Female Divisions

 

Roosterweight

Janice Russell delivered a spectacular performance to claim the roosterweight gold medal. Entering as the fourth seed among six competitors, Russell definitively proved herself the division's standout athlete. She secured two submission victories in two matches, including an armbar finish from a rear triangle position. In the final against Hazel Vallejo, Russell needed a mere 32 seconds to execute a belly-down straight ankle lock, earning her first No-Gi Worlds title.

 

Light Featherweight

Atos Jiu-Jitsu's Emily Leyva captured gold in the Light Featherweight division. Leyva was the heavy favorite entering the tournament, though she unfortunately missed a semi-final bout due to her opponent's weigh-in infraction. The final pitted Leyva against Malena Aoun, concluding with an incredible straight armlock initiated from a fifty-fifty guard position. This No-Gi World Championship marks Leyva’s third major title this season, complementing her victories at Pans and Brasileiro. The Atos prodigy has certainly made a powerful statement heading into her 2026 campaign.

 

Featherweight

Michal Baly secured the Featherweight gold, showcasing her impenetrable guard throughout the tournament. The Nxtgen Jiu-Jitsu athlete received a first-round bye before clinching a quarterfinal victory over Corey McKenna. Baly's subsequent match against fellow exciting prospect, Elizabeth Genge, resulted in a narrow referee decision win. The final provided another opportunity for Baly to demonstrate her technical guard game, ultimately earning her a hard-fought advantage victory and her first No-Gi World Championship. This gold medal hangs alongside the European Championship title she claimed earlier this season, cementing Michal Baly's status as one of the brightest young talents in the female divisions.

 

Lightweight

Despite entering as the eighth seed, Gabrielle Baptista performed well above her rank. Her campaign began with a decisive victory over the number one seed, Valentina Peña, finishing the match with a devastating Caio Terra-style foot lock. Baptista’s semi-final against Melanie Iverson featured another stunning submission via straight armlock, setting up an electrifying final against Jadeya Reber. The two had previously met in the Jiu-Jitsu Con finals earlier in the season, ending in a razor-thin referee decision. This final, however, concluded differently when Baptista secured a tight kneebar, forcing her opponent to tap. Her fantastic run culminated in a No-Gi World Championship gold medal and her first major no-gi title.

 

Middleweight

Naomi Sharp, representing Unity Jiu-Jitsu, claimed the Middleweight gold among a talented field of fourteen athletes. Sharp earned her semi-final spot by moving past Aila Solecki and Sharon Meguira in two highly competitive matches. She faced Giovana Amaral in the semi-finals, securing a match-clinching backtake. Ultimately, Naomi Sharp captured the No-Gi World Championship gold in another tightly contested final against Mariana Piccolo, earning her second major title of the season.

 

Medium-Heavyweight

Martyna Kapuscinska took the No-Gi World Championship title, representing Academia Gorila. Kapuscinska dominated her bracket with a 100% submission rate across three matches, starting with a kneebar in the quarter-finals. A straight ankle lock submission over Luandra Soares earned her a spot in the final against the returning world champion, Greta Notaro. Kapuscinska secured her first No-Gi Worlds title with an impressive rear naked choke victory, closing out the female medium-heavyweight division.

 

Heavyweight

Olivia Brown entered the Heavyweight division as the lowest seed but finished as a champion. Her first-round win via rear triangle armbar set up a semi-final against the well-known prospect, Hannah Griffith. In a challenging bout, Brown ultimately outscored Griffith 3-0 for a noteworthy victory. The final featured Anna Rocha and Olivia Brown competing for the heavyweight title, with the Helio Soneca representative ultimately earning the gold. This title marks Olivia Brown’s first No-Gi World Championship honor, setting high expectations for her 2026 campaign.

 

Super-Heavyweight

Maria Fragoso entered the bracket as the number one seed among three competitors. Across her two matches, Fragoso was impressively dominant, outscoring her opponents by a combined 25-0. The Gracie Barra representative secured her first No-Gi World Championship and her second major title of the year. Fragoso plans to increase her activity leading into the 2026 season.

 

Open Division

The female Open Division was headlined by the number one seed, Martyna Kapuscinska. Kapuscinska continued her impressive form following her Medium-Heavyweight title run and 100% submission rate earlier in the day. After a quarterfinal victory over Eliza Nascimento, Kapuscinska earned a hard-fought win over Hannah Griffith. The open division final was a rematch of the Medium-Heavyweight final against Greta Notaro, which resulted in Kapuscinska claiming her second gold medal. The victory was solidified when Kapuscinska locked in a tight armbar, forcing Notaro to submit for the open division title. Martyna Kapuscinska concluded the 2025 season as a No-Gi World Championship double gold medalist.

 

Male Divisions

 

Roosterweight

Kauan Souza, entering as the bottom seed, earned his first No-Gi World Championship title. In three dominant matches, Souza secured three straight ankle lock submissions. En route to the gold, he defeated the division’s top two seeds, adding another world championship performance to the Atos Jiu-Jitsu academy's legacy. Notably, Kauan Souza was promoted to black belt on the No-Gi Worlds stage, ending his brown belt career in remarkable fashion.

