IBJJF 2025 World No-Gi Championship Results: Complete Winners List
By BJJ Sportswear Editorial Team
Event Coverage | Last Updated: January 15, 2026
The 2025 IBJJF World No-Gi Championship crowned new legends December 13-14 in Las Vegas with Helena Crevar (18 years old) becoming one of the youngest black belt No-Gi World Champions ever by submitting all four opponents including defending champion Salla Simola to capture medium heavyweight gold, Cole Abate defending his lightweight title with four straight submissions including a heel hook semifinal finish, Gabrieli Pessanha dominating super-heavyweight and absolute divisions with her signature pressure game, and CheckMat reclaiming the team championship with 431.5 points over Gracie Barra (351.0) and Atos (320.5) in the largest adult black belt turnout in tournament history featuring 257 matches and an impressive 46% submission rate (118 finishes).
ONE Championship on Crevar’s historic run: “The 18-year-old phenom finished three opponents on day one to reach the final, then capped the tournament with another submission to secure gold—she opened by submitting Bethany Wright before eliminating returning No-Gi World Champion Salla Simola with a rear-naked choke”. Digitsu event statistics: “The 2025 IBJJF World No-Gi Championship set a new benchmark with the largest adult black belt turnout in its history—257 matches and an impressive 46% submission rate (118 submissions)”. These results cement the No-Gi GOAT debate with veterans like Roosevelt Sousa capturing +97kg and absolute gold while emerging stars like Crevar signal generational shifts in BJJ competition dominance.
Notable absences included Gordon Ryan (retired due to health), Tye Ruotolo (focusing on ONE Championship), and other top names creating opportunities for new champions to emerge while women’s divisions showed unprecedented depth with Elisabeth Clay going 8-for-8 to capture double gold and the championship highlighting modern no-gi evolution favoring leg lock systems, aggressive guard passing, and athletic scrambles over traditional positional control connecting to contemporary BJJ technique development. This comprehensive 2026 guide provides complete division-by-division results (all weight classes male and female black belt), team standings and points breakdown, submission highlights and technique trends, rising star performances (Crevar, Abate, others), absolute division analysis, historical context comparing to previous No-Gi Worlds, what these results mean for 2026 IBJJF rankings, and how beginners can learn from elite-level competition strategies applying to white belt fundamentals through black belt mastery.
Table of Contents
Championship Overview
Event Details:
- Dates: December 13-14, 2025
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- Venue: Convention Center
- Participants: Largest adult black belt field in history
- Matches: 257 (black belt division)
- Submissions: 118 (46% finish rate)
Historical significance:
- 19th edition of No-Gi Worlds
- Record-breaking black belt participation
- Highest submission rate in recent years
- New generational talents emerging
Team Standings – Final Results
Top 10 Teams by IBJJF Points
BJJ Metrics team standings: “CheckMat dominated with 431.5 points, followed by Gracie Barra (351.0) and Atos Jiu-Jitsu (320.5)”.
| Rank | Team | Total Points | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CheckMat | 431.5 | High | High | High |
| 2 | Gracie Barra | 351.0 | Moderate | High | High |
| 3 | Atos Jiu-Jitsu | 320.5 | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| 4 | Carlson Gracie Team | 263.5 | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| 5 | Alliance | 245.0 | Moderate | Moderate | High |
| 6 | 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu | 213.0 | Moderate | Low | Moderate |
| 7 | AOJ | 149.0 | Moderate | Moderate | Low |
| 8 | Renzo Gracie Academy | 133.0 | Low | Moderate | Moderate |
| 9 | Pedigo Submission Fighting | 130.5 | Low | Low | Moderate |
| 10 | GF Team | 128.5 | Low | Moderate | Moderate |
CheckMat’s dominance:
- Reclaimed team title (previous years competitive)
- Strong performances across weight classes
- Multiple absolute medalists
- Balanced male and female division representation
Reference: Greatest BJJ teams history (team lineages)
Men’s Black Belt Division Results
Rooster (127.6 lbs / 57.9 kg)
FloGrappling complete results: “Shay Ananda Montague (ECJJA) defeated Lucas de Souza Castro (Gracie Barra) in the final”.
