On December 16, 2025, in Las Vegas, the jiu-jitsu world turned its attention to the latest edition of the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship, now nearly two decades old and still growing in scale and prestige. This year’s event featured a record turnout in the adult black belt divisions, producing 257 high-level matches among the sport’s elite.
Even without several of the biggest modern stars in attendance, the tournament field remained stacked, with the women’s divisions, in particular, showcasing how far the level has risen across all weight classes. One of the standout stories was American talent Elisabeth Clay, who captured double gold by submitting all eight of her opponents, including ADCC open-weight champion Adele Fornarino and all-time great Gabrieli Pessanha, who had never been submitted at black belt and outweighed Clay by more than 30 kilograms.
Heavyweight veteran Roosevelt Sousa of Fight Sports also closed out the year in spectacular fashion, adding No-Gi Worlds double gold to a campaign that already included his first Gi world title and double gold at the No-Gi Pans. His run cemented one of the most impressive seasons of his career.
Another major highlight came from AOJ’s Cole Abate, who arrived in Las Vegas as the defending champion and one of the favorites in a loaded bracket. Abate lived up to and exceeded expectations, winning all four of his matches by submission with crisp technique and ruthless finishing, underscoring his status as one of the brightest young names in no-gi competition.
MUNDIAL NOGI STATS
– Overall matches: 257
– Overall subs: 118 (46%)
MUNDIAL NOGI MOST USED SUBS
#1 RNC (26x)
#2 Inside heel hook (20x)
#3 Straight ankle lock (14x)
#4 Armbar (10x)
2025 WORLD NO-GI CHAMPIONS
55KG > Shay Montague (SCO)
61KG > Marcos Gomes (BRA)
67KG > Marco Mendes (BRA)
73KG > Cole Abate (USA)
79KG > Tarik Hopstock (NOR)
85KG > Pawel Jaworski (POL)
91KG > Javier Barter (PAN)
97KG > Nicholas Maglicic (AUS)
+97KG > Roosevelt Sousa (BRA)
ABS > Roosevelt Sousa (BRA)
46KG > Thais Loureiro (BRA)
51KG > Ashlee Funegra (USA)
56KG > Adele Fornarino (AUS)
61KG > Lillian Marchand (CAN)
66KG > Elisabeth Clay (USA)
71KG > Helena Crevar (USA)
76KG > Cassia Moura (BRA)
+76KG > Gabrieli Pessanha (BRA)
ABS > Elisabeth Clay (USA)
MAIN MATCHES OF 2025 WORLD NOGI CHAMPIONSHIPS
MALE, ABSOLUTE
4F – Pawel Jaworski def. Jean Maltese via 2×0
4F – Roosevelt Sousa def. Elioenai Braz via 0x0pts, 6x0adv
4F – Jorge Escudero def. Heikki Jussila via n/a
4F – Elder Cruz def. Anthony Robinson via 2×0
SF – Roosevelt Sousa def. Pawel Jaworski via RNC
SF – Elder Cruz def. Jorge Escudero via 0x0pts, 4x0adv
F – Roosevelt Sousa def. Elder Cruz via RNC
MALE, ROOSTER
4F – Shay Montague def. Riki Yoshinaga via RNC
4F – Bebeto Oliveira def. Chris Tranvia 4×2
4F – Everton Souza def. Samuel Marquez via Kneebar
4F – Lucas Castro def. John Stapleton via RNC
SF – Lucas Castro def. Everton Souza via 4x4pts, 1x0adv
SF – Shay Montague def. Bebeto Oliveira via decision
F – Shay Montague def. Lucas Castro via Triangle
MALE, LIGHT-FEATHER
4F – Willis Nunes def. Lukas Andradevia 0x0pts, 2x0adv
