Sports

Jiu-Jitsu & Judo

Japan sweeps Baku worlds with seven golds, retakes mixed team title

Russia is beaten 4-1 in the final as Uzbekistan wins its first team medal, a bronze

BAKU — Japan won seven individual gold medals and 13 medals in all at the World Judo Championships in Baku, which ran Oct. 4-11. It then took the mixed team title on the last day. Japan beat Russia 4-1 in the final. That regained the crown it lost to Georgia in 2025 and was its eighth mixed team world title. Shiho Tanaka won the opening bout in golden score. Sanshiro Murao, who also won the individual -90 kg title, then scored with uchi-mata. Mao Arai countered for a third win, and Akari Omori, the new -57 kg champion, sealed it. Uta Abe took -52 kg. Uzbekistan beat Mongolia for its first team medal, and Georgia took the other bronze. The IJF World Tour next stops at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam, Oct. 29-31.

Why it mattersThe results show Japan's depth heading into the next Olympic cycle, and a new Uzbek team contender has emerged.

The Japan Times (AFP-Jiji) foreign · JudoInside trade · European Judo Union primary · IJF calendar primary

Jaworski wins double gold at No-Gi Pans, one title from Grand Slam

Sarah Galvao also doubles; rookie Nata Tenca beats Andre Galvao in super-heavy closeout

SECAUCUS, N.J. — Poland's Pawel Jaworski of Academia Gorila won both the medium-heavyweight and open-class titles at the IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship, held Oct. 2-4 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center. By the IBJJF's count he has won five straight major titles. He is one major away from a first-ever No-Gi Grand Slam. He submitted David Garmo with a triangle in the final, then beat Wallisson Oliveira on a referee's decision in the open class. Sarah Galvao of Atos also took both middleweight and open gold. Rookie black belt Nata Tenca won super-heavy in a closeout with Andre Galvao, and Helena Crevar won her first black belt Pan No-Gi title. Next on the calendar is The Crown, an invitation-only gi event with eight-athlete brackets and $20,000 to each division winner, on Nov. 8 in Long Beach.

Why it mattersJaworski's streak and the Grand Slam chase are the main storyline of the no-gi season.

IBJJF: 2026 Pan No-Gi results breakdown primary · BJJ Heroes: 2026 IBJJF Pan American No-Gi results trade · IBJJF: 2026 Crown details primary · FloGrappling trade

Moura becomes UFC BJJ's first double champion; Almeida submits Gilbert Burns

Canuto takes the vacant lightweight belt at Meta APEX; the next card is Dec. 3

LAS VEGAS — Cassia Moura beat Australia's Adele Fornarino by split decision at UFC BJJ 12 on Oct. 8. She won the inaugural women's flyweight title and became the first fighter to hold two UFC BJJ belts, adding it to her bantamweight crown. Renato Canuto beat Ethan Crelinsten by unanimous decision for the vacant lightweight title. Gabriel Almeida won on his debut by heel hook over former UFC welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns, at 4:34 of round one. Thaynara Victoria submitted Danielle Kelly with an armbar. Heel hooks produced several first-round finishes. The UFC lists UFC BJJ 14 for Thursday, Dec. 3.

Why it mattersUFC BJJ is building a title ladder around heel-hook-friendly rules and pulling in well-known MMA names.

UFC: UFC BJJ 12 results primary · UFC BJJ event schedule primary · MMA Sucka: UFC BJJ 12 results trade

MMA

Malott knocks out Buckley with a knee in Edmonton main event

Canadian welterweight scores the biggest win of his career, while Jasudavicius upsets Blanchfield on the UFC card's other top bout

EDMONTON — Mike Malott ended UFC Fight Night in Edmonton on Saturday with a second-round knockout of Joaquin Buckley, landing a knee to the chin at 2:32. It was his fifth straight win and moved him to 15-2-1. Buckley fell to 21-9. UFC rankings had Malott at No. 13 at welterweight and Buckley at No. 10. In the co-main event, Canada's Jasmine Jasudavicius took a unanimous decision, 29-28 on all three cards, over Erin Blanchfield. Blanchfield had been ranked fourth at women's flyweight and Jasudavicius sixth, so the result reshuffles the contender ranks. Cristian Perez, making his UFC debut, stopped Kyle Nelson in 27 seconds. Mandel Nallo stopped veteran Nate Landwehr in round two. The Canadian fighters lost most of the undercard bouts. The UFC's next major date is UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden on November 14.

Why it mattersA knockout over a top-10 welterweight and a ranked-flyweight upset both change the contender pictures at 170 and 125 pounds.

UFC official event page: Buckley vs Malott primary · MMA Mania: UFC Edmonton live results trade · Tapology: UFC Fight Night Buckley vs. Malott research

Bishop wins inaugural PFL flyweight title; Khizriev decision draws scrutiny

Grappler avenges 2025 loss to Carmouche on three 48-47 cards, while the unbeaten co-headliner survives a split decision

CHICAGO — Jena Bishop won the first PFL women's flyweight championship on Friday at Wintrust Arena, beating Liz Carmouche by unanimous decision. All three judges scored it 48-47. Bishop survived a punishing first round, then took Carmouche down in the fifth and hunted a rear-naked choke until the final bell. Bishop (12-3) had said since their earlier fight that the stoppage in it came too early. Carmouche fell to 26-9. In the co-main event, unbeaten featherweight Timur Khizriev won a split decision over Gabriel Braga, 29-28, 28-29, 29-28, and moved to 19-0. Sherdog's three media scorers all had Braga ahead 29-28. Bleacher Report called the verdict dubious. Bishop's next opponent is expected to be Dakota Ditcheva, an unbeaten knockout artist who missed the title fight through injury.

Why it mattersThe PFL now has a women's flyweight champion, and a disputed decision in the co-main event adds to the sport's recurring judging debate.

Sherdog: Bishop survives Carmouche, wins PFL title trade · Sherdog: PFL Chicago play-by-play and round scoring trade · Bleacher Report: PFL Chicago 2 live updates · PFL: Chicago weigh-in results primary

UFC 334 loses bouts to injury four weeks before Madison Square Garden

Sadykhov out after Nascimento withdrew; Gane-Hokit and Harrison-Nunes title fights remain on the card

NEW YORK — UFC 334, set for November 14 at Madison Square Garden, has lost its Nazim Sadykhov vs. Jefferson Nascimento lightweight bout. Nascimento withdrew with an injury last month. Sadykhov then said this week that he had hurt himself early in camp and would not take a replacement opponent. He said he expects no surgery and a quick return. Sadykhov, an Azerbaijani, has lost his last two fights. The two title fights are unchanged. Ciryl Gane, elevated to undisputed champion after Tom Aspinall was stripped over an eye injury, defends the heavyweight belt against unbeaten Josh Hokit. Kayla Harrison defends the women's bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes. Harrison was first booked for the fight in January and withdrew after neck surgery. She says she is healthy. Stephen Thompson is scheduled to retire on this card.

Why it mattersLate attrition at a marquee Madison Square Garden event shows how thin the card is behind two title fights, with weeks left for more changes.

Sports Illustrated: UFC 334 loses another fighter to injury · İdman.Biz: Sadykhov withdraws from UFC 334 foreign · MMA News: How close Kayla Harrison came to retiring trade · Combat Press: UFC 334 card announcement trade