Alves Vs. Alvarenga: 4 Keys To Victory In ONE Featherweight Submission Grappling Contest At ONE Fight Night 46
A pair of submission grappling savants will collide on the global stage when Meyram Maquine Alves and Ruan Alvarenga make their highly anticipated ONE Championship debuts in a featherweight submission grappling rematch at ONE Fight Night 46 on Prime Video.
The action-packed sequel goes down live in U.S. primetime on Friday, August 14, from the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
These promotional newcomers share a deeply entrenched history dating back to their razor-close initial meeting at BJJ Stars 17 in Brazil in 2025. In that first encounter, Alvarenga narrowly edged out his familiar foe after a grueling back-and-forth war to secure a hard-fought referee’s decision.
Now, Alves steps under the global spotlight motivated to claim ultimate redemption, while his rival aims to reassert his dominance in definitive fashion.
Both decorated ground specialists want to break into ONE’s esteemed submission grappling ranks with a flawless performance. Here is what each man must do to make an unforgettable first impression this Friday.
#1 Alves’ Lethal Back-Take Game
Getting the back is undoubtedly Meyram Maquine Alves’ most lethal territory. An astonishing 43 of his 68 career submissions have come via choke from this position, firmly establishing him as one of the most prolific neck hunters in the sport.
The true danger of his lightning-fast back-taking sequences lies in their complete unpredictability. Flowing effortlessly from top control, fluid guard transitions, and chaotic scrambles, opponents simply cannot predict which exchange will suddenly transform into a devastating finishing opportunity.
In their first meeting, Alvarenga’s top-heavy wrestling game kept the Guigo JJ representative pinned for long stretches. However, the match remained a grueling battle filled with frantic scrambles.
Alves thrives in that exact chaos, making his ability to capitalize on those fleeting moments the ultimate rematch variable. If the 25-year-old phenom swiftly secures the back off the scrambles that Alvarenga’s forward pressure inevitably generates, the match will instantly flip.
#2 Alvarenga’s Wrestling Dominance And Positional Control
A heavy wrestling top game combined with constant forward aggression formed the exact blueprint that earned Ruan Alvarenga his initial victory. The Minas Gerais native employed airtight positional control and systematically denied Alves’ attacking guard any breathing room.
His grinding wrestling is not a defensive tool. It actively dictates where every exchange takes place. By forcibly staying on top with flawless weight distribution and crushing hip pressure, he effectively strips Alves of his most dangerous offensive arsenal.
Alvarenga’s suffocating methodology is already established, turning this rematch into a grueling test of execution rather than a strategic surprise.
If the Alliance representative can successfully replicate that positional stranglehold, this highly anticipated sequel will end exactly like the first.
#3 Alves’ Explosive Guard And Armbar Arsenal
Alves treats his guard not as a defensive shelter, but as a highly dynamic offensive platform. Built upon capoeira-influenced movement, his otherworldly flexibility and startling dexterity create a complex puzzle that traditional top-game specialists severely struggle to read and pass cleanly.
That resistance forms the foundation of a terrifying dual threat. Alvarenga’s passing attempts were relentless in their first meeting, yet the match went the full distance because Alves masterfully retained his guard and forced him to work constantly.
When opponents desperately overextend, the two-time IBJJF World Champion brilliantly exposes their limbs. He brings 26 career armbar finishes into the equation, proving he can snatch a joint from absolutely any position.
This formidable submission trap guarantees opponents face constant, paralyzing danger. If Alves aggressively imposes his offense from the bottom, the outcome of their first meeting could drastically reverse.
#4 Alvarenga’s Elite Fundamentals And Submission Pedigree
Alvarenga inherited his devastating submission philosophy directly from his father, legendary instructor Iran Brasileiro Alvarenga, who famously developed grappling icon Marcelo Garcia. That aggressive finishing bloodline flows directly through everything the younger Alvarenga does on the mat.
By training directly under the pound-for-pound great in New York City, Alvarenga absorbed that elite system from the primary source, executing each technique with terrifying precision and total economy of movement.
His spectacular triumph at the intensely competitive Brazilian ADCC Trials confirms this pedigree translates perfectly to the highest level. Boasting nine clinical submissions across 20 professional victories, he possesses the undeniable killer instinct to close the show whenever a positional opening materializes.
While he controlled their initial meeting, Alvarenga wants a definitive submission finish against Alves this time around. Carrying Garcia’s esteemed legacy into Lumpinee Stadium, Alvarenga arrives this Friday not merely to compete, but to finish.
