16 Most Important Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Tournaments

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a ground-based martial art, has gained immense popularity worldwide.

Various prestigious championships showcase the skills of practitioners, called grapplers.

Here is an overview of the top Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments.

Most Important Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Tournaments:

1. World Championships
2. Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship
3. European Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship
4. Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship
5. Asian Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship
6. Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championship
7. World No-Gi Championship
8. Rio Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship
9. Sao Paulo International Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship
10. Copa Podio BJJ Professional Grand Prix
11. Eddie Bravo Invitational
12. Polaris Professional Jiu-Jitsu Invitational
13. Fight to Win Pro
14. Gracie Worlds
15. ADCC Trials
16. Grapplers Quest

#1 World Championship

• 📍 Location: Varies globally
• 📅 Established: 1996
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual competitors

The World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, organized by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF), is the premier competition for the discipline.

It has crowned renowned champions such as Roger Gracie, Marcelo Garcia, and Marcus Almeida. The event has evolved to include a wider range of weight classes and belt levels. Brazil, the United States, and the United Kingdom boast many top contenders.

#2 Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship

• 📍 Location: United States
• 📅 Established: 1995
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual competitors

The Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship, also known as “Pan Ams,” held by the IBJJF, is one of the most prestigious BJJ events in the world.

It attracts top talent and helped launch the careers of legendary grapplers like Andre Galvão and Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles. American and Brazilian athletes often dominate the competition, but European and Asian grapplers are steadily rising.

#3 European Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship

• 📍 Location: Portugal
• 📅 Established: 2004
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual competitors

The European Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship, organized by the IBJJF, is the most significant BJJ tournament in Europe. Over the years, it has significantly contributed to the sport’s growth on the continent.

Grapplers from different countries, including Portugal, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, have achieved success. Notable champions include BJJ legends such as Bernardo Faria and Keenan Cornelius.

#4 Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship

• 📍 Location: Brazil
• 📅 Established: 1996
• 🔄 Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual competitors

The Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship, also known as “Brasileiros,” is a premier event for Brazilian athletes. Organized by the IBJJF, it showcases the top talent in the sport’s country of origin.

The prestigious tournament has been won by Brazilian legends such as Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza and Rodolfo Vieira. It remains an essential proving ground for aspiring Brazilian grapplers.

#5 Asian Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship

• 📍 Location: Japan
• 📅  Established: 2006
• 🔄  Held: Annually
• 👥 Teams: Individual competitors

The Asian Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship, conducted by the IBJJF, is the largest BJJ event in Asia. The tournament has played a critical role in expanding the sport’s reach on the continent.

Japan, South Korea, and China have developed strong BJJ scenes, producing talents like Tomoyuki Hashimoto and Lee Seungcheol. The competition continues to grow in prestige and participation.

#6 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championship

• 📍 Location: United Arab Emirates
• 📅  Established: 1998
• 🔄  Held: Every 2 years
• 👥  Teams: Individual competitors

The Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) Submission Wrestling World Championship is considered the most prestigious no-gi grappling event. It features a unique ruleset, blending BJJ, wrestling, and catch wrestling elements.

The event has showcased elite grapplers like Gordon Ryan, Marcelo Garcia, and Dean Lister. It attracts competitors from various grappling disciplines, emphasizing athleticism and submission skills.

#7 World No-Gi Championship

• 📍 Location: United States
• 📅  Established: 2007
• 🔄  Held: Annually
• 👥  Teams: Individual competitors

The IBJJF World No-Gi Championship is a premier no-gi BJJ competition, attracting top grapplers globally. The event focuses on submission techniques without relying on traditional gi-based grips.

Notable champions such as Caio Terra, Michelle Nicolini, and Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu have achieved success in this tournament. The World No-Gi Championship tests athletes’ adaptability and grappling prowess without the gi.

#8 Rio Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship

• 📍 Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• 📅  Established: 2001
• 🔄  Held: Annually
• 👥  Teams: Individual competitors

The Rio Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship, organized by the IBJJF, is one of Brazil’s significant BJJ competitions. It provides a testing ground for rising talents within the sport’s birthplace.

Elite Brazilian grapplers, such as Felipe Pena and Beatriz Mesquita, have made their mark in the Rio Open. The tournament has become a crucial event for showcasing Brazilian talents.

