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2026 European No-Gi Announcement

The 2026 European No-Gi has attracted a remarkable collection of world-class No-Gi athletes. The jiu-jitsu spotlight focuses on Rome, Italy for the year’s third major No-Gi event and the thirteenth edition of the European No-Gi Championships.

 

Let’s take a look at each of the nine male black belt weight divisions, including highlight athletes and distinct storylines. This condensed preview is incapable of encompassing the complete depth of talent the event offers, therefore head over to the Athletes List By Divisions for the full entry list. 

 

2026 Euro No-Gi Male Division Breakdowns

Roosterweight 

The roosterweight division is composed of three athletes, each with distinct claims to the title. Above all, Shay Montague of ECJJA is the overwhelming favorite. The reigning European No-Gi and World No-Gi roosterweight Champion represents the pinnacle of the division. Shay sets his sights on a third European No-Gi title in his young career. Peter Morcom and Liam White hope to upset their proven counterpart, in the small but intriguing division.

 

Light-Featherweight

Eleven athletes prepare to converge in a talented 135lb division. Edwin ‘Junny’ Ocasio enters as the favorite to top the division as a former World No-Gi, Pan No-Gi, and European No-Gi Champion. Junny represents Unity Jiu-Jitsu as one of the very top light-featherweight athletes in the world. Standing directly in his way is Daniel de Groot. Daniel has secured bronze in the last two editions of European No-Gi, and recently secured a Pan No-Gi bronze medal with a strong performance. The eleven-competitor division projects explosive action between proven veterans and rising prospects. 

 

Featherweight

The 184lb division presents an intriguing dichotomy between veteran presence and young energy. The top of the division embodies this storyline as athletes Noah Gutierrez, Amit Burshtein, and Sam McNally project to claim podium placements. Rookie black belt Amit Burshtein commenced his black belt career with a couple No-Gi open circuit titles before recently securing a Pan No-Gi bronze medal. Noah Gutierrez, the twenty-two-year-old out of Jiu-Jitsu Methods, enters the featherweight bracket as the reigning Euro No-Gi silver medalist. Sam McNally possesses extensive experience as a two-time Euro No-Gi silver medalist and former World No-Gi bronze medalist. The remaining sixteen competitors certainly intend to steal the major event spotlight en route to claiming their title.

 

Lightweight 

The lightweight division is undeniably one of the most exciting divisions of the event. The thirty-competitor division is loaded with talent, including the #4 ranked No-Gi athlete in the world Julian Espinosa. Julian has won the event three consecutive years since receiving his black belt, and stands as a former Pan No-Gi and reigning Brasileiro No-Gi Champion. Pierre-Olivier Leclerc is also one of the division favorites after securing the Pan No-Gi lightweight title just a few weeks ago. Pierre showcased a balanced game and strong strategy to claim the major title, and now sets his sights on continuing his momentum. Natap Sap is a proven veteran with the ability to shock the division, and rookie black belt Chazz Canas is an exciting young athlete with outstanding skill. Yonathan Macias of Ares BJJ enters the division after claiming a bronze medal in the last edition. The lightweight is truly special at the 2026 European No-Gi.

 

Middleweight

The 175lb division has consistently delivered remarkable action on the Grand Slam circuit. The division is as competitive as any, and boasts legitimate international stars at each major event. Reigning European No-Gi and World No-Gi Champion Tarik Hopstock headlines the division. The Frontline Academy representative has already secured a Brasilerio No-Gi title this season, and saw his Grand Slam aspirations narrowly end with a Pan No-Gi silver medal. The World No-Gi runner-up Marcelo Fausto is back in action. Marcelo is good everywhere, and balances tactical gameplay with aggressive submission hunting. Espen Mathiesen, Kieran Kichuk, and Darlan Casaca represent talented veterans with distinct title intentions.

 

Medium-Heavyweight

Pawel Jaworski commands the biggest storyline in the 2025-2026 No-Gi Grand Slam season. The twenty-two-year-old is the #1 globally ranked No-Gi athlete, and has secured five consecutive No-Gi Grand Slam titles. The Academia Gorila product enters the event with a historic opportunity in front of him. If Pawel secures the medium-heavyweight title he would become the first athlete to become a No-Gi Grand Slam Champion. David Garmo brings veteran experience to the division and enters with distinct confidence following a strong Pan No-Gi silver medal run recently. Luan Veras gave Pawel his toughest test at Pan No-Gi in a match that was decided by an advantage in the waning seconds. Luan is a rookie black belt who continues to improve with each event. Keep an eye on Max Arnold and Sebastian Sonntag as up-and-coming talents on the European circuit. 

 

Heavyweight

The 201lb division projects intense action as one of the most competitive divisions in the event. There is certainly no clear-cut favorite to secure the title, however, there is plenty of talent. Luuk Nieuwamerongen of NS Brotherhood is a young prospect who continues to impress. Linus Schrenk has entered the black belt ranks following an impressive color belt run. European No-Gi could serve as a breakout moment for the Nick Brooks product. Karol Kania is back in the division after securing heavyweight silver in the last edition. The sixteen-competitor division certainly projects to deliver a number of intriguing matchups throughout the bracket.

 

Super-Heavyweight

The super-heavyweight division is headlined by reigning European No-Gi heavyweight Champion Faris Benlamkadem. Faris is no stranger to the spotlight as an experienced veteran and two-time World No-Gi silver medalist. The Los Banditos competitor utilizes overwhelming pressure to break down his opponents, as he enters as the division favorite. Jed Hue bumps up a couple weight divisions from his usual lightweight bracket where he has earned European No-Gi and Brasileiro No-Gi bronze medals. Jean Maltese of Alliance is a returning two-time European No-Gi silver medalist and experienced competitor. Adam Nabawy returns as a reigning bronze medalist from the 2025 edition. The 215lb division always brings intense physical action and the 2026 European No-Gi bracket projects much of the same.

 

Ultra-Heavyweight

Alexander Sak headlines the ultra-heavyweight division at European No-Gi while he simultaneously prepares for the 2026 Crown. Alexander is on an absolute tear as he secured double-gold at the Asian Championships and captured a World Master title in 2026. Alexander enters as the only returning ultra-heavyweight medalist from the 2025 edition. Mahir Zuka enters the adult division after securing a Master 1 European No-Gi title last year. Kristiyan Krastev is a dark horse in the division as a rookie black belt. The no-weight-limit male division features ten contenders all eyeing Euro No-Gi gold.

 

For further athlete and bracket information, stay tuned to IBJJF News and the 2026 Euro No-Gi Event Guide. Be sure to login to FloGrappling for the exclusive Euro No-Gi livestream running from October 28th through November 1st.