Sports

Jiu-Jitsu & Judo

UPDATETackett and Fonacier win UFC BJJ titles in Las Vegas

William Tackett submits Jay Rodriguez in 86 seconds as the brothers hold belts together

LAS VEGAS — UFC BJJ 13 crowned two champions Thursday night at Meta APEX. William Tackett took the vacant middleweight title with a rear-naked choke on Jay Rodriguez at 1:26 of round one. That made him and welterweight champion Andrew Tackett the first brothers to hold UFC BJJ belts at the same time. Jalen Fonacier won the vacant bantamweight belt, left open when Mikey Musumeci gave it up, by unanimous decision over Kleber Barbosa. Nick Rodriguez choked Nata Tenca in round three and wants a rematch with light heavyweight champion Mason Fowler. Jasmine Rocha armbarred Karen Antunes in 38 seconds, though Antunes disputed the stoppage. Nineteen-year-old Tristan Sainz won his debut by submission. No new title bouts have been announced.

Why it mattersThe card settles two vacant belts and gives the promotion new champions as it keeps recruiting ADCC and CJI winners.

UFC.com: UFC BJJ 13 results primary · MiddleEasy: Tackett submits Rodriguez trade · MiddleEasy: Rocha submits Antunes trade · MiddleEasy: Sainz submits Weintraub trade

UPDATEAzerbaijan breaks through on opening day of Abu Dhabi Grand Slam

Aliyeva and Aghayev win gold; Korea's Huh takes bronze and Smetov loses to a Kazakh teammate

ABU DHABI — Azerbaijan won two golds on the first day of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam at Mubadala Arena on Thursday, which drew 374 athletes from 59 nations. Konul Aliyeva won the women's 48 kg title over Turkey's Merve Azak. Azerbaijani outlets describe it as the country's first women's Grand Slam gold. Balabay Aghayev won the men's 60 kg final by ippon over Tajikistan's 18-year-old Loiq Kudbudinov. In the same division, Kazakhstan's Talgat Orynbassar beat Olympic champion Yeldos Smetov for bronze, leaving Smetov fifth. South Korea's Huh Mimi, the Asian Games champion, took bronze at 57 kg after a golden-score win on penalties over Belgium's Mina Libeer. She was Korea's only entrant and paid her own way. Turkey's Sila Ersin took bronze at 48 kg. Competition ends Saturday, Oct. 31.

Why it mattersA Grand Slam gold for a new nation and a loss for an Olympic champion show how open the post-Worlds field is.

Report.az: Aghayev claims gold in Abu Dhabi foreign · APA.az: Azerbaijani judoka wins gold at Abu Dhabi Grand Slam foreign · Qazinform: Orynbassar beats Smetov foreign · SBS News Korea: Huh Mimi wins bronze foreign · Son Dakika: Azak silver, Ersin bronze foreign

Euro No-Gi finals, ADCC Caracas Open and Charleston headline weekend

Rome event closes the no-gi Grand Slam season on Sunday while Crown week approaches

ROME — The IBJJF European No-Gi Championship in Rome runs through Sunday, Nov. 1, at PalaPellicone with more than 2,960 registered athletes. The IBJJF describes it as the no-gi Grand Slam finale for the 2025-26 season. FloGrappling lists the ADCC Caracas Open on Saturday, Oct. 31, and the PBJJF Charleston Fall International Open and a Boo Jitsu Halloween Hangover card in the LIJJN series on Nov. 1. The following weekend brings ADCC Brazilian Nationals on Nov. 7-8 and the IBJJF Crown on Nov. 8 in Long Beach. An ADCC Austin Open is set for Nov. 14. FloGrappling is streaming most of these events. Black belt results from Rome had not been posted as of Friday.

Why it mattersThe Rome finals decide the no-gi Grand Slam, and a crowded November schedule follows.