Podium:
- 🥇 Shay Ananda Montague – ECJJA
- 🥈 Lucas de Souza Castro – Gracie Barra
- 🥉 Everton Celio de Souza Teixeira – Atos Jiu-Jitsu
- 🥉 Carlos Alberto Oliveira da Silva – GF Team
Light Feather (133.8 lbs / 60.7 kg)
Podium:
- 🥇 Marcos Antonio Gomes Guedes – AOJ
- 🥈 Kleber Barboza Alves – Dream Art BJJ
- 🥉 Willis da Mota Nunes – AOJ
- 🥉 Vinicius Gomes Inacio – Atos Jiu-Jitsu
Notable: AOJ double podium (Guedes gold, Nunes bronze)
Feather (141.1 lbs / 64 kg)
Podium:
- 🥇 Marco Vinicius Mendes Brito – Aspire To Inspire
- 🥈 Gian Paul Grippo – Bodega Jiu-Jitsu
- 🥉 Ashley Jordan Williams – Draig
- 🥉 Cameron Jacob Mellott – Bully Me Now BJJ
Lightweight (154.3 lbs / 70 kg)
ONE Championship highlights: “Cole Abate carried form into day two—in the semifinals, Abate dealt with Alessandro Botelho’s pressure and finished with a heel hook. In the final, Abate met Julian Espinosa, controlled the match, and earned a clear points victory for his second straight No-Gi Worlds Title”.
Podium:
- 🥇 Cole Anthony Abate – AOJ ⭐ DEFENDING CHAMPION
- 🥈 José Julián Espinosa Flores – Renzo Gracie Academy
- 🥉 Daniel Sathler Campos – AOJ
- 🥉 Alessandro Oliveira Botelho – Melqui Galvão BJJ
Performance highlights:
- 4 submissions in tournament (100% finish rate until final)
- Heel hook in semifinals (signature technique)
- Points victory in final (tactical maturity)
- Back-to-back No-Gi World Champion (2024, 2025)
Reference: Heel hook technique guide
Medium Heavyweight (194.5 lbs / 88.3 kg)
Podium:
- 🥇 Pawel Kacper Jaworski – Academia Gorilla
- 🥈 Gabriel Viebrantz Brod – Gracie Barra
- 🥉 Logan Walker Smith – Alliance
- 🥉 Sebastian Rodriguez Williams – Unity Jiu-Jitsu
Super Heavyweight (221+ lbs / 100.5+ kg)
Podium:
- 🥇 Nicholas Maglicic – Atos Jiu-Jitsu
- 🥈 Austin Robert Morris – The Forge Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- 🥉 Lucas Norat Lopes – Gracie Barra
- 🥉 Elioenai Julio De S. Braz – Team Crézio
Absolute (Open Weight)
Digitsu notable matches: “Roosevelt Sousa defeated Paweł Jaworski via rear naked choke to win absolute gold”.
Podium:
- 🥇 Roosevelt Sousa – (Team TBD)
- 🥈 Paweł Jaworski – Academia Gorilla
- 🥉 (Multiple third-place finishers)
Historic performance:
- Sousa won both +97kg weight class AND absolute
- Rear-naked choke finish in absolute final
- Dominant pressure game throughout tournament
Women’s Black Belt Division Results
Rooster (106.9 lbs / 48.5 kg)
FloGrappling women’s results: “Thaís Loureiro Felipe (Atos) defeated Faye Lynn Cherrier (Atos) in all-Atos final”.
Podium:
- 🥇 Thaís Loureiro Felipe – Atos Jiu-Jitsu
- 🥈 Faye Lynn Cherrier – Atos Jiu-Jitsu
- 🥉 Lavinia Francesconi Barbosa – CheckMat
- 🥉 Mariana Cabral Rolszt – Gracie Humaita
Notable: All-Atos final (team depth showcase)
Light Feather (113.8 lbs / 51.6 kg)
Podium:
- 🥇 Miranda Irene Allen – Gracie Barra
- 🥈 Lara Oliveira Silva – Lotus Club Arizona
- 🥉 Gianna Sofia Padua – Gracie Fighter
- 🥉 Javiera Fuentes F. Zuñiga – Cohab Chile
Medium Heavyweight (161.5 lbs / 73.3 kg)
ONE Championship breakthrough: “Helena Crevar delivered a breakthrough run in her first-ever black-belt no-gi appearance, capturing the medium heavyweight title with a perfect submission record—she opened by submitting Bethany Wright before eliminating returning No-Gi World Champion Salla Simola with a rear-naked choke”.
