The World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament held annually by the

International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) is a for-profit company that hosts several of the biggest Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournaments in the world, including the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, World No-Gi Championship, Pan Jiu-Jit ...

. It is widely considered the most important and prestigious jiu-jitsu tournament of the year. The first edition took place in February 1996 in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

, Brazil. Since 2007 the tournament has been held in

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

The last edition The Last Edition is a 1925 American silent film, silent melodrama directed by Emory Johnson. Film Booking Offices of America, FBO released the film in November 1925. The film's "All-Star" cast included Ralph Lewis (actor), Ralph Lewis as a Print ...

of the championship took place at

California State University The California State University (Cal State or CSU) is a Public university, public university system in California, and the List of largest universities and university networks by enrollment, largest public university system in the United States ...

in 2023. In 2024 the tournament will be held at the Walter pyramid in Long Beach California.

History

The first World Championship was held on 3 and 4 February 1996 at the

Tijuca Tênis Clube Tijuca Tênis Clube, abbreviated as Tijuca T.C., is a Brazilian professional basketball club that is based in the Tijuca neighborhood, in the Northern Zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. History Tijuca's parent athletic association was fo ...

, Brazil. In 2007 the tournament moved to

in Long Beach, US where it has been held ever since. The Championship is commonly known as "the Worlds" or "Mundials". Many considered the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship as the toughest and the most prestigious Gi tournament in the world. Its counterpart in No-Gi is the

World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship The World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship is a no- gi Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) tournament hosted annually by the IBJJF commonly held at California State University in Long Beach, California. It was most recently held December 11-14, 2024 in ...

. As of 2024,

Marcus Almeida Marcus Vinícius Oliveira de Almeida, also known as Buchecha (born January 8, 1990) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and 4th-degree black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) practitioner. A multiple-time World jiu-jitsu and ADCC submission figh ...

has won 13 Men's IBJJF World Championships, and Beatriz Mesquita has won 10 Women's IBJJF World Championships, the highest numbers in history.

Weight classes

The men's division started in 1996 with a total of 10 divisions from –57.5 kg to the absolute (open class) division. The women's division started in 1998 with two weight classes "Light" and "Heavy". Since 2016 the women's division now comprised a total of 9 weight classes from -48.5 kg up to the absolute (open class) division.

Competitions by year

Men's black belt world champions

Women's black belt world champions

List of winners by total titles

List of titles by team

Notable champions

– 13x World Champion (6 absolute titles) *

Roger Gracie Roger Gracie (born Roger Gracie Gomes; 26 September 1981) is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist (MMA) and 5th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) practitioner and coach. The son of coral belt Mauricio Gomes and grandson of BJJ ...

– 10x World Champion (3 absolute titles) * Beatriz Mesquita – 10x World Champion (2 absolute titles) *

Bruno Malfacine Bruno Malfacine (born 28 August 1986 in Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) competitor. Malfacine, a winner of 10 World Championships, was inducted into the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation Hall ...

– 10x Roosterweight World Champion * Gabi Pessanha – 10x World Champion (5 absolute titles) *

Michelle Nicolini Michelle Zonato Nicolini or Michelle Nicolini (born January 5, 1982) is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist (MMA). Among the most accomplished female grapplers of all time, Nicolini holds third place for most IBJJF Worl ...

– 8x World Champion (1 absolute title) *

Leandro Lo Leandro Pereira do Nascimento Lo (11 May 1989 – 7 August 2022), better known as Leandro Lo, was a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt competitor. A record holder with eight IBJJF world championship titles in five different weight classes, as w ...

– 8x World Champion (1 Absolute title) *

Alexandre Ribeiro Alexandre "Xande" Ribeiro (born January 20, 1981) is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, mixed martial artist and submission wrestler. He is a two-time World Black Belt Absolute (open weight) World Jiu-Jitsu Champion, five-time World Black Bel ...

– 7x World Champion (2 absolute titles) * Leticia Ribeiro – 7x World Champion *

Gabi Garcia Gabrielle Lemos Gabi Garcia (born November 17, 1985) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and grappler. She is one of the most successful competitors of all time in the female black belt divisions, and a member of the IBJJF Hall of Fame. Ear ...

– 6x World Champion (2 absolute titles) *

Rafael Mendes Rafael Mendes Godoy (born 1989 in Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil) is a six-time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) world champion at the black belt level. Rafael, along with his brother Guilherme, are 3rd degree black ...

– 6x World Champion *

Lucas Lepri Lucas Alves Lepri (born September 19, 1984) is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt practitioner. A 9-time black belt World Champion Lepri in all belts, Lepri has won every major jiu-jitsu tournament at black belt including the World Jiu-Jitsu Cham ...

– 6x World Champion *Nathiely de Jesus – 5x World Champion (2 absolute titles) * Rodolfo Vieira – 5x World Champion (1 absolute title) * Luanna Alzuguir – 5x World Champion (1 absolute title) *

André Galvão André Luiz Leite Galvão (; born September 29, 1982) is a Brazilian grappler and professional mixed martial artist. A 4th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Fernando "Tererê" Augusto as well as a judo black belt, Galvão is one of ...

– 5x World Champion * Marcelo Garcia – 5x World Champion *

Rubens Charles Maciel Rubens Charles Maciel (born December 24, 1979), aka "Cobrinha" and sometimes referred to as Rubens "Cobrinha" Charles, is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) competitor. He is considered the best feather ...

– 5x World Champion *

Robson Moura Robson Moura Fonseca is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitor, instructor and a mixed martial artist. He started training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at the age of 10 in Teresópolis, Brazil. His first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teacher was Ailson "Jucão" Brit ...

– 5x World Champion *

Saulo Ribeiro Saulo Mendonça Ribeiro Filho (born July 2, 1974) is a Brazilian submission grappler and former mixed martial artist. He is a 6th-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) and brother of Xande Ribeiro. After earning a black belt in judo, ...

– 5x World Champion *

Romulo Barral Romulo Barral (born May 3, 1982) is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor and coach. He is a black belt under Vinicius "Draculino" Magalhães and competes for Gracie Barra, where he has won numerous championships. Romulo ...

– 5x World Champion * Andressa Cintra – 5x World Champion * Ana Carolina Vieira – 5x World Champion * Bernardo Faria – 4x World Champion (1 absolute title) *Victor Hugo – 4x World Champion (1 absolute title) *

Royler Gracie Royler Gracie (born December 6, 1965) is a Brazilian-American retired mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner. Gracie ran the Gracie Humaitá school in Rio de Janeiro for many years under his father Helio's d ...

– 4x World Champion *

Guilherme Mendes Guilherme Mendes Godoy is a four-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) world champion at the black belt level. Alongside his brother Rafael Mendes, Guilherme is a 3rd-degree black belt under Ramon Lemos and a competitor for the Art of Jiu-Jitsu team. Co ...

– 4x World Champion *

Mikey Musumeci Michael Musumeci Jr. (born July 7, 1996) is an American submission grappler and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt competitor. A four-time World Champion and Pan American Champion in colored belts, Musumeci is a five-time IBJJF black belt World Ch ...

– 4x World Champion (first American to ever win multiple world titles and to ever win world titles in two different divisions) * Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza – 3x World Champion (2 absolute titles) * Luiza Monteiro - 3x World Champion *

Fabrício Werdum Fabrício Werdum (; born 30 July 1977) is a Spanish-Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC Heavyweight Champion who competes in the Heavyweight division. He is also a 4-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, a two-time Abu Dhabi Comba ...

– 2x World Champion * Melissa Cueto – 2x World Champion *

Ffion Davies Ffion Davies (born 18 January 1995) is a Welsh submission grappler and mixed martial artist. She is a multiple winner of the IBJJF World Championship, including the no-gi championship in 2023 in both the 61 kg and absolute divisions. Da ...

– 2x World Champion (1st British/Welsh champion) *

João Roque João Manuel Roque (born July 22, 1971) is a Portuguese-Angolan former featherweight Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) black belt World Champion and a retired mixed martial artist. He competed in the Featherweight division in MMA (Mixed Ma ...

– 1997 Light Featherweight World Champion (1st African & Non-Brazilian champion) * B.J. Penn – 2000 Featherweight World Champion (1st American champion) *

Laurence Cousin Laurence Cousin Fouillat (born 7 August 1981) is a French submission grappler and fourth degree black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor and instructor. Considered a pioneer in the sport, Cousin is regarded as the first European female to re ...

– 2007 Featherweight World Champion (1st European/French & Non-Brazilian female champion)

References

External links

World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship final results
June 30, 2022 {{Main world championships Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions

Jiu-Jitsu Jujutsu ( , or ), also known as jiu-jitsu and ju-jitsu (both ), is a Japanese martial art and a system of close combat that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdue one or more weaponless or armed and armored opponent ...

History

Weight classes

Competitions by year

Men's black belt world champions

Women's black belt world champions

List of winners by total titles

List of titles by team

Notable champions

See also

References

External links