The 2026 World Championship purple belt action is guaranteed to thrill jiu-jitsu fans around the globe. Top prospects put their skills to the test with the ultimate prize hanging in the balance. Male divisions commence Friday (05/29) and female divisions take place on Saturday (05/30), with all the action streaming live on FloGrappling. Prepare for the purple belt category with in-depth previews of the most interesting divisions. 

 

Male 

Light-Featherweight

European Champion: Pedro Fontes 

Pan Champion: Yeremay Martin

Brasileiro Champion: Pedro Fontes

A pair of AOJ athletes lead the 141lb division at the 2026 World Championships. Pedro Fontes enters the bracket as the top-seed after securing European and Brasileiro titles this season. His most recent triumph at Brasileiro included six victories and a pair of submissions in a dangerous light-featherweight bracket. His teammate and fellow standout athlete, Yeremay Martin, clinched the Pan title this season. Yeremay enters as the #2 seed, and aims at topping the podium after a silver medal in the blue belt division last year. Both AOJ prospects exhibit highly technical and complete games, featuring strong submission arsenals. Ethan Cummings of Tac Team BJJ claims the #3 seed as the current Pan silver medalist. Ethan Wong of Cicero Costha enters the event as the #4 seed and boasts Pan and European bronze medals this season. Nova União’s Kauai Seixas earned a Brasileiro bronze medal recently, and aims at claiming a podium position this week. Hawann Hennye makes his purple belt major debut representing Gracie Barra. Hawann completed a phenomenal juvenile career in 2025 with a blue belt World title. His adult debut took place at Pans with a phenomenal gold medal performance. Hawann immediately becomes a serious contender to capture a light-featherweight World Championship. AOJ standouts, Pedro Fontes and Yeremay Martin, remain frontrunners to claim Worlds gold amongst a promising group of purple belt prospects.

 

Featherweight

European Champion: Fernando Paiva

Pan Champion: Fernando Paiva

Brasileiro Champion: Fernando Paiva

Fernando Paiva has controlled the featherweight division through three major events in the 2026 season. The AOJ athlete entered the year following a 2025 Juvenile 2 open class World Championship, leading many to project a repeat performance in the adult purple belt category this year. Fernando commenced his 2026 campaign with a six match European title run that included three submission victories. He proceeded to secure the Pan and Brasileiro titles with ten victories and four submission finishes. Fernando utilizes a balanced attack with a very technical and high-paced approach. Iryan Brooks of Nottingham Total BJJ enters the event with a wealth of experience. Iryan is a former European champion and current Pans and Worlds bronze medalist. Gabriel Matos claims the #3 seed as the Pan silver medalist when he dropped the finals match to Fernando Paiva by just two points. Stuart Carmody rounds out the top four seeds, representing Team Lloyd Irvin as the reigning Worlds bronze medalist and European Championship runner-up. Fernando Paiva remains the favorite to secure the Grand Slam sweep in 2026, however, his path to the gold medal will be highly competitive.

 

Lightweight

European Champion: Kellyson Carlos

Pan Champion: Kellyson Carlos

Brasileiro Champion: Kellyson Carlos

One of the brightest prospects in the purple belt category has controlled the lightweight division throughout 2026. Kellyson Carlos represents CheckMat as a highly skilled and dynamic competitor who consistently delivers thrilling bouts. Kellyson commenced his season with a fantastic European gold medal triumph before securing a four-match Pan title campaign. His most dominant performance of the season came just a few weeks ago at the Brasileiro event. Kellyson commenced his gold medal campaign with four consecutive submission finishes before claiming a pair of hard-fought victories to secure the title. The CheckMat product aims to overwhelm his opponents with a relentless pace and strong positional dominance en route to capturing a Grand Slam event sweep in 2026. Frazatto Jiu-Jitsu athlete Damiano Grillo has been on the heels of Kellyson all season. Damiano has earned a Brasileiro bronze medal and silver medals at both the Pan and European Championship events. A World title would signify a breakthrough moment for the talented athlete who has displayed the skillset capable of upsetting the top-seed. Moisés Souza of Soldiers Jiu-Jitsu has been garnering significant momentum with Pan bronze and Brasileiro silver medals. The underlying narrative remains with Kellyson Carlos’ attempt at a Grand Slam sweep in 2026.

