Sports

Jiu-Jitsu & Judo

IBJJF Crown fields take shape for Nov. 8 in Long Beach

Forty-eight invitees, six $20,000 brackets and several returning champions are set for the one-night event.

LONG BEACH, Calif. — The IBJJF has built the fourth Crown, a one-night invitational at the Pyramid in Long Beach on Nov. 8, around 48 black belts. They will compete in six weight divisions, four for men and two for women, with eight athletes in each bracket. Each division winner earns $20,000. The federation's contender list puts Vinicius Liberati, Fellipe Andrew, Nico Maglicic, Davi Vetoraci and Omar Nada in the heavyweight field. Its ultra-heavyweight list includes Francisco Papasidero, Thierry Felipe and Matheus Vetoraci. FloGrappling reported that the Vetoraci twins were confirmed in the heavy and ultra-heavy divisions. It also reported that Andy Murasaki will defend his title at middleweight, in the first division field to be completed. FloGrappling will stream the event. First-round pairings are still to be announced.

Why it mattersThe Crown has become one of the sport's richest single-night gi events, and its brackets show how the IBJJF is competing for top talent as ADCC and other promotions grow.

IBJJF: 2026 Crown Details and contender list primary · FloGrappling: The Crown 2026 coverage trade

Abu Dhabi Grand Slam opens Oct. 29 as judo tour moves on from Baku

The IJF's next senior stop lists 417 athletes from 61 nations, with junior judoka in Dushanbe first.

ABU DHABI — The International Judo Federation's World Tour moves to the Gulf this month. The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam runs Oct. 29-31 and the IJF lists 417 athletes from 61 nations. The schedule is split across three days. Day one covers the men's 60 and 66 kg classes and the women's 48, 52 and 57 kg classes. Day two has men's 73 and 81 kg and women's 63 and 70 kg. Day three finishes with men's 90, 100 and over-100 kg and women's 78 and over-78 kg. Before that, the Hoji Sharif Dushanbe Grand Prix for juniors takes place Oct. 24-25 in Tajikistan, with 234 athletes from 19 nations. The Grand Slam follows the World Championships in Baku, which drew 622 athletes from 93 nations.

Why it mattersAbu Dhabi is one of the last senior ranking events of the season, and it gives judoka who missed the Baku podium a chance to earn points and prize money.

IJF World Tour calendar primary · IJF: Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2026 primary

ADCC Open series continues in Vancouver and Caracas after New Jersey stop

The no-gi circuit's qualifier events run alongside the IBJJF European No-Gi in Rome.

JACKSON TOWNSHIP, N.J. — ADCC's Open series held its New Jersey event on Oct. 17 in Jackson Township, one of several ADCC events streamed by FloGrappling that day. A Peru stop, the ADCC Callao Open, took place the same day. The series continues Oct. 24 with the ADCC Vancouver Open at the Richmond Olympic Oval in British Columbia, and Oct. 31 with the ADCC Caracas Open in Venezuela. The same week, the IBJJF European No-Gi Championship runs Oct. 28-Nov. 1 at PalaPellicone in Lido di Ostia, Italy. FloGrappling's coverage lists it as part of the No-Gi Grand Slam run-up to December's world championship. Closer to Memphis, Smoothcomp lists the NAGA Nashville Grappling Championship on Oct. 31 and Grappling Industries Memphis on Jan. 30. Full New Jersey podium results had not been published at filing time.

Why it mattersThe ADCC Open events are the sport's grassroots layer of competition, and they feed attention and athletes into the main ADCC calendar.

FloGrappling streaming schedule, Oct. 12-18 trade · FloGrappling events schedule trade · ADCC Official primary · Smoothcomp: Memphis Judo and Jiu-Jitsu club page primary

MMA

Volkanovski and unbeaten Evloev meet for featherweight title in Abu Dhabi

UFC 333 on Saturday pairs the champion, chasing a first finish since 2023, with a challenger whose UFC wins have all come on the scorecards

ABU DHABI — UFC 333 takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, with 14 bouts on the card. Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski (28-4) defends against Movsar Evloev (20-0), who is getting his first UFC title shot after wins over Aljamain Sterling and Lerone Murphy. Oddsmakers have the fight as a pick'em. Volkanovski told MMA Junkie at a fan event this week that he expects to finish Evloev inside five rounds. That would be his first stoppage since 2023. He also said Evloev's wrestling will not work against him. Evloev told the same outlet he wants to dominate for 25 minutes and would accept a decision. Tapology's card listing also shows a bantamweight bout between Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan.

Why it mattersThe result decides whether Volkanovski's second reign continues or an unbeaten wrestler takes the 145-pound belt.

Tapology: UFC 333 event page research · BJPenn.com: Volkanovski predicts finish over Evloev (citing MMA Junkie) trade

UFC 334 card at Madison Square Garden loses another bout

Adrian Yanez reportedly out of Nov. 14 fight with Juan Diaz, the card's third cancellation

NEW YORK — UFC 334 has lost another fight. Bantamweight Adrian Yanez has reportedly withdrawn from his Nov. 14 bout with Juan Diaz at Madison Square Garden. Bloody Elbow, citing reporter Kevin K, says no replacement has been found yet, and the plan is for Diaz to stay on the card. Neither the UFC nor either fighter has made an official announcement or given a reason. Earlier this month, both Nazim Sadykhov and Jefferson Nascimento pulled out of their lightweight bout with injuries, and Baisangur Susurkaev was also reported out. The card, headlined by Ciryl Gane defending the heavyweight title against unbeaten Josh Hokit, is now down to 12 announced fights. Kayla Harrison faces Amanda Nunes in the co-main event.

Why it mattersRepeated losses of fighters five weeks out strain the promotion's biggest New York card of the year.

Bloody Elbow: UFC 334 takes a hit as fighter withdraws trade · Bloody Elbow: UFC 334 card loses another matchup trade · Combat Press: UFC 334 brings Gane vs. Hokit, Harrison vs. Nunes to MSG trade

Haggerty and Nadaka keep ONE titles with stoppages in Tokyo

ONE Samurai 4 at Ariake Arena also saw Itsuki Hirata beat Jihin Radzuan by decision in MMA

TOKYO — ONE Championship ran ONE Samurai 4 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on Saturday. Bantamweight kickboxing champion Jonathan Haggerty retained his title with a third-round TKO of Hiroki Akimoto at 0:42. Atomweight Muay Thai champion Nadaka Yoshinari also kept his belt, stopping Malaysia's Rifdean Masdor in round two at 0:58. In the MMA bout that headlined the card, Itsuki Hirata beat Jihin Radzuan by unanimous decision. The card also included a featherweight kickboxing tournament. Masaaki Noiri won a split decision over Mohammad Siasarani, and Nabil Anane beat Yuki Yoza by unanimous decision, according to Cageside Press results. Masaki Takeura won a submission grappling match with a first-round heel hook.

Why it mattersONE's Japan-focused events keep its kickboxing and Muay Thai title lines busy while its MMA divisions stay secondary.

ONE Championship: ONE Samurai 4 results and highlights primary · Cageside Press: ONE Samurai 4 full results trade