IBJJF: 2026 European No-Gi event guide primary · FloGrappling: BJJ news and schedule trade · FloGrappling: Europeu No-Gi 2026 black belt entries trade

MMA

Walker faces Cortes-Acosta in new UFC Vegas 124 main event

Heavyweights replace Brady-Bonfim after a staph infection forces the welterweight out nine days before the Nov. 7 card

LAS VEGAS — Sean Brady withdrew from his Nov. 7 UFC Vegas 124 main event against Gabriel Bonfim, and the UFC has reportedly replaced the fight with a five-round heavyweight bout. Johnny Walker (23-10, 1 NC) will face Waldo Cortes-Acosta (17-4) at the Meta Apex, according to Brazilian journalist Laerte Viana, who also broke the Brady news. Bonfim, who is 20-1, has confirmed he is off the card. Brady said an infection left him barely able to walk, and MMA Weekly identifies it as a staph infection. Cortes-Acosta, ranked No. 8, is looking to end a two-fight skid of decision losses to Curtis Blaydes and Alexander Volkov. Walker, ranked No. 12, knocked out Mick Parkin with a knee in his heavyweight debut earlier this month. The Tatiana Suarez-Virna Jandiroba strawweight bout remains the co-main event. The UFC had not made an official announcement at the time of reporting.

Why it mattersA card nine days out lost its original headliner and now gives Walker a chance to enter the heavyweight top 10 in his second fight at the weight.

Sherdog: Johnny Walker lands UFC Vegas 124 main event after late shake-up trade · MMA Mania: Cortes-Acosta vs Walker now headlines UFC Vegas 124 trade · MMA Weekly: UFC Vegas 124 gets new main event trade

Danish federation overturns ex-UFC fighter's win, suspends him and corner for a year

Askhabov's TKO over Ekson in Copenhagen becomes a disqualification loss after a timeout brawl

COPENHAGEN — The Danish MMA Federation (DMMAF) has reversed the result of an Oct. 17 lightweight bout at Airtox Dominance FC 8 in Copenhagen. Khusein Askhabov, a former UFC fighter, had been declared the winner over Reinaldo Ekson Oliveira. The DMMAF says Askhabov tried to attack his opponent during a timeout for a suspected eye poke. The referee had to restrain him, and corner team members tried to enter the cage. The federation named Ekson the winner by disqualification. It also gave Askhabov and his corner a 12-month suspension from all DMMAF-sanctioned events, in any capacity. Trade reports say this is the first time the federation has overturned a result and disciplined a fighter and his team. Ekson welcomed the ruling. Askhabov disputed it, saying Ekson did not deserve a win he had not earned inside the cage.

Why it mattersThe case tests how regional regulators handle post-fight appeals and cornermen who disrupt a bout, outside the Nevada and UFC framework.

DMMAF official statement primary · MMA News: Former UFC fighter's TKO win overturned to disqualification trade · Actumma: victoire annulée et suspension de 12 mois foreign

Fonacier wins vacant UFC BJJ bantamweight title as Musumeci exits for MMA

Event in Las Vegas crowns a new champion after the promotion's first titleholder walks away from serious grappling

LAS VEGAS — Jalen Fonacier took the UFC BJJ bantamweight title by unanimous decision over Kleber Barboza on Thursday night at UFC BJJ 13, at the Meta Apex. The belt had been vacated by Mikey Musumeci, the promotion's first 135-pound champion. He made three title defenses, then stepped away to prioritize MMA training and what he calls fun jiu-jitsu. Fonacier is Musumeci's training partner and a two-time world champion. The card was also headlined by a vacant title bout between Jay Rodriguez and William Tackett, which ended with a first-round rear-naked choke. Nick Rodriguez beat Nata Tenca with a third-round arm triangle. Ffion Davies and Jasmine Rocha also won by first-round submission. Musumeci is reportedly aiming for a UFC flyweight debut as soon as November or December. No fight has been confirmed.

Why it mattersThe UFC's grappling league has lost its marquee champion to MMA, and the company is promoting a successor.

MMA Mania: UFC BJJ 13 live results and highlights trade · BJJ Doc: Musumeci eager to vacate UFC BJJ belt, transition to MMA trade · MMASucka: Merab Dvalishvili and Mikey Musumeci at Syndicate MMA trade