 

Middleweight

European Champion: Lucas Yan 

Pan Champion: Lucas Yan

Brasileiro Champion: Lucas Yan

Lucas ‘Bahia’ Yan pursues a successful completion of an astonishing 2026 campaign. The #1 overall ranked purple belt commenced his season with a double-gold performance through nine matches at the European Championships. The DreamArt representative proceeded to secure the Pan title with five victories in the middleweight division. Most recently, Bahia claimed four submissions in six matches to claim the Brasileiro gold medal. The DreamArt prospect hopes to top the podium in 2026 after securing a World silver medal in the blue belt division last year. Bahia’s game features phenomenal guardplay with dangerous sweeping and submission ability. Gabriel Guerrero claims the #2 seed in the middleweight division as the reigning Pan silver medalist and World bronze medalist. Bahia and Gabriel met in the Pan finals in a match that was decided by just two points, leading some to project an intense World finals rematch. Unity Jiu-Jitsu’s Moussa Kadi drops into the middleweight division for a second attempt at a 181lb title. Moussa enters the event as the #3 globally ranked purple belt and the 2026 medium-heavyweight European champion. The Unity prospect delivered a remarkable performance at Euros, capturing four submissions in five matches to capture the first title of the season. Erik Rodrigo of Dreamart, Marcio Andre’s Jacob Holman, and CheckMat’s Leonardo Costa round out the top six ranked athletes in the middleweight Worlds bracket.

 

Medium-Heavyweight

European Champion: Moussa Kadi 

Pan Champion: Luis Henrique 

Brasileiro Champion: Kaike Righetti

 

The 195lb division features a number of exciting prospects vying for their first World title. Luis Henrique of Alliance secures the top-seed following his fantastic Pan title campaign. Luis secured a pair of submissions through four matches to earn his first major title at the purple belt level. Most recently Luis Henrique earned a Brasileiro silver medal, falling just short to fellow watch-list competitor Kaike Righetti. Entering the event as the #2 seed, Kaike secured the Brasileiro title in São Paulo with a commanding performance. The Alliance athlete also secured a Pan silver medal in a hard-fought loss to Luis Henrique. The top two seeds are 1-1 in major competition this season, setting up a potentially thrilling finals rematch between the two prospects. The #3 seed Abdullah Nada enters the event as a former European champion and current Pan bronze medalist. Nikolas Henrique, João Victor, and Jhonatan Motta round out the top six seeds in the 195lb division. While Kaike Righetti and Luis Henriuqe remain favorites to contend for the medium-heavyweight title, a dangerous collection of athletes pursue their World Championship glory.

 

Heavyweight

European Champion: Freddy Lele Talla

Pan Champion: Freddy Lele Talla

Brasileiro Champion: Maycon Gabriel

The heavyweight division has delivered incredible action through three major events in 2026. Freddy Lele Talla receives the top-seed following a fantastic campaign that witnessed him secure European and Pan titles. Freddy commenced his season with a five match gold medal campaign at Europeans that included two submission victories. The AOJ prospect continued his campaign with a four match Pan title against top purple belt competitors. Most recently, Freddy earned Brasileiro bronze and silver medals, furthering anticipation for his World Championship outing. The #2 seed Oliver Silvestro of High Rollers enters the event with distinct confidence. Oliver showcased his intricate skillset in the Pan open class division, where he claimed five victories and four submissions to secure the absolute title. Oliver relies upon strong guard play to set up dangerous submission sequences and intricate sweeping opportunities. Italo Poli of Cicero Costha secures the #3 seed with his Pan silver and European bronze medals this year. Dione Munis of Soldiers Jiu-Jitsu remains a strong threat to top the podium, while Vitor Pantoja of CheckMat has a strong case to contend for the podium. The 208lb division projects to be one of the most exciting weight classes in the purple belt category. 

 

Super-Heavyweight

European Champion: Sergio Pinatti

Pan Champion: Luca Veras 

Brasileiro Champion: Luca Veras

The super-heavyweight division hosts some of the most talented prospects at the purple belt level. Luca Veras claims the top-seed as the #4 globally ranked purple belt. Luca has earned Brasileiro and Pan titles this season with strong standing technique and elite guard passing skills. Through seven matches at the 2026 Pans, Luca secured six victories and three submissions en route to gold and silver medals. Luca returned to major title contention at Brasileiros where he captured the super-heavyweight title with four finishes in five matches. The VA Jiu-Jitsu product has displayed immense heart and durability throughout his 2026 campaign, proving not only his skill, but his vigor may place him atop the Worlds podium. Lincoln Santos of Alliance enters as the #2 seed in the division following an impressive Pans outing. Lincoln secured four submissions in eight matches, claiming silver and gold medals amongst top prospects. Lincoln displays a high work rate and strong top pressure, which are abilities he must showcase to claim the super-heavyweight title. Soldiers Jiu-Jitsu representative Jose Victor projects to secure a podium placement in the 220lb division. Jose impressed throughout the 2025 season with Brasileiro and Pan titles. In 2026, Jose earned Pan silver and European bronze finishes. The #4 seed Renan Martins of DreamArt stands as another athlete capable of contending for the top podium placement. The super-heavyweight division presents a collection of top prospects who are poised to deliver thrilling action on day two of the World Championships.

 

Ultra-Heavyweight

European Champion: Rodrigo Dantas

Pan Champion: Rodrigo Dantas

Brasileiro Champion: Rodrigo Dantas

The ultra-heavyweight division has remained under the supreme control of Rodrigo Dantas. The Vision athlete enters the event as the #2 globally naked purple belt with Brasileiro, Pan, and European titles in 2026. Rodrigo blends a powerful standing game with immense passing pressure to overwhelm his opponents. His submission sequences often appear from passing sequences, as he punishes his opponents with strong positioning. Most recently, Rodrigo secured three submissions in as many opportunities in the Brasilieiro ultra-heavyweight division. Rodrigo has added open class medals at both Brasileiro and Pan events in 2026. Arthur Lopes of DreamArt receives the #2 seed in the division as one of the most experienced athletes in the field. Arthur claims major event medals as early as the 2024 Brasileiro event. In 2026, Arthur secured three medals across the Pan and European Championship events. The #3 seed Yan Goulart of Alliance projects to contend fiercely for the World title, as the returning World silver medalist aims to improve upon his 2025 campaign. Calebe Cerqueira of Vision represents another strong contender to compete for a podium placement in the ultra-heavyweight division. The main storyline features Rodrigo Dantas’ pursuit towards a Grand Slam event sweep in 2026.

 

Open Class

European Champion: Lucas Yan

Pan Champion: Oliver Silvestro

Brasileiro Champion: Lincoln Santos

The male purple belt open class has provided thrilling performances from a number of top prospects in 2026. With three distinct champions tasting absolute gold this season, the absolute World title is hanging in the balance with no clear-cut favorite. Lucas Yan commenced the season with a fantastic double-gold performance in Europe. Oliver Silvestro of High Rollers claimed an absolute final win over Luca Veras at Pans. Alliance standout Lincoln Santos bested Freddy Lele Talla to secure the most recent open class title at Brasileiros. Fellow contenders who project to compete for the title are Rodrigo Dantas, Jose Vitor, Renan Martins, and Fernand Paiva who has displayed immense heart as a featherweight in absolute competition.

 

Female

Light-Featherweight

European Champion: Natalee Funegra

Pan Champion: Natalee Funegra

Brasileiro Champion: Natalee Funegra

Natalee Funegra has controlled the light-featherweight division throughout 2026. The AOJ phenom ended her juvenile career in 2025 with a World Championship in the blue belt division. Natalee immediately announced her presence in the adult purple belt category with a fantastic European Championship campaign. She secured two submissions across four victories to claim her first adult major title. She proceeded to capture the Pan title with three victories, including two by way of submission. Her most recent competition witnessed the young phenom claim the Brasileiro light-featherweight gold medal with a pair of finishes across four matches. Natalee blends elite guard play with strong passing pressure to control the match from any position. Thainá Guimaraes claims the #2 seed as the reigning Brasileiro silver medalist. Her finals match against Natalee Funegra resulted in a referee decision victory, proving Thainá is more than capable of securing a redemption win. The BJJ College athlete possesses the athleticism and technical prowess to upset the division’s top-seed and claim her first World title. Marina Souza of JFC Almeida remains a strong threat to contend for podium placement. The #3 seed in the light-featherweight division claimed the second major event bronze medal of her career at the 2026 European Championships in January. The World Championships offer a unique opportunity for Natalee Funegra, who pursues her first adult World title and a 2026 Grand Slam event sweep.

 

Featherweight

European Champion: Giada Pedretti

Pan Champion: Isis Maciel

Brasileiro Champion: Isis Maciel

GF Team claims one of the brightest prospects in the purple belt category. Isis Maciel has captured a pair of major event titles in the 2026 season. Isis commenced her season with a phenomenal Pan title run that included five wins and four submission finishes. Isis solidified herself as a top prospect with a spectacular four submission performance to earn the Brasileiro title. Isis utilizes intricate guard play to set up her triangle/armbar systems. Her submission ability makes her one of the most exciting female prospects in the color belt divisions. The #2 seed Giada Pedretti secured her rank with a European title in January. The Nottingham Total BJJ athlete remains a strong favorite to contend for the top of the podium. Noémie Gluck of Rise takes the #3 seed in the featherweight division with a silver and bronze medal between the Pan and European Championship events. Lara Oliveira, Jeniffer Tenório, and Kamila Abreu represent serious threats to upset the division favorites. Isis Maciel is projected to top the podium in the 129lb division, however, a collection of top prospects bring upset worthy ability to the bracket.

 

Middleweight

European Champion: India Risby

Pan Champion: India Risby

Brasileiro Champion: India Risby

The middleweight division has been commanded by India Risby throughout the 2026 season, however, the Atos phenom received her black belt promotion after capturing Brasileiro double-gold. With India out of the division, her teammate Mia Montesinos now carries the torch out at the 2026 World Championships. Mia has secured European, Pan, and Brasileiro titles at lightweight this season, leading many to believe she is the overwhelming favorite to top the podium at middleweight. Ana Fernandes of Athlas Training Team earns the #2 seed as the current Brasileiro runner-up and Pan bronze medalist. Ana entered this season following a fantastic No-Gi World Championship title in December. Rana Muratoglu of Molinaro Jiu-Jitsu enters as the #3 seed with silver medal performances at both Pan and European Championship events. Alexandria Howard, Amanda Baronio, Hanna Hepworth, and Zoe Kerr round out the top seven seeds in the middleweight division. Specific attention will be given to Mia Montesinos as the submission hunter pursues a purple belt World title on Friday.

 

Medium-Heavyweight

European Champion: Anna Wodicka

Pan Champion: Bia Alves

Brasileiro Champion: Ilorrany Batista 

Atos female Dream Team member Bia Alves secures the top-seed in the medium-heavyweight division. Bia secured the Pan title with an astounding 100% submission rate through four matches. Bia utilizes her dangerous guard to set up armbar and triangle submissions with peak efficiency. Her long frame lends itself to a variety of submission threats that she consistently threatens. Ilorrany Batista of Alliance represents a significant threat to derail Bia’s World title hopes. Ilorrany secured the Brasileiro title amidst a collection of dangerous purple belt prospects. Asami Yanagi receives the #3 seed in the division and returns to the event after securing a World bronze medal in 2025. Asami’s lone major event medal came in Lisbon at the European Championships, as she aims to secure her first Grand Slam event title this week.

 

Open Class

European Champion: India Risby

Pan Champion: India Risby

Brasileiro Champion: India Risby

The absolute champion at each of the three major events this year is now in the brown belt division, opening the door for a new open class champion at the 2026 Worlds. Mia Montesinos secured the silver medal in the absolute division at Brasileiros, and remains a significant force in the division. Agatha Nigro, the ultra-heavyweight European, Pan, and Brasileiro champion is projected to reach the podium. Ana Fernandes, Tori-Anna Hamilton, and Carolina Granzotto are likely contenders in the open class competition as well. The female open class has offered a multitude of intense matchups and intriguing storylines, while the 2026 Worlds bracket will present a new 2026 absolute champion.