“Flying All Over the Canvas”: Adam Alsharif Brings High-Flying Style to Submission Hunter Pro 98

At just 17 years old, Adam Alsharif is already determined to make his mark on the big stage—and he’s planning on doing it in style.

“I’m a very exciting fighter—you’ll see it. Flying stuff. I’m gonna be flying all over the [damn] canvas. You don’t know what’s gonna happen,” says Alsharif, who trains out of Gracie Barra Westchase and will face Randell Valeros of Mushin BJJ Academy in a teens 140-145lb bout.

A junior in high school, Alsharif balances classes with training and big dreams. “I’m 17, still in high school, still a junior—graduating next year. Very excited for that,” he says. “So I came here from Egypt like six years ago. My family—they want to see me on the big screen somewhere. Jiu jitsu is like a way for me to show off my flag.”

Seeing his teammates compete on high-profile cards has motivated Alsharif to pursue his own moment under the lights. “I see my teammates always fighting on this card, and it’s a really big opportunity for me to show myself out there on big stages,” he explains. “I fought on Elevate and stuff like that, but being on an event as big as this is something really important to me—especially so early on into my career.”

Despite being a white belt, Alsharif isn’t afraid of testing himself against tougher opponents. “I’m still a white belt, but I’ve fought like six or seven blue belts in my life,” he says. “I took the matches all the way to the end. I lost by decision and I won by decision sometimes against submissions—flying armbars. You gotta watch out for everything.”

For Alsharif, jiu-jitsu is more than just a sport—it’s a reason to push himself every day. “I just like the adrenaline rush—just feeling like you have something to look forward to and to train for,” he says. “Because training with no purpose for me is meaningless. I want to train with something in mind, like a goal. So I have matches lined up for me all the time.”

As he steps onto the mat against Valeros, fans can expect exactly what Alsharif promises: high-flying action—and a glimpse at a young fighter determined to fly high in his career.