Top global athletes are poised to showcase their exceptional skills under the bright lights of the Absolute Grand Prix. Eleven compelling superfights, spanning from juvenile blue belts to decorated black belt world champions, will support the prestigious eight-man Absolute No-Gi Grand Prix bracket. The event kicks off with an official press conference on Wednesday, February 25th for competitor interviews and face-offs. The card commences with superfight action at 5pm PST on Thursday, February 26th, broadcasting live from Costa Mesa, CA, exclusively on FloGrappling.

The Absolute No-Gi Grand Prix bracket features an assembly of the world's finest competitors, all vying for the Grand Prix title and the accompanying $50,000 prize. Victor Hugo, Diego Pato, Pedro Marinho, and Javier Barter enter the tournament as former No-Gi World Champions. Gustavo ‘Braguinha’ Batista joins the field as a late replacement for Devhonte Johnson. Braguinha boasts multiple Pans and World titles, a testament to his seasoned championship pedigree. Completing the bracket, a trio of emerging contenders—Nick Hartman, Michael Pixley, and Marlon Tajik—are set to make their no-gi black belt debuts, each aiming to make a resounding statement to launch their rookie campaign.

The quarterfinal matchups have been determined, pitting all three rookie black belts against former World Champion opponents. The designated order of these bouts is as follows:

Quarterfinal 1: Victor Hugo vs Marlon Tajik

Quarterfinal 2: Javier Barter vs Nick Hartman

Quarterfinal 3: Pedro Marinho vs Diego Pato

Quarterfinal 4: Michael Pixley vs Gustavo Batista

The superfight card promises to deliver relentless excitement with a dynamic mix of youthful prospects and commanding stars. Mick Whelan and Isaac Huertas will open the event with a juvenile confrontation, followed by the final juvenile matchup of the night, a highly-anticipated 2025 World finals rematch between JP Tran and Asafe Alves. Two exciting blue belt prospects, Johnny Anderson and Julio Cesar, square off following their dominant Euro gold medal runs. Top purple belt talents take center stage for two matches: Natalee Funegra of AOJ clashes with Marcio Andre student, Kaitlyn Schmidt, while CheckMat’s Kellyson Carlos meets Gracie Barra’s Evan Duncan. Next, rookie brown belt Dominic Manno clashes with the dangerous Luan Veras. Commencing the black belt superfights, Mateo Cardona and Leo Souza will converge for a lightweight battle between two thrilling competitors. Another AOJ versus Marcio Andre showdown is slated for the light-featherweight black belt division between Aashlee Funegra and Yasmyn Castro. Veteran Maria Vicentini and rising star Sarah Galvão take the spotlight for a medium-heavyweight duel, followed by the evening's sole no-gi superfight. Renowned athlete, Helena Crevar, will challenge the bright young prospect Aghata Rabelo. Finally, Cole Abate and Will Wilson are set to clash in a highly-anticipated lightweight showdown between two masterful practitioners.

With superfights spread throughout the event, spectators are afforded a unique opportunity to witness the full spectrum of jiu-jitsu talent. The complete order of bouts for the Grand Prix event is as follows:

Do not miss the opportunity to see the world's most elite competitors electrify The Hangar in Costa Mesa, California on February 26th. Secure your tickets now, or tune into the exclusive live stream of the event on FloGrappling. The Absolute Grand Prix is proudly presented by Kingz, Fuji, and Wilner & O’Reily.