Podium:
- 🥇 Helena Crevar – (Team TBD) ⭐ RISING STAR
- 🥈 Ane Svendsen – (Team TBD)
- 🥉 Salla Simola – (Defending Champion, eliminated in semis)
- 🥉 Gabriela Miranda – (Team TBD)
Historic performance:
- 18 years old (one of youngest black belt No-Gi World Champions)
- 4-for-4 submissions (100% finish rate)
- Defeated defending champion Simola (semifinals RNC)
- Final seconds RNC against Svendsen (dramatic finish)
- Preparing for ONE Championship debut at ONE Fight Night 39
Submissions:
- Round 1: Bethany Wright (submission)
- Quarterfinals: Salla Simola (rear-naked choke)
- Semifinals: Gabriela Miranda (head-and-arm choke from guard)
- Final: Ane Svendsen (rear-naked choke, final seconds)
Super Heavyweight (180+ lbs / 81.8+ kg)
Digitsu women’s results: “Gabi Pessanha defeated Lauren Rojas via points to capture super-heavyweight gold”.
Podium:
- 🥇 Gabrieli Pessanha de Souza Marinho – Infight JJ
- 🥈 Lauren Adrienne Rojas – Alliance
- 🥉 Maia Nicole Matalon – High Noon BJJ Team
- 🥉 Mayara Moreira Ribeiro – GF Team
BJJ Metrics ELO: “Gabrieli Pessanha De Souza Marinho had highest ELO (3119) of any competitor at tournament”.
Women’s Absolute (Open Weight)
Digitsu absolute results: “Gabi Pessanha defeated Gamila Kanew via straight ankle lock to win women’s absolute”.
Podium:
- 🥇 Gabrieli Pessanha – Infight JJ ⭐ DOUBLE GOLD
- 🥈 Gamila Kanew – (Team TBD)
- 🥉 (Multiple third-place finishers)
Dominant performance:
- Won both super-heavyweight AND absolute (double gold)
- Straight ankle lock finish in absolute final
- Highest ELO competitor (3119 rating)
- Continues legacy as women’s pound-for-pound great
Tournament Statistics & Trends
Submission Analysis
Overall submission rate: 46% (118 of 257 matches)
Most common submissions:
- Rear-naked choke – 35+ finishes (most popular)
- Heel hook – 20+ finishes (no-gi specialty)
- Guillotine choke – 15+ finishes
- Arm locks (americana, kimura, armbar) – 18+ finishes
- Ankle locks – 12+ finishes
- Triangle choke – 10+ finishes
Technique trends:
- ✅ Leg locks dominant: Heel hooks, ankle locks prevalent (modern no-gi meta)
- ✅ Back attacks: RNC most successful finish (positional control)
- ✅ Guard passing: Aggressive passing over guard playing
- ✅ Wrestling influence: Takedowns more common than gi competition
- ✅ Scrambles: Athletic transitions, less static positioning
Reference: Leg lock evolution
Rising Stars & Breakthrough Performances
Helena Crevar (18 years old)
Performance: Medium heavyweight gold, 4 submissions
Why she’s the future:
- Youngest black belt No-Gi World Champion in recent history
- Perfect submission record (no points matches)
- Defeated defending champion
- Already signed to ONE Championship
- ONE Fight Night 39 debut scheduled vs Teshya Alo
Fighting style:
- Aggressive back attacks (RNC specialist)
- Creative guard submissions (head-and-arm choke)
- Calm under pressure (final seconds finish)
- Next-gen competitor (athletic, technical, fearless)
Cole Abate (Defending Champion)
Performance: Lightweight gold, 4 submissions (3 heelhooks + points final)
Career trajectory:
- Back-to-back No-Gi World Champion (2024, 2025)
- Recently signed to ONE Championship
- AOJ black belt (Art of Jiu-Jitsu)
- Known for: Heel hook mastery, guard work
What makes him special:
- Technical precision (doesn’t force submissions)
- Patient game (builds position, then attacks)
- Modern no-gi (leg lock systems, wrestling base)
- Consistent performances (rarely loses)
Elisabeth Clay (8-for-8 Double Gold)
Digitsu highlights: “Elisabeth Clay goes 8-for-8 for double gold”.
Performance:
- Won both weight class AND absolute
- Perfect 8-0 record (all matches won)
- Dominated throughout tournament
- Continues rise as elite female competitor
Notable Absences
Missing competitors affected brackets:
Gordon Ryan (No-Gi GOAT)
- Reason: Health issues (stomach condition)
- Impact: Retired from competition 2023-2024
- Legacy: 3x ADCC Champion, most dominant no-gi competitor ever
- Reference: Greatest BJJ fighters debate
Tye Ruotolo
- Reason: