8 Best BJJ Tournaments
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a globally recognized martial art, has witnessed a surge in international competitions, paralleling its evolving techniques. Leading this landscape is the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF), orchestrating some of the world’s premier contests. Notable among these are the Brazilian Nationals, European Championships, and IBJJF World Championships, wherein top athletes from around the globe participate.
These high-profile events often reward top-tier competitors with substantial prizes. A distinctive aspect of these gatherings is their focus on gi competitions, necessitating participants to perform in the iconic gi or kimono uniform. As BJJ’s popularity burgeons, the sport’s practitioners and enthusiasts continue to grow, fostering a parallel increase in tournaments and events dedicated to this martial art. In this article, we delve into a selection of the finest BJJ tournaments in history.
Best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) Tournaments
The following are some of the best BJJ tournaments:
World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship
- Local name: Sem Kimono Mundials
- Location: Long Beach, California
- Organizer: International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation
- Discipline: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- First edition: 2007
- Editions: 11
The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) is a prominent organization responsible for organizing both Gi and No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments worldwide. Renowned as a top authority in the field, IBJJF hosts a variety of competitions, including the Brazilian Nationals, European Championship, World Gi and No-Gi Championships, and Pan-American Championship. These events hold significant esteem among BJJ practitioners of all skill levels. Notably, the Gi World Championship, part of IBJJF’s offerings, holds particularly high prestige. Distinguished athletes such as BJ Penn, Fernando Terere Augusto, and Marcelo Garcia, among others, have emerged from these competitions.
The men’s division, introduced in 1996, comprises 10 weight classes, ranging from the heaviest open class to the lightest 56 kg category. The women’s division, initiated in 1998, consists of 8 weight categories, spanning from 46 kg to 80 kg. The World Championship serves as a pivotal competition, determining both individual and team rankings.
Abu Dhabi UAEJJF World Pro Jiu-Jitsu Cup
- Discipline: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Organizer: UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation
- Type: Jiu-Jitsu Championship
- First winner: Tarsis Humphreys
- First edition: May 1st and 2nd, 2009 in Abu Dhabi, UAE
The Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship (ADWPJJC), also known as the World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Cup, was an annual international BJJ competition held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, from 2009 to 2014. Organized by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF) since 2012, the championship welcomed athletes from 60 countries across all belt levels. Preceded by the World Professional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Cup in 2009, the ADWPJJC featured substantial cash prizes, reaching a remarkable $272,000 (AED 1,000,000) in 2011, making it the largest in BJJ history. The event’s inception in 2009 was supported by H. H. Sheik Mohamed Al Nahyan. The championship’s legacy endures through the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour, now considered a significant event in the BJJ calendar, with a 2019 prize pool of $600,000 and over 5000 participants.
What is the prize money for winning Abu Dhabi UAEJJF World Pro Jiu-Jitsu Cup?
| Category | Gender | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place |
| Adult Male Black Belt | Men | $10000 | $5000 | $3000 |
| Brown Belt: | Men | $6000 | $3000 | $1500 |
| Purple Belt | Men | $4000 | $2000 | $1000 |
| Blue Belt | Men | $2000 | $1000 | $500 |
| Brown/Black Belt | Women | $6000 | $3000 | $1500 |
| Purple Belt | Women | $4000 | $2000 | $1000 |
| Blue Belt | Women | $2000 | $1000 | $500 |
| Master 1 male Black Belt | Men | $6000 | $3000 | $1500 |
ADCC World Championship
- Discipline: Submission Grappling
- Organizer: ADCC
- Type: Biennial
The ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship stands as the world’s premier event for submission wrestling, drawing top grappling athletes from diverse backgrounds to vie for the coveted ADCC champion title and cash prize. Widely regarded as a pinnacle in submission grappling history, the ADCC, often hailed as the “Olympics of Grappling,” showcases elite competitors in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, sambo, wrestling, catch wrestling, and judo. Held biennially, it lacks age divisions and boasts a unique structure with five male weight classes and two female weight categories. Ranging from under 65 kgs to beyond 99 kgs, the male division includes an absolute division, while the female division delineates between weights under and over 60 kgs.
What is the prize money for winning ADCC World Championship?
| Category | Gender | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | 4th Place |
| All Weight Classes | Men | $10000 | $5000 | $3000 | $1000 |
| All Weight Classes | Women | $6000 | $3000 | $2000 | $1000 |
| Open Weight Absolute Bracket | Men | $40000 | $10000 | $5000 | $1000 |
| Super Fight Champion | Men | $40000 | $10000 |
North American Grappling Association (NAGA)
- Discipline: Submission Grappling- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Location: North America
- Organizer: NAGA
- Type: Open Tournaments
Established in 1995, the North American Grappling Association (NAGA) is a prominent promoter of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with competitions spanning Europe and North America. NAGA stands as the world’s largest submission grappling association, boasting over 700,000 members, including some of the finest BJJ fighters and submission grapplers globally. NAGA events encompass both gi and no-gi divisions, with the association setting regulations for no-gi competitors and adhering to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu rules for gi competitors. Additionally, NAGA extends to the realm of MMA, hosting “Reality Fighting” events in Massachusetts and New Jersey, subject to state athletic commission regulations. Former champions of Reality Fighting, a part of NAGA, include BJJ black belt and UFC competitor Gabriel Gonzaga, as well as Mike Stewart, known from The Ultimate Fighter: Team Mir vs. Team Nogueira. Noteworthy participants like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Frankie Edgar, Kenny Florian, and others have also graced Reality Fighting competitions.
European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship
- Local name: Euros
- Location: Rome, Italy
- Organizer: IBJJF
- Discipline: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Editions: 18
- First edition: 2004
The European Open, previously known as the European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship, is the foremost Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) competition in Europe and is organized by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF). This international open championship attracts participants from around the globe, with the IBJJF assigning varying weights to tournaments to determine athletes’ points for participation. Ranked with a weight of 4 on the 2017-2018 IBJJF calendar, the European Championship holds second place in importance only to the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, alongside the Pan-American Championship. After being hosted near Lisbon, Portugal since 2004, the championship was moved to Rome, Italy in 2022. This 6-day event sees top celebrities and emerging talents competing, especially in the brown and purple belt divisions, making it an ideal first major challenge for those truly dedicated to participating in premier BJJ competitions worldwide.
Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship
- Local name: Brazilian Nationals
- Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Organizer: International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation
- Discipline: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Editions: 21
- First edition: 1996
Hosted annually in Barueri, Brazil, by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF), the Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship is a significant BJJ competition. First established in 1996, it has been held at Ginasio Poliesportivo Barueri since 2013, shifting from Tijuca Clube in Rio de Janeiro. The tournament’s weight of three on the 2017-2018 IBJJF calendar positions it beneath the World BJJ Championship with a weight of seven, the European Championship and Pan-American Championship for BJJ and jiu-jitsu respectively with weights of four each, and the Asian Open Championship.
Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship
- Local name: Pan Ams
- Location: United States
- Type: Open
- Discipline: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Organizer: IBJJF
- Editions: 20
- First edition: 1996
The Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Championship, known as the Pan American Championship, stands as the most prominent Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition in North America, organized annually by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. Commencing in 1995, this championship marks a pivotal stride in the global spread of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, growing from a modest 250 participants in its inaugural year to over 4,600 competitors in the 2022 edition held in Florida. As one of the IBJJF Grand Slam events, alongside the Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship, European Jiu-Jitsu Championship, and World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, the Pan Championship holds significant stature. In the 2017-2018 IBJJF schedule, the Pan American Championship is second in weight only to the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, sharing a weighting of 4 with the European Championship in terms of points awarded to athletes for their participation.
World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship
- Local name: No-Gi Worlds
- Location: Long Beach, California
- Organizer: International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation
- Discipline: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Editions: 11
- First edition: 2007
Annually, the World No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship convenes at California State University in Long Beach, managed by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. As a no-gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition, it operates separately from its gi counterpart, necessitating qualification for participation. Notably, the event’s most prolific victors include Caio Terra, with the most No-Gi World Championships since the inception of IBJJF’s No-Gi competitions in 2007, and Michelle Nicolini, Gabrielle Garcia, and Luiza Monteiro, each boasting four women’s championship titles. The 2022 edition is slated for December 7-11 in Anaheim, California.
Summary
For Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) practitioners, the prospect of competing often arises, given the growing popularity of the sport and the plethora of available tournaments worldwide. Making a choice necessitates careful consideration of each competition’s pros and cons. Opting for a major BJJ event might entail greater travel and costs, but the events featured on this page are organized by reputable, long-standing BJJ organizations. It’s important to evaluate factors such as your experience level, budget, and location before committing to a competition. Various rule sets, including ADCC, IBJJF, and No-Gi rules, govern BJJ events globally. Ultimately, participating in a BJJ competition serves as an excellent avenue for honing grappling skills and gauging one’s capabilities.
Best BJJ Products
Frequently Asked Questions
The Pan Kids competition, which features divisions for competitors according to age and skill level, is the biggest BJJ tournament in the world for children aged 4 to 15. During the two-day event, many of the best and most dedicated young Jiu-Jitsu competitors in the world will compete.
Each Black Belt round will last 5 minutes. The 4-minute rounds will be used for the Masters Division. Regardless of rank, there will be a one-minute rest between each round. With the following exclusions, scoring will be determined by the IBJJF scoring system. The attempts at submission will not result in any benefits.
The IBJJF puts on the World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship, which is the biggest Gi tournament in the world. You must qualify for this competition by taking first place in one of the several open tournaments held throughout the year.
You learn valuable lessons from competing that will help you become a stronger version of yourself. Everyone may have come to the sport for a different reason, but BJJ has a way of uniting those who share a passion for self-improvement.
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