 

Light-Featherweight

Luan Martiniano’s path to his first No-Gi World Championship gold required four victories in the light-featherweight division. Following a first-round bye, Martiniano began his championship run by defeating Johnnie Ngyuen 9-0. He earned his semi-final placement after defeating Afek Agababa, where he then met Francesco Calandra. The semi-final concluded with Martiniano snatching an armbar from a rear triangle position to move into the final. The Gracie Barra athlete secured his title by defeating Nicolo Bilardo by four points in the No-Gi Worlds final.

 

Featherweight

Kacper Garczynski completed an underdog story, having entered the Featherweight division as the 30th seed. The Academia Gorila representative advanced to the quarter-finals after two fiercely contested matches, where he defeated Angus Tonkin via straight ankle lock. Garczynski continued his gold medal pursuit by overcoming Igor Silva with an impressive toehold. His third submission of the day secured the No-Gi World Championship title, defeating Kody Alarcon with a triangle in the final. Garczynski’s fantastic performance has undoubtedly shed his underdog label as he moves into the 2026 season.

 

Lightweight

Tarcisio Santos, representing Marcio Andre Jiu-Jitsu, captured his first No-Gi World Championship. After a first-round bye, Santos defeated Gerardo Aparicio Jr. on points. His most dominant performance came in his second match where he scored 23 unanswered points and finished his opponent with an armbar. The quarter-finals featured a very tough match against Daniel Deeder, which was ultimately decided by a single advantage. A semi-final kneebar secured Santos’s place in the final against Diallo Braithwaite. Braithwaite had an impressive run to the final, which came down to advantages. Santos ultimately outscored his opponent by two advantages to secure the lightweight No-Gi World Championship title.

 

Middleweight

Emerson Feitosa entered a stacked middleweight division as the two-seed. Following a first-round bye, he engaged in a highly competitive match with Jacob Boreman, which saw Feitosa win by two points. After a third-round win by advantages, Feitosa took out William Tregart and Martin Abeal on points. This set up a highly anticipated final against the number one seed, Chazz Canas, who had also impressed throughout his run, securing two submission victories and a tough semi-final win over Sebastian Patyk. The final between Canas and Feitosa was as tightly contested as expected, with Feitosa ultimately winning by referee decision to claim the brown belt No-Gi World Championship. This title marks Feitosa’s second major title this season, including his Brasileiro gold earlier in the year.

 

Medium-Heavyweight

Marlon Tajik headlined the medium-heavyweight division, entering as the number one seed. Tajik completed four matches, securing four submissions en route to his first No-Gi World Championship. A second-round kneebar and quarterfinal heel hook placed him in the semi-finals. A backtake leading to a rear naked choke finish earned him a shot in the final against Caleb Nascimento. Tajik defeated Nascimento via rear naked choke, capturing the Medium-Heavyweight gold. Magnificently, Tajik has submitted every single one of his opponents across three major titles this season, proving he is not only the best at his weight in the world but one of the most exciting prospects in jiu-jitsu.

 

Heavyweight

Placido Santos dominated his way to a heavyweight No-Gi World Championship title. A second-round heel hook in just over a minute propelled him into the quarter-finals. Santos then defeated Colin Carr using a z-lock variation and secured a swift victory over Hasnat Raza with a forty-second heel hook. Santos completed his gold medal run by defeating Linus Schrenk via rear naked choke. He secured four submissions in impressive fashion across his four matches.

 

Super-Heavyweight

Michael Pixley generated significant buzz entering the event. The Pedigo Submission Fighting product entered the division as the second seed, earning a first-round bye. His quarterfinal match with Alex Hudic ended in two minutes with a punishing Kimura finish. Pixley then quickly dispatched Rogerio Leite with his patented Darce choke in under thirty seconds. Nata Tenca met Pixley in the final for a very physical match that ended in a 3-2 victory for Michael Pixley. He has been on an incredible run over the past couple of years, culminating in a 2025 No-Gi World Championship title. Pixley was promoted to black belt by Professor Heath Pedigo atop the podium, a truly special moment for the young competitor. Michael also dedicated his No-Gi Worlds gold medal to his recently deceased father, adding to an already emotional moment for the new black belt.

 

Ultra-Heavyweight

Nicklas Hartman, representing Zenith BJJ, entered the division as the number one seed. Hartman submitted each of his three opponents utilizing a different submission in each match. He began his run by defeating Ian Daube via shoulder lock, followed by a heel hook finish in his semi-final match. A potentially intriguing final against Thierry Felipe ended in just one minute when Hartman locked onto his devastating straight ankle lock. This No-Gi Worlds gold marks Hartman’s fourth color belt No-Gi World title. Hartman shared his struggle with sickness entering the event, which only amplified his impressive showcase on the world's largest stage. The Zenith product was then promoted to black belt atop the podium, creating a formidable new challenge for black belts in the ultra-heavyweight division in 2026.

 

Open Division

Marlon Tajik entered the male Open Division as the clear favorite. He earned his fifth submission of the day in the quarter-finals, defeating Hasnat Raza via straight ankle lock. A points victory in the semi-finals set up a final against Shai Iftar, who had impressively navigated the opposing side of the bracket. Iftar had taken out Thierry Felipe via heel hook in the quarter-finals before defeating Martin Abeal in a tough semi-final to earn his spot. Tajik and Iftar had faced off before, but never on a stage as bright as the No-Gi Worlds open division final. The tightly contested match concluded with an advantage victory for Marlon Tajik, securing his double gold honors. After a long day of competition, Marlon proved himself to be the most dominant brown belt in the world heading into his 2026 campaign.