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Jiu-Jitsu & Judo

UFC BJJ faces questions as Musumeci leaves for MMA, money doubts grow

Champion vacates his belt after UFC BJJ 12 as FloGrappling's GM says pro grappling economics don't add up

LAS VEGAS — Mikey Musumeci has given up his UFC BJJ title to focus on mixed martial arts, ending a serious jiu-jitsu career, according to BJJ reporting from Oct. 9. He had beaten Bryce Mitchell at UFC BJJ 11 and said he was fed up with performance-enhancing drug use in jiu-jitsu. UFC BJJ 12 also drew criticism: Cassia Moura became a two-division champion after a judging dispute in her final with Adele Fornarino. BJJDoc argued the event's audience numbers show the series is falling short of its promise as a mainstream showcase. FloGrappling general manager Ben Kovacs said on a podcast that UFC BJJ is losing money and that professional grappling rarely makes financial sense. UFC has not responded in the material reviewed. No date has been confirmed for the next UFC BJJ card.

Why it mattersThe UFC's grappling venture has lost its top star and is drawing public doubts about its finances and judging, which bears on where elite grapplers will earn money.

BJJ Eastern Europe (BJJEE) news archive trade · BJJDoc trade · Jits Magazine BJJ Rankings, October 2026 trade

Abreu Filho sweeps four golds at IBJJF Fort Lauderdale as fall circuit rolls on

Gracie Barra and Fight Sports take team titles; Pan Pacific and Rio Spring Open also wrap

FORT LAUDERDALE — Roberto de Abreu Filho of Fight Sports won four black belt golds at the IBJJF Fort Lauderdale International Open. He took the ultra heavyweight and open-class divisions in both gi and no-gi. Gracie Barra won the gi team title with 221 points, ahead of Athlas Training Team (162) and GF Team (142). Fight Sports led the no-gi standings with 103 points, ahead of Athlas (82) and Lira Jiu-Jitsu (61). The IBJJF posted the final results on Oct. 17. Elsewhere, Thiago Munoz Ortiz won gi and no-gi gold at the Pan Pacific Championship, where Sungwoon Lee took the open class. Livia Barasine Correa won three golds as GF Team took both team titles at the Rio Spring Open. The IBJJF European No-Gi runs Oct. 28 to Nov. 1, and The Crown follows in Long Beach on Nov. 8.

Why it mattersThe weekend results show which teams and athletes are in form ahead of the IBJJF's late-season no-gi and invitational events.

BJJ TV trade · FloGrappling schedule and news trade

UPDATEAbu Dhabi Grand Slam draws 293 judoka; Kazakhstan and Tajikistan name squads

Entry list published for Oct. 29-31 event at the next stop on the IJF tour

ABU DHABI — The International Judo Federation's entry list for the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam shows 293 judoka from 45 countries competing Oct. 29 to 31. Seeded names include Belgium's Matthias Casse, Israel's Raz Hershko and Tajikistan's Nurali Emomali. Kazakhstan has entered seven athletes, according to the IJF team list reported by Offside.kz. They include Yeldos Smetov at 60 kg, fresh from Asian Games silver, and Gusman Kyrgyzbayev at 66 kg. Tajikistan has entered 16 athletes, Asia Plus reported. Emomali skipped his country's President's Cup in Kulob to prepare for the event. Entry lists can change before the draw. Last year's edition, held Nov. 28 to 30, was led on the medal table by Russian-listed athletes with two golds, with Japan also winning two.

Why it mattersThe Grand Slam is the next ranking-point event on the IJF World Tour after the Baku world championships.

IJF - Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2026 entries primary · Offside.kz foreign · Asia Plus foreign · IJF - Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2025 results primary

MMA

Yan and Dvalishvili set for third bantamweight title bout Saturday

UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi has an unusually early start, with the champion a modest favorite in a series tied 1-1

ABU DHABI — Bantamweight champion Petr Yan (20-5) defends his belt against Merab Dvalishvili (21-5) on Saturday at Etihad Arena. It is their third meeting and the co-main event of UFC 333, behind Alexander Volkanovski's featherweight defense against unbeaten Movsar Evloev. The series is level at one win each. Yan is the favorite at roughly -162 to +136, according to CBS Sports' listing, so oddsmakers see a close fight rather than a lopsided one. The card runs on a compressed schedule: early prelims begin at 10 a.m. ET and prelims at noon. Every UFC numbered event this year has streamed on Paramount+ and/or CBS in the U.S. The card also includes Alexander Volkov against Rizvan Kuniev at heavyweight and Aaron Pico against Losene Keita, who replaced the injured Arnold Allen.

Why it mattersThe winner decides who holds the bantamweight belt in a division where the two best fighters have now traded wins.

UFC.com – UFC 333 event page primary · Tapology – UFC 333 fight card trade · CBS Sports – UFC 333 card and odds · Bloody Elbow – UFC 333 preview trade

Du Plessis camp turns down UFC's four-man light heavyweight tournament

Coach says the ex-middleweight champion wants a gradual move up and a return in early 2027

Dricus du Plessis's camp rejected a UFC proposal for a one-night, four-man light heavyweight tournament, according to a report published Wednesday by MMA Mania. The promotion wanted du Plessis, Magomed Ankalaev, Jiri Prochazka and Navajo Stirling to compete in one night to pick the next challenger for champion Carlos Ulberg, who is expected back next year from an ACL injury. Coach Visser reportedly said the team would move up gradually. The camp also wants the middleweight belt back and wants to defend it once. Du Plessis cuts roughly 45 pounds for 185, which has fed talk of a move to 205. Visser said the fighter is on his honeymoon and is targeting a return in late February or March. Ankalaev separately said the UFC has discussed a fight with du Plessis.

Why it mattersThe rejection delays the UFC's plan to settle the 205-pound title picture and leaves du Plessis's weight class uncertain.

MMA Mania – Du Plessis' coach torpedoes potential UFC Light Heavyweight Grand Prix trade · Heavy – UFC wanted 205 lbs Grand Prix, says coach of Dricus du Plessis trade

Covington and Danis book submission-only rematch in Rome before Chimaev bout

Hype Fighting's Nov. 3 main event comes 11 days before the former UFC contender's wrestling title match in Abu Dhabi

ROME — Colby Covington and Dillon Danis will meet in a submission-only grappling match on Nov. 3 at PalaPellicone in Rome. Hype Fighting announced the booking on Oct. 14. Covington beat Danis 14-4 under wrestling rules at Real American Freestyle 7 in March. The new format favors the jiu-jitsu-trained Danis, since points no longer count. Match length, weight limit and overtime rules have not been announced. The date leaves Covington with a short turnaround. He is scheduled to face Khamzat Chimaev for a Real American Freestyle title in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 14, the same day as UFC 334 in New York. Covington earlier withdrew from a Hype card on Oct. 4 with what he called food poisoning.

Why it mattersThe match shows how much of the high-profile grappling market now sits outside the UFC, with a quick turnaround that tests Covington's durability.

Jiu-Jitsu Magazine – Covington-Danis rematch set for submission-only rules trade · Bloody Elbow – Covington set to take on Danis days before Chimaev match trade · MMA Mania – Covington vs. Danis booked for Hype Rome trade