4F – Kleber Barboza def. Junny Ocasiovia 4×0
4F – Marcos Gomes def. Warly Silva via n/a
4F – Vinicius Inacio def. Lukas Freitas via Inside heel hook
SF – Kleber Barboza def. Willis Nunes via 10×4
SF – Marcos Gomes def. Vinicius Inacio via 6×4
F – Marcos Gomes def. Kleber Barboza via Inside heel hook
MALE, FEATHER
4F – Marco Mendes def. Huthayfah Penney via Straight ankle lock
4F – Ashley Williams def. Steven Gomez via Outside heel hook
4F – Gianni Grippo def. Emilio Hernandez via RNC
4F – Cameron Mellott def. Ismael Santos via 4×0
SF – Gianni Grippo def. Cameron Mellott via 5×2
SF – Marco Mendes def. Ashley Williams via 4×2
F – Marco Mendes def. Gianni Grippo via 8×6
MALE, LIGHT
4F – Cole Abate def. Danilo Moreira via Inside heel hook
4F – Alessandro Botelho def. Yigit Hanayvia via decision
4F – Julian Espinosa def. Joao Assonitis via n/a
4F – Daniel Sathler def. Yonathan Cardenavia 0x0pts, 4x1adv
SF – Cole Abate def. Alessandro Botelho via Inside heel hook
SF – Julian Espinosa def. Daniel Sathlervia DQ
F – Cole Abate def. Julian Espinosa via Armbar
MALE, MIDDLE
4F – Tarik Hopstock def. Natan Chueng via 0x0pts, 1x0adv
4F – Matheus Luna def. Fabio Caloi via 6×0
4F – Arley Pacheco def. Pierre Leclerc via 2×0
4F – Marcelo Fausto def. Max Hanson via RNC
SF – Marcelo Fausto def. Arley Pacheco via Guillotine
SF – Tarik Hopstock def. Matheus Luna via advantages (0x0pts)
F – Tarik Hopstock def. Marcelo Fausto via 7×4
MALE, MEDIUM-HEAVY
4F – Pawel Jaworski def. Gabriel Castro via 7×2
4F – Sebastian Rodriguez def. Marcos “Petcho” via 4×2
4F – Gabriel Brod def. Rafael Paganini via 11×0
4F – Logan Walker def. Wallisson Oliveira via Inside heel hook
SF – Pawel Jaworski def. Sebastian Rodriguez via 2×0
SF – Gabriel Brod def. Logan Walker via Katagatame
F – Pawel Jaworski def. Gabriel Brod via Inside heel hook
MALE, HEAVY
4F – Charles Negromonte def. Dory Aounvia 2×0
4F – Javier Barter def. London Horn via Inside heel hook
4F – Dante Leon def. Jose Jurema via 16×0
4F – Faris Lamkadem def. Luccas Liravia 0x0pts, 3x0adv
SF – Faris Lamkadem def. Dante Leon via decision
SF – Javier Barter def. C. Negromonte via points
F – Javier Barter def. Faris Ben-Lamkadem via RNC
MALE, SUPER-HEAVY
4F – Elioenai Braz def. Jackson Douglas via 0x0pts, 3x1adv
4F – Nicholas Maglicic def. Joao Costa via 6×0
4F – Austin Morris def. Windson Torres via n/a
4F – Lucas Norat def. Jean Maltesevia 2×0
SF – Nicholas Maglicic def. Elioenai Braz via 2×0
SF – Austin Morris def. Lucas Norat via 0x0pts, 1x0adv
F – Nicholas Maglicic def. Austin Morris via 17×2
MALE, ULTRA-HEAVY
4F – Heikki Jussila def. Matheus De Moraes via 2x2pts, 2x0adv
4F – Anderson Kauan def. Vinicius Magalhaesvia 2×0
SF – Roosevelt Sousa def. Helder Junior via Kimura
SF – Heikki Jussila def. Anderson Kauan via decision
F – Roosevelt Sousa def. Heikki Jussila via RNC
FEMALE, ABSOLUTE
4F – Nadia Frankland def. Salla Simola via 6×0
4F – Gabrieli Pessanha def. Gamila Kanew via Straight ankle lock
4F – Elisabeth Clay def. Adele Fornarino via Guillotine
4F – Injana Goodman def. Mayara Moreira via 4×4 def. def. 2x1adv def.
SF – Gabrieli Pessanha def. Nadia Frankland via 4×2
SF – Elisabeth Clay def. Injana Goodman via Guillotine
F – Elisabeth Clay def. Gabrieli Pessanha via Inside heel hook
FEMALE, ROOSTER
4F – Mariana Rolszt def. Ashleigh Reyes def. 11 def. 0 def. def. def.
4F – Faye Cherrier def. Mara Kelly via Straight ankle lock
4F – Lavinia Barbosa def. Gabrielle Etzel via Kneebar
SF – Thais Loureiro def. Lavinia Barbosa via Inside heel hook
SF – Faye Cherrier def. Mariana Rolszt via 4×2
F – Thais Loureiro def. Faye Cherrier via 4×2
FEMALE, LIGHT-FEATHER
4F – Ashlee Funegra def. Barbara Silva via Darce choke
4F – Josefine Modig def. Brenda Larissa via decision
4F – Anne Druckery def. Jessica Crane via 4×3
SF – Anne Druckery def. Esther Garwood via Armbar
SF – Ashlee Funegra def. Josefine Modig via Armbar
F – Ashlee Funegra def. Anne Druckery via 11×2
FEMALE, FEATHER
4F – Mona Bailey def. Thaynara Victoria via Straight ankle lock
4F – Ana Mayordomo def. Maria Luiza via 0x0pts, 4x2adv
4F – Adele Fornarino def. Tayler Polhamus via Armbar
4F – Giovanah Oliveira def. Emily Nicholson via decision
SF – Adele Fornarino def. Giovanah Oliveira via Straight ankle lock
SF – Ana Mayordomo def. Mona Bailey via Guillotine
F – Adele Fornarino def. Ana Mayordomo via Straight ankle lock
FEMALE, LIGHT
4F – Amanda Bruse def. Margot Ciccarelli via 2x2pts, 2x0adv
4F – Caroline Brunacio def. Zara Tofano via 4×0
4F – Lillian Marchand def. Jaine Fragoso via Triangle armlock
4F – Brianna Ste-Marie def. Joanna Trindade via Katagatame
SF – Lillian Marchand def. Brianna Ste-Marie via Kimura
SF – Amanda Bruse def. Caroline Brunacio via Aoki lock
F – Lillian Marchand def. Amanda Bruse via RNC
FEMALE, MIDDLE
4F – Elisabeth Clay def. Beatrice Jin via Guillotine
4F – Fernanda Jesus def. Angela Alarcon via RNC
4F – Rebeca Lima def. Jordan Patrick via 0x0pts, 1x0adv
4F – Injana Goodman def. Gabriele Schuck via 9×0
SF – Elisabeth Clay def. Fernanda Jesus via Guillotine
SF – Rebeca Lima def. Injana Goodman via decision
F – Elisabeth Clay def. Rebeca Lima via Inside heel hook
FEMALE, MEDIUM-HEAVY
4F – Helena Crevar def. Salla Simola via RNC
4F – Gabriela Miranda def. Graciele Fava via points
4F – Ane Svendsen def. Katrina Schmale via Straight ankle lock
SF – Ane Svendsen def. Jessika Tortilla via decision
SF – Helena Crevar def. Gabriela Miranda via Katagatame
F – Helena Crevar def. Ane Svendsen via RNC
FEMALE, HEAVY
4F – Rain Pfaff def. Erin Harpe via RNC
4F – Cassia Moura def. Maria Malyjasiak via 6×2
4F – Leticia Teixeira def. Caitlin Huggins via Armbar
SF – Nia Blackman def. Leticia Teixeira via 0x0pts, 1x0adv
SF – Cassia Moura def. Rain Pfaff via 6×0
F – Cassia Moura def. Nia Blackman via 6×0
FEMALE, SUPER-HEAVY
4F – Maia Matalon def. Raniele Alencar via Footlock
4F – Lauren Rojas def. Danielle Stein via 15×0
SF – Lauren Rojas def. Mayara Moreira via 7×0
SF – Gabrieli Pessanha def. Maia Matalon via Katagatame
F – Gabrieli Pessanha def. Lauren Rojas via 19×0
