Nathaniel Wood, Brett Johns to contest grappling match at Polaris Absolute Grand Prix

Two of the U.K.’s premier mixed martial artists are set to trade submission skills when Nathaniel Wood and Brett Johns contest a grappling bout at the Polaris Absolute Grand Prix on April 4 at the International Convention Centre in Newport Wales.

Polaris confirmed the meeting of the two former Cage Warriors champions and current UFC fighters to MMA Fighting on Monday.

Wood is coming off his first loss under the UFC banner when he was stopped by John Dodson in the third round of their preliminary clash on last month’s UFC New Mexico card. Although Wood was better known for his striking stopping power ahead of him signing for the UFC, the Londoner opened his account with the promotion by claiming three consecutive submission wins over Johnny Eduardo, Andre Ewell and Jose Alberto Quinonez.

Johns got back to winning ways with a submission win over Tony Gravely after suffering back to back losses to top-ranked bantamweights Aljamain Sterling and Pedro Munhoz. The Welsh fighter boasted what many saw as 2017’s Submission of the Year with his spectacular calf slicer stoppage of Joe Soto.