Aaron and Ettore return for a very different kind of GRPL match. After being part of the platform from the very beginning, these two friends from Northern Italy step onto the mat once again — but this time under the GRPL Combat Wrestling ruleset, a format inspired by MMA Light where body strikes are allowed and only choke submissions can score.
This matchup carries real history. Aaron and Ettore were involved in one of the earliest GRPL match videos, and their rivalry has been part of the platform since the start. They know each other well, they respect each other, and they have already tested themselves against each other before. But when two good friends compete, the pressure often becomes even higher. Nobody wants to lose to someone they know that well.
Match Rules
Ruleset: Combat Wrestling / Choke-Only
Format: GRPL Combat Wrestling
Time Limit: 3 Rounds of up to 7 Minutes
Strikes: Body strikes allowed
Submissions: Only chokes are allowed
Scoring: 1 Point per Successful Choke Submission
Round Ending: Round ends after 7 minutes or after a successful choke
Winner: Most Points After 3 Rounds
Tale of the Tape
Red Corner: Aaron
Age: 16
Height: 168 cm (5’6”)
Weight: 69 kg (152 lbs)
Style: Jiujitsu Fighting System
Blue Corner: Ettore
Age: 17
Height: 170 cm (5’7”)
Weight: 68 kg (150 lbs)
Style: Judo
The Match Breakdown
This match introduces a new layer to the GRPL concept. In standard GRPL Submission Wrestling, the focus is on choke-only submission attacks, positional control, and clean grappling exchanges. In Combat Wrestling, the same choke-only scoring principle remains, but body strikes are added to the equation. That changes the entire rhythm of the match.
Body strikes can be used offensively to create openings, disrupt defense, and force reactions. They can also be used defensively to make an opponent uncomfortable, slow down pressure, or escape bad positions. This gives the match a more MMA Light feeling, while still keeping the GRPL identity centered around chokes as the only submissions that score.
For Aaron and Ettore, this is a major shift. Both athletes have spent a lot of time in GRPL’s choke-only Submission Wrestling environment, but Combat Wrestling forces them to adapt. It is no longer just about grips, back control, front headlocks, and transitions into chokes. They now have to deal with body shots, striking pressure, and the mental challenge of staying composed while attacks come from different directions.
The timing of this match also makes the story more interesting. Ettore has remained active over the past year, wrestling often with his training partners in the judo dojo in Turin. Aaron, on the other hand, has been away from GRPL matches for almost a year because he was focused on his own sport: Jiujitsu Fighting System. During that period, he clearly did not stand still. He returns visibly stronger, more muscular, and ready to prove that his time away has only made him more dangerous.
Another important factor is fatigue. This Combat Wrestling match takes place one day after Ettore competed in a judo tournament, adding a physical challenge before the match even starts. Against a stronger and more developed Aaron, that becomes a major test of endurance, recovery, and composure.
As the rounds unfold, the Combat Wrestling ruleset creates a different kind of pressure. The body strikes make positions more uncomfortable, the choke-only scoring keeps every neck attack meaningful, and the history between Aaron and Ettore adds emotional weight to every exchange. This is not just a technical match. It is a test of adaptation, friendship, rivalry, and who can handle the new GRPL MMA Light format better.
What makes Aaron vs Ettore especially compelling is that it shows how GRPL can evolve beyond traditional Submission Wrestling while still protecting the core identity of the platform. Chokes remain the only submissions that matter, but body strikes add urgency, chaos, and a new layer of realism to the fight.
For fans of Combat Wrestling, MMA Light, Submission Wrestling, choke-only rules, judo, Jiujitsu Fighting System, and youth combat sports, this match is a unique look at two long-time GRPL athletes testing themselves in a new format.
