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The 2026 Pan No-Gi certainly showcases a fascinating collection of the top black belts in the world, yet a deeper look reveals much more. An incredible group of rising talents and top prospects are prepared to contend for major event titles in New Jersey this weekend.

To look into the future of the sport, one doesn’t have to look far or wait long. The Pan No-Gi event has attracted elite talent to compete for the season’s second Grand Slam event. At glance the divisions reveal World Champions, recently promoted competitors, and up-and-coming talents.

 

Seventeen of the top prospects give insight into the promising future of the competition landscape. Here is a synopsis of their journey to the Pan No-Gi event this weekend.

 

2026 Pan No-Gi Brown Belt Athlete Watchlist

Kacper Garczynski 

Opening Round: Friday 10/02, 1:14pm

One of the brightest prospects in the male brown belt category, Kacper Garczynski is another up-and-coming athlete of Academia Gorila who displays precise technical ability. The Polish native ended his 2025 campaign with World No-Gi gold and commenced his 2026 season with a Brasileiro No-Gi gold, marking the halfway point to a No-Gi Grand Slam title. 

Kacper is in a stacked brown belt Pan No-Gi featherweight division that also features fellow watchlist competitor, Fernando Paiva. His work is cut out for him, but Kacper remains a strong contender to capture his third consecutive major event gold.

 

Shai Iftar

Opening Round: Friday 10/02, 12:54pm

Shai Iftar is back on the No-Gi major event circuit. The rising sensation has consistently delivered standout performances on the sport’s biggest stages. The lightweight phenom ended his 2025 season with a silver and bronze medal performance at the No-Gi World Championships, setting the stage for a big 2026 season. 

His precise guard play and deep submission arsenal make him a significant threat to capture the lightweight Pan No-Gi title. His achievements have earned him the #1 seed in a deep division that also includes fellow watchlist prospect Alex Vazquez.

 

Alex Vazquez

Opening Round: Friday 10/02, 12:34pm

A standout AOJ prospect returns to the No-Gi major event circuit this weekend. Alex Vazquez is coming off an incredible 2026 Gi campaign that witnessed him secure Pan and European titles, as well as a Brasileiro silver medal.

Alex is building a premier color belt resume through vast experience on the Grand Slam circuit. Alex enters Pan No-Gi as the #4 seed in a dangerous lightweight division that includes fellow watchlist prospect Shai Iftar.

 

Caleb Nascimento

Opening Round: Friday 10/02, 1:40pm

Caleb Nascimento is an athletic and technical prospect out of Marcio Andre Jiu-Jitsu. Caleb earned podium placement at Pan, European, and World Championship events in the Gi this year. In 2025, Caleb ended his year with a No-Gi World Championship silver medal, setting up a potentially big 2026 No-Gi campaign.

Caleb enters Pan No-Gi as the #1 ranked medium-heavyweight brown belt, drawing attention and large expectations.

 

Fernando Paiva

Opening Round: Friday 10/02, 1:14pm

A top AOJ prospect recently made his brown belt debut. Fernando Paiva displayed incredible talent throughout his 2026 Gi campaign, capturing all four major event titles and receiving his brown belt promotion. 

The 2025 No-Gi season witnessed Fernando in the juvenile 2 division, where this time last year he was capturing the open class light Pan No-Gi title. He finalized his 2025 season with a juvenile 2 lightweight World No-Gi gold medal, closing the chapter on a phenomenal juvenile career.

Now in the adult brown belt division, Fernando remains a significant threat to capture another Pan No-Gi title. The featherweight division is loaded with talent, as many project a potential finals match between Fernando and Kacper Garczynski.

 

Hawann Hennye 

Opening Round: Friday 10/02, 1:50pm

One of the most exciting prospects in the male categories is Hawann Hennye. The rising sensation makes his brown belt debut this weekend following an incredibly fast and successful purple belt campaign. After just four weeks at the purple belt level, Hawann secured the World Championship title and his brown belt promotion.

From a juvenile to a brown belt adult competitor in less than a year, Hawann has quickly ascended the international competition scene. His brown belt debut marks his first opportunity to test his skills and write his story in the brown belt division. Hawann enters the light-featherweight division as the #13 seed in the division.

 

Moussa Kadi

Opening Round: Friday 10/02, 1:02pm

The #1 ranked male purple belt No-Gi athlete has officially transitioned into the brown belt division. Moussa Kadi finalized his purple belt No-Gi career with a World No-Gi double-gold performance that displayed his elite ability. 

Following a successful Gi campaign in 2026, Moussa returns to the No-Gi major event circuit to test his mettle at the brown belt level. A phenomenal guard player and dangerous leg locker, the Unity Jiu-Jitsu athlete certainly possesses the skill to capture the medium-heavyweight title.

 

Sebastian Patyk

Opening Round: Friday 10/02, 1:08pm

Another bright prospect out of the Academia Gorila team, Sebastian Patyk returns to the No-Gi Grand Slam circuit. Sebastian captured international attention at Brasileiro No-Gi earlier this season, securing a double-silver performance in the brown belt middleweight division. 

Similar to his Academia Gorila teammates, Sebastian displays a fascinating submission arsenal and a relentless pace. The middleweight division consists of twenty-nine contenders including the always dangerous Anthony Silva.

 

Jadeya Reber

Opening Round: Friday 10/02, 2:08pm

Logos JJ product Jadeya Reber returns to the Pan No-Gi event after securing bronze and silver medals in the last edition. Jadeya has proven her ability to contend with the top prospects in the sport, as she aims at securing her first major title at the brown belt level. 

Jadeya enters the Pan No-Gi middleweight bracket as the #1 seed of six competitors. Ana Fernandes, Rebecca Charbonneau, and Caitlin Ghalayini represent her projected biggest threats.

 

Elizabeth Genge

Opening Round: Friday 10/02, 12:26pm

Elizabeth has compiled significant experience at the brown belt level. She stands as a European and Pan No-Gi Champion, while accruing six bronze medals between Gi and No-Gi major events. The Stealth BJJ representative is a balanced competitor who consistently pushes the pace.

Elizabeth is the #1 lightweight at Pan No-Gi and must contend with strong competitors such as Giovanna Rangel, Maria Golden, Pairin Sullivan, and Isadora Friedlander.

 

Ana Fernandes

Opening Round: Friday 10/02, 1:48pm

Purple belt Gi and No-Gi World Champion Ana Fernandes bumps up into the brown belt division for her first major event. The Athlas Training Team product has shown incredible promise on the Grand Slam circuit as a blue and purple belt, and now hopes to translate that success into the next chapter of her career.

Ana enters the middleweight division as the #5 seed with fellow watchlist competitor Jadeya Reber claiming the top spot.

 

Delia Kolanowski

Opening Round: Friday 10/02, 2:10pm

The Detroit Jiu-Jitsu Syndicate product is back in the Pan No-Gi event after securing a silver and bronze medal in the last edition. Delia enters the event as the #3 overall brown belt No-Gi female athlete with strong experience at the brown belt level.

Delia enters the medium-heavyweight Pan No-Gi division as the #2 seed with top-seed Peyton Letcher standing in her way.

 

2026 Pan No-Gi Purple Belt Athlete Watchlist

Mia Montesinos

Opening Round: Sunday 10/04, 1:04pm

The top-tier female prospect prepares to commence her 2026 No-Gi season. She finalized her 2026 Gi campaign as a Brasileiro, Pan, and European Champion. Mia also departs from the purple belt division as a European No-Gi Champion, proving her elite ability across No-Gi and Gi major events.

Mia is the #2 seed in a dangerous middleweight division that also boasts fellow watchlist athlete Rana Muratoglu. The Atos Jiu-Jitsu athlete has her work cut out for her, yet she remains a strong contender to capture a Pan No-Gi title.

 

Rana Muratoglu

Opening Round: Sunday 10/04, 12:46pm

Molinaro Jiu-Jitsu has a strong talent in Rana Muratoglu. She finalized her 2026 Gi season as a Pan and European Championship silver medalist. As a No-Gi competitor, Rana has earned Pan and World Championship silver medals while most recently securing the Brasileiro No-Gi title. 

Rana enters Pan No-Gi as the #1 seed in a middleweight division that boasts twelve competitors including the always dangerous Mia Montesinos.

 

Johnny Anderson

Opening Round: Sunday 10/04, 10:15am

Johnny Anderson returns to the major event circuit for the first time as a purple belt. Johnny secured European, Pan, and Brasileiro titles in the Gi blue belt division this season, and now turns his sights towards purple belt major titles. 

A fascinating juvenile prospect who has seamlessly transitioned into the adult divisions, Johnny is amongst Gracie Barra’s top male prospects. He enters the purple belt featherweight division as the #1 seed with a ton of expectations.

 

Javiera Zuñiga

Opening Round: Sunday 10/04, 1:31pm

Javiera Zuñiga represents Cohab Chile as a rising prospect in the purple belt division. The reigning European No-Gi and Brasileiro No-Gi Champion returns to the major event circuit with big expectations. 

Javiera enters the light-featherweight bracket as the top-seed and favorite to secure another major event title.

 

Jorge Fernandes

Opening Round: Sunday 10/04, 10:06am

The Athlas Training Team athlete has elevated his game to the next level. Jorge Fernandes secured the lightweight purple belt World Championship just months ago, and now sets his sights on the No-Gi Grand Slam circuit. 

Jorge is the #2 seed in the thirty-seven-competitor middleweight division and projects to make a deep run toward the Pan No-Gi title.

 

The prestigious 2026 Pan No-Gi event goes live Friday, October 2nd through Sunday, October 4th. Don’t miss any of the action by tuning in to the exclusive FloGrappling live stream to witness all the incredible action.