#9 São Paulo International Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship

• 📍 Location: São Paulo, Brazil
• 📅  Established: 2009
• 🔄  Held: Annually
• 👥  Teams: Individual competitors

The São Paulo International Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship, conducted by the IBJJF, is another prominent BJJ tournament in Brazil.

It helps highlight the depth of talent in the nation and has showcased local legends like Leandro Lo and Luiza Monteiro. São Paulo International Open acts as a stepping stone for aspiring grapplers hoping to make an impact globally.

#10 Copa Podio BJJ Professional Grand Prix

• 📍 Location: Varies, mainly in Brazil
• 📅  Established: 2011
• 🔄  Held: Occasionally
• 👥  Teams: Individual competitors

The Copa Podio BJJ Professional Grand Prix is an innovative and exciting tournament format that showcases top-level competitors. With a fast-paced structure, it allows for quick, high-energy matches, often with unique theme-based events.

Competitors like Leandro Lo, Felipe Pena, and Alexander Trans have emerged as champions in their respective Copa Podio seasons. It’s become a popular event among BJJ fans for its entertainment value and competitive matchups.

These summaries provide insight into the rich array of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitions, each with its unique characteristics and legacies. Grapplers worldwide have an array of platforms to exhibit their skills and prowess in this ever-growing martial art.

#11 Eddie Bravo Invitational

• 📍 Location: United States
• 📅  Established: 2014
• 🔄  Held: Occasionally
• 👥  Teams: Individual competitors

The Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI) is a submission-only grappling tournament with a unique format and ruleset. Founded by Eddie Bravo, the event has gained recognition for its focus on submission finishes and its innovative overtime system.

Competitors like Garry Tonon, Gordon Ryan, and Rafael Domingos have excelled, showcasing their creativity and attacking prowess. EBI has significantly influenced the no-gi grappling scene.

#12 Polaris Professional Jiu-Jitsu Invitational

• 📍 Location: United Kingdom
• 📅  Established: 2015
• 🔄  Held: Occasionally
• 👥  Teams: Individual competitors

Polaris Professional Jiu-Jitsu Invitational is Europe’s leading professional BJJ event. With a blend of gi and no-gi matches, the organization showcases many of the world’s top grapplers.

Prominent battles between athletes like Garry Tonon, Gilbert Burns, and Craig Jones have contributed to the event’s growing popularity. As a highly respected competition, it has helped promote the sport in Europe.

#13 Fight to Win Pro

• 📍 Location: Various locations in the United States
• 📅  Established: 2016
• 🔄  Held: Frequently
• 👥 Teams: Individual competitors

Fight to Win Pro is a widely recognized professional grappling event that hosts both gi and no-gi competitions throughout the United States.

By focusing on exciting, submission-oriented matches, the event has attracted high-level competitors, including Keenan Cornelius, Romulo Barral, and Rafael Lovato Jr. The promotion is known for compensating its athletes fairly, helping to promote the sport’s growth and support BJJ professionals.

#14 Gracie Worlds

• 📍 Location: United States
• 📅  Established: 1998
• 🔄  Held: Annually
•  👥  Teams: Individual competitors

Gracie Worlds, also known as “The World Grappling Championship,” focuses on submission-only grappling with no points.

Created by the Gracie family, this event aims to preserve the BJJ roots and encourages competitors to finish their matches with a submission. Over the years, Gracie Worlds has developed a dedicated following and gained respect in the BJJ community for its unwavering commitment to submission-based grappling.

#15 ADCC Trials

• 📍 Location: Various locations worldwide
• 📅  Established: 1998
• 🔄  Held: Every 2 years
• 👥  Teams: Individual competitors

The ADCC Trials represent the qualification events for the prestigious ADCC World Championship. These tournaments are hosted in various regions worldwide, including North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania.

As a gateway to the ADCC World Championship, the ADCC Trials have helped discover and promote talented grapplers looking to make their mark on the international grappling scene.

#16 Grapplers Quest

• 📍 Location: United States
• 📅  Established: 1998
• 🔄  Held: Occasionally
• 👥 Teams: Individual competitors

Grapplers Quest is a long-standing grappling competition that caters to all levels of experience, from amateur to professional athletes.

Known for its tournaments and superfights, the event has helped to cultivate and showcase the talents of grapplers like Dean Lister, Jeff Glover, and Ryan Hall. Grapplers Quest has been an influential competition series, significantly contributing to the growth of BJJ and grappling sports in the United States.

Understand and prevent common physical setbacks by reading about common Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu injuries and how to avoid them.

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