The 2025 No-Gi World Championships served as the premier stage for the world’s elite juvenile talent. Competitors from across the globe converged on the mats to showcase their formidable skills under the bright lights. A beautiful display of jiu-jitsu unfolded across forty-eight divisions, definitively proving the future of the sport is in gifted hands. Eight standout juvenile athletes secured the coveted double gold performance at the year’s biggest no-gi event.

JP Tran

John-Paul (JP) Tran delivered a dominant performance in the Juvenile 1 blue belt division at the 2025 No-Gi World Championships. The AOJ representative first captured gold in the blue belt lightweight division with a commanding victory over CheckMat’s Guy Torres, immediately setting his sights on the double gold. JP secured his objective in the open class with a decisive win over Miguel Soares, amassing twenty-three unanswered points before sealing the victory with a spectacular triangle armbar just before time expired. JP leveraged high-level guard work, characterized by relentless submission and back-take threats, to overwhelm his opponents en route to a defining performance. This is JP’s second major no-gi double gold honor of the season, having earned his first at the 2025 Pans, after securing double gold at the gi World Championships earlier this year. The young AOJ prospect’s future shines brightly as he moves toward the 2026 campaign.

Vertti Puurtinen

Vertti Puurtinen, the MG Team Luxembourg standout, arrived at the No-Gi World Championships fresh off an impressive double gold run at the European Championships. Vertti met and exceeded expectations, delivering yet another double gold performance at the season’s premiere no-gi event. Vertti claimed the super-heavyweight title in the Juvenile 1 blue belt division, utilizing phenomenal triangle and rear naked choke submissions. He then conquered the open class heavy division, relying on his sophisticated guard systems to maintain a constant barrage of submission attacks. Vertti enters the 2026 season with four major no-gi gold medals alongside his double gold performance at the 2025 World Championships in the gi, creating immense anticipation surrounding his competitive future.

Nina Jacob

Nina Jacob captivated audiences in the blue belt Juvenile 1 divisions. The Gracie Humaita representative began her ascent with an impressive rear naked choke submission, followed by a hard-fought decision victory to secure the lightweight title. With her focus locked on double gold glory, Nina continued her dominant run in the open division, punching her ticket to the finals via a guillotine choke victory over Gwyneth Lana. The finals match against Verona Pesce saw Nina earn a phenomenal armbar finish in just over one minute, solidifying her double gold performance. Nina Jacob showcased an aggressive, fan-friendly style that generates genuine excitement for her career trajectory.

Kendra Vega

Kendra Vega navigated five challenging matches across the Juvenile 1 blue belt middleweight and open class heavy divisions at the 2025 No-Gi Worlds. Kendra began her day with a submission victory via triangle armbar, then skillfully employed a kimura from closed guard to capture the middleweight gold medal. The open class heavy division presented Kendra with three highly contested matches, all of which she won on points, including victories over both the Juvenile 1 heavyweight and super-heavyweight champions. Kendra displayed a slick armbar system and decisive guard play that ultimately earned her the No-Gi World Championship double gold title.

Hawann Hennye

Hawann Hennye entered the blue belt Juvenile 2 featherweight bracket as the twelfth seed out of fourteen competitors, immediately proving that rankings do not always accurately reflect the athlete. Hawann faced fierce opposition in the featherweight division; however, the Gracie Barra product successfully secured multiple submissions en route to winning the title. Hawann then stormed through the open class light division, starting with a quick rear naked choke and later overcoming the number one seed in the quarterfinals. Hawann went on to clinch the open division, securing his double gold performance at the 2025 No-Gi World Championships. Hawann completes an epic season, having won both the gi and no-gi world titles, creating massive buzz as he launches his 2026 campaign.

Natalee Funegra

The youngest of the Funegra sisters, Natalee, enrolled in the bleu belt Juvenile 2 lightweight and open class light divisions at the year’s biggest no-gi event. Natalee submitted both of her opponents in her weight division, utilizing seamless backtakes to secure a rear naked choke and a rear triangle kimura finish. She started the open class bracket by submitting the number one seed, Amelia Cowell, via rear naked choke. Natalee then progressed to the finals against Justus Johnson, this time utilizing a traditional armbar finish to capture her second No-Gi Worlds title of the day. Natalee submitted all four of her opponents without conceding a single point, further proving she is one of the top juvenile prospects in jiu-jitsu. She concludes the season with No-Gi Worlds double gold, complementing a fantastic gi season where she also secured double gold at Pans, Europeans, and the World Championships. Natalee’s impressive season fuels high excitement for her future competitive career.

Luciano Troller

Luciano Troller, the Six Blades Jiu-Jitsu representative, earned his double gold honors by prevailing in the Juvenile 2 purple belt super-heavyweight and open heavy class divisions. After winning the lone match in his weight division, Luciano advanced to the open heavy class with the goal of securing a second No-Gi Worlds title. Luciano effectively employed his high-level wrestling to control his matches, culminating in a dominant 2-0 victory in the finals, which secured his second No-Gi Worlds title of the weekend. Luciano Troller concludes his no-gi season with four major gold medals from the Pans and No-Gi Worlds, marking a truly phenomenal season for the Six Blades athlete.

Livia Barasine

Livia Barasine, representing Melqui Galvão Jiu-Jitsu, competed in the Juvenile 2 purple belt super-heavyweight and open heavy class divisions at the 2025 No-Gi World Championships. Livia closed out her weight division, being the sole competitor, which established a double gold opportunity for both her and Eduarda Soares. The finals match lasted a mere twenty seconds, as Barasine immediately took her opponent’s back and applied a quick rear naked choke to seize the gold medal. Livia’s incredible performance was made even more special when Professor Melqui Galvão promoted her to brown belt atop the No-Gi Worlds podium. Livia Barasine undoubtedly possesses a bright future as she prepares to enter the brown belt division in 2026.