jiu-Jitsu bout. An ADCC 2024 silver medalist in the 88 kg division, Rodriguez entered representing Simple Man Martial Arts, the gym he affiliated with following his departure from B-Team Jiu-Jitsu amid misconduct allegations. He described the circumstances as involving "screenshots of a woman's public Instagram page as well as explicit material," characterizing the conduct as "invasive, inappropriate, and just unhealthy behaviour."

Family History Adds Layers to the Matchup

The bout carried a compelling inter-family dimension. Vagner Rocha — a decorated ADCC veteran holding two silver and two bronze medals across the 77 kg and 88 kg divisions — had previously faced Jacob's older brother Nicky Rodriguez in 2023, losing in EBI overtime. At ADCC 2024, Jacob Rodriguez had defeated Vagner's son, Achilles Rocha, by rear-naked choke in the opening round, layering additional history onto an already charged rivalry.

Back Control Decides the Outcome

The match unfolded decisively. Inside two minutes, Rodriguez seized Vagner Rocha's back during a scramble and maintained tight back control for over seven minutes, engaging in persistent hand-fighting in pursuit of a choke finish. Rocha escaped late and attacked an armbar in the closing seconds, but Rodriguez defended as time expired. Judges awarded Rodriguez the decision based on his prolonged period of dominant positional control. Footage of the bout was uploaded to Karate Combat's official YouTube channel. Rodriguez is slated to compete in the under 88 kg division at ADCC 2026.

In the co-main Jiu-Jitsu bout, Ethan Crelinsten faced former UFC fighter Christos Giagos and imposed his will from the opening exchanges. Crelinsten locked a Triangle Choke in under three minutes before transitioning seamlessly to an armbar from the triangle position, securing the tap in a finish recorded as a Triangle Armbar. Giagos offered no meaningful resistance throughout, and the bout concluded well inside the time limit — a clinical display of Crelinsten's ability to chain submissions under pressure.

The two Jiu-Jitsu bouts at Karate Combat 62 were presented under the Pit Submission Series banner, a grappling showcase integrated into the Karate Combat event format alongside striking disciplines. The Rodriguez vs. Rocha matchup was originally announced by the Pit Submission Series via their official Instagram account. The specific grappling ruleset governing the Jiu-Jitsu matches was not publicly confirmed, and the full structure of the Karate Combat 62 card beyond these two bouts was not detailed.