The buildup to the middleweight grand prix kickoff at Sengoku V this Sunday at Yoyogi National Stadium First Gymnasium was unfortunately reduced to mud slinging, as parent company World Victory Road questioned whether or not grappling superstar Roger Gracie actually has a rib injury or withdrew from the event over his fear of Travis Wiuff.

Fortunately, this show already has a Brazilian jiu-jitsu all-star, fresh off his BJJ world championships (absolute class) victory over Gracie. Alexandre “Xande” Ribeiro will make his long-awaited mixed martial arts debut, as he will look to add to the list of recent BJJ kings carving out successful MMA careers and erase the nightmarish memories of an MMA dream destroyed eight years ago.

Kazuhiro Nakamura, Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos and Jorge Santiago will also hit the ring, as Sengoku opens its middleweight tournament, or perhaps more appropriately, the “Lose to Kazuo Misaki Sweepstakes.”