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Jiu-Jitsu & Judo

UPDATEAbu Dhabi Grand Slam draw set: 374 judoka from 59 nations

Olympic champion Keldiyorova returns as the three-day Mubadala Arena event begins with the lightest weights

ABU DHABI — The International Judo Federation completed the draw for the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam on World Judo Day, placing 374 athletes from 59 countries into their categories. That is below earlier entry tallies of up to 397 judoka from 61 nations. JudoInside counts 221 men and 153 women, with men's under-73kg the biggest field at 41. Thursday's opening day covers men's under-60kg and under-66kg and women's under-48kg, under-52kg and under-57kg. Much of the attention falls on Olympic champion Diyora Keldiyorova. Australia's Aoife Coughlan, who has reached the top of the rankings, is due to compete Friday. Friday also brings under-73kg, under-81kg, under-63kg and under-70kg. The heavyweights close the programme Saturday. An Israeli delegation is competing in the UAE. The event is the 12th Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi.

Why it mattersThe Grand Slam is a major points event on the 2026 World Judo Tour and the Road to LA28, and the revised entry count shows how fields shift between early lists and the final draw.

IJF.org: UAE Welcomes the Judo World at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Draw primary · JudoInside: Abu Dhabi Grand Slam opens with 374 judoka trade

Jaworski chases no-gi Grand Slam as Rome black belts start Saturday

Defending champions return at IBJJF No-Gi Europeans; Goodman favored in women's absolute with Pessanha absent

ROME — Black belts at the IBJJF No-Gi European Championship begin competing Saturday, Oct. 31, at the PalaPellicone in Rome. The tournament runs through Nov. 1 and nearly 3,000 athletes are registered. FloGrappling's preview singles out Poland's Pawel Jaworski, the 2025 double gold medalist, who is going for a no-gi Grand Slam. He arrives after an ADCC world title in Krakow and double gold at the Pan No-Gi earlier this month, according to Jits Magazine and BJJ Heroes. Other returning 2025 champions include Shay Montague, Julian Espinosa, Faris Benlamkaden, Tarik Hopstock and Thais Loureiro. In the women's draw, Injana Goodman, last year's absolute silver medalist, is favored for double gold because reigning open-weight champion Gabi Pessanha is preparing for The Crown on Nov. 8 in Long Beach and is not entered.

Why it mattersRome is the last major IBJJF no-gi stop in Europe this season, and Jaworski's run tests whether his ADCC form carries into IBJJF rules.

FloGrappling: Europeu No-Gi 2026 black belt highlights trade · BJJ Heroes: 2026 IBJJF Pan American No-Gi Championship Results trade · Jits Magazine: BJJ Rankings Update, October 2026 trade

Nashville grappling meet Saturday leads a busy November calendar

NAGA stops in Tennessee on Oct. 31; ADCC Austin Open and Battleship Iowa card follow Nov. 14

The nearest competition to Memphis this weekend is the NAGA Nashville Grappling Championship on Saturday, Oct. 31. The Jits event database listed about 180 registered competitors. IBJJF also holds its Recife Spring International Open on Oct. 30, with gi and no-gi divisions. FloGrappling's schedule lists the next run of events. The ADCC Austin Open and the We Defy x Finishers card aboard the Battleship Iowa both fall on Nov. 14, and the FPJJ GP Do Ranking runs Nov. 14 (gi) and Nov. 15 (no-gi). Fight to Win 331 is Nov. 20. Polaris 40 follows on Nov. 21 with the PBJJF Patos de Minas Spring International Open. Majestic BJJ Challenge 7 is Nov. 22 and Fight to Win 332 is Dec. 4.

Why it mattersIt gives Mid-South grapplers and fans a local entry point and a guide to the upcoming ADCC qualifier, Polaris and invitational cards.

Jits.gg: tournaments this weekend research · FloGrappling: How to Watch Fight to Win 332 (event schedule) trade · FloGrappling: BJJ home and event schedule trade

MMA

UPDATEVolkanovski would vacate featherweight belt to fight Tsarukyan for lightweight title

Champion says a vacant 155-pound bout excites him more than a Gaethje retirement fight

Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has added a second lightweight option since his second-round stoppage of Movsar Evloev at UFC 333. After the fight he pitched a double-retirement bout with lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, saying he would retire win or lose so neither division was held up. On The Ariel Helwani Show on Wednesday he said that if Gaethje retires instead, he would vacate the 145-pound belt and fight Arman Tsarukyan for the vacant title. He said he is now more excited about that fight. Tsarukyan has publicly said he expects Gaethje to retire. Gaethje, who won the belt from Ilia Topuria at the White House card in June, has not announced his plans. UFC CEO Dana White has said he is open to Volkanovski moving up, but nothing is booked.

Why it mattersTwo divisions' title pictures now depend on the undecided future of Gaethje, 38, and on a 38-year-old featherweight champion who is willing to leave his belt behind.

Bloody Elbow trade · Last Word on Sports trade

Salkilld to headline UFC Sydney against Benoit Saint Denis in February

Unbeaten Australian lightweight gets a hometown main event; four Road to UFC finals added

SYDNEY — The UFC announced Tuesday that Australian lightweight Quillan Salkilld will face France's Benoit Saint Denis in the main event of its Sydney Fight Night at Afterpay Arena in early February 2027. The date is Feb. 6 in U.S. time and Feb. 7 locally. Salkilld, 26, is 13-1 overall and 6-0 in the UFC, with a first-round submission of Mateusz Gamrot in August. Saint Denis, 30, is 17-4 and is coming off a first-round submission loss to Paddy Pimblett at UFC 329 in July. The two are contesting sixth place in the lightweight rankings, depending on which ranking is used. The card will also include four Road to UFC tournament finals. The rest of the lineup has not been announced.

Why it mattersThe bout will likely decide who moves toward a title eliminator in a lightweight division where the belt's future is unsettled.

ESPN · UFC (official announcement) primary · Bloody Elbow trade

UFC Vegas 123 loses a fourth bout as Erosa readies retirement fight

Bekoev's anaphylaxis scare and Petroski's refusal of a replacement scrap a middleweight bout

LAS VEGAS — Saturday's Halloween card at the UFC Apex, headlined by Renato Moicano against Tom Nolan, is down at least one bout. Russian middleweight Azamat Bekoev withdrew from his fight with Andre Petroski about five days out, after an anaphylactic reaction caused him to pass out at a pharmacy and be taken to hospital. Petroski declined a replacement opponent, so the bout was scrapped. He is now booked against Mantas Kondratavicius at UFC Vegas 124. Gaston Bolanos and Carlos Leal had earlier left the card, and both of their opponents accepted replacements. Veteran featherweight Julian Erosa, 37, has said he will retire after facing Jeong Yeong Lee on the card, whatever the result. He cited fatherhood and a plan to move home and help in his mother's business.

Why it mattersThe card has been reshuffled repeatedly in fight week, and it will close the career of an 18-fight UFC veteran.

Bloody Elbow trade · MMA Mania trade · Bloody Elbow (Erosa retirement) trade