Sports · Combat Sports · 17 hrs ago
Andre Galvao to face Rousimar Palhares under rules allowing body strikes
Andre Galvao will rematch Rousimar Palhares at ACBJJ 23 on Nov.
13 in Rio de Janeiro.
The Brazilian grapplers first met in the 2011 ADCC final in Nottingham, England, where Galvao won 9-4.
Galvao said he agreed to return because he wanted to compete again and received an attractive offer from the promotion.
He initially expected the old rules, but the rematch will allow punches and kicks to the body and is set for nine minutes at up to 100 kilograms.
Some of Galvao’s friends and students questioned the matchup, but he said his seven MMA fights had prepared him for strikes.
The rules make this a different test from their first meeting, and Galvao expects another strong contest; the fight will headline the event at Farmasi Arena.
Andre Galvao will face Rousimar Palhares in a rematch under rules that allow punches and kicks to the body.
The match will headline ACBJJ 23 on Nov. 13 at Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro.
Galvao said he accepted the match expecting rules like those used in their 2011 ADCC final, but the format changed afterward.
The match is set for up to 100 kilograms and nine minutes, compared with seven minutes in their first meeting.
Galvao said his seven MMA fights had prepared him for the possibility of being struck.
- Who
- Andre Galvao and Rousimar Palhares.
- What
- They will meet in a grappling rematch under rules allowing punches and kicks to the body.
- When
- Nov. 13. The article was published on Nov. 9, 2026.
- Where
- Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro.
- Why
- Galvao said a renewed desire to compete and an attractive offer from the promotion prompted his return.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Galvao defeated Palhares 9-4 in the under-88-kilogram ADCC final.
The promotion told him the bout would be up to 100 kilograms, last nine minutes and allow punches and kicks.
Galvao and Palhares are scheduled to meet at ACBJJ 23 in Rio de Janeiro.
- Competitors
- Andre Galvao and Rousimar Palhares
- Event
- ACBJJ 23
- Date
- Nov. 13
- Venue
- Farmasi Arena, Rio de Janeiro
- Weight limit
- Up to 100 kilograms (220 pounds)
- Bout length
- Nine minutes
What people are saying
First they got my yes, then came the surprises,
The fact is that since I built my career more in Jiu-Jitsu and Grappling, the youngsters forget that I’ve already had seven MMA fights, and during that period I was training with champions like Anderson, Rafael Feijão and Ronaldo Jacare, so taking punches isn’t exactly something that scares me that much.
Toquinho is a monster, he’s incredibly strong.
I’m sure we’re going to put on another great fight and make history again.