Haisam Rida was born on 25 July 1993 in
Accra,
Ghana.[1] He moved to
Tokyo with his family at age 15. He started
Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) in September 2010 in
Kanagawa under Yamada Shigetaka, from who he received all his belts from white to brown. In 2016 he joined Carpe Diem Academy in
Tokyo where he received his black belt from Yuki Ishikawa in 2018.[2] It was Ishikawa who gave him the nickname 'Giraffe', in reference to his tall and lanky build.[3]
In November 2020 Rida left Japan and moved to
Michigan to train at Assembly Jiu Jitsu.[4] On 11 April 2023, Rida announced that he was leaving Assembly Jiu Jitsu, and moving to
Austin, Texas to train at
B Team Jiu Jitsu.[5]
Career
2020–2021
Rida competed against Igor Tanabe at
Quintet Fight Night 5 on 27 October 2020 and was submitted with a leglock.[6] He then faced Nonso Ebede at Fight 2 Win 167 on 20 March 2021 and won a unanimous decision.[7] Rida was then invited to compete against Sloan Clymer at Who's Number One: Lovato Jr. v Burns on 30 April 2021, winning another unanimous decision.[8]
Rida returned to
Who's Number One on 18 June 2021 to compete against
Keenan Cornelius, but instead faced his student Miha Perhavec after Cornelius withdrew due to injury.[9] He submitted Perhavec with an armbar, registering the fastest submission win in the promotion's history.[10] This performance led to Rida being invited to compete in the heavyweight division of the
Who's Number One Championships on 25–26 September 2021.[11] He was submitted by the eventual champion Tim Spriggs in the opening round, but came back to defeat both
Orlando Sanchez and
Giancarlo Bodoni to win a bronze medal.[12]
He then competed in the main event of Submission Underground 28 against Andy Varela on 31 October 2021, losing the match in EBI overtime.[13]
2022
Rida returned to
Who's Number One on 25 March 2022 to compete against Elder Cruz. He won the match after submitting Cruz with a rear-naked choke.[14]
At the
2022 ADCC World Championship, Rida was invited to compete at the event for the very first time.[15] He won an upset victory in the opening round, submitting multiple-champion
Roberto "Cyborg" Abreu by arm-bar.[16][17] Rida then lost on points in the quarter-final to Roosevelt Sousa.[18] He returned to compete in the absolute division at the same event, but went out in the opening round to the 88 kg champion
Giancarlo Bodoni.[19]
Rida was invited to take part in a tournament shortly afterward at EBI 20: The Absolutes on 23 October 2022.[20] He withdrew from the event shortly before it took place however, and did not compete.[21] Rida was then invited to compete in an absolute grand prix at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 3 on 13 December 2022.[22] He was submitted in Patrick Gaudio with a triangle choke in the opening round.[23]
2023
Rida was set to compete against fellow ADCC 2022 veteran Vinicius 'Trator' Ferreira at Grapple in the Temple 3 on 27 January 2023.[24] He lost the match by decision.[25] On 11 April 2023, Rida announced that he was leaving Assembly Jiu-Jitsu and would represent
B-Team Jiu-Jitsu moving forward instead.[5]
Rida was then invited to compete in an openweight tournament at
UFC Fight Pass Invitational 4 on 29 June 2023.[26] He lost in the opening round to Fedor Nikolov.[27]
Rida was scheduled to compete against
Felipe Pena at Who's Number One 19 on 10 August 2023.[28] He lost the match by submission.[29]
Rida competed at
Quintet 4 on 10 September 2023 where he represented Team Sakuraba.[30] Rida drew his only match and his team went out in the opening round.[31]
Rida stepped in on short notice to replace
Gordon Ryan against
Mason Fowler at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 5 on 10 December 2023.[32] He lost the match by submission.[33]
2024
Rida competed in the IBJJF No Gi Absolute Grand Prix on February 29, 2024.[34] He was submitted by the eventual champion
Kaynan Duarte in the opening round.[35]
Rida will compete at EBI 21: The Absolutes on June 2, 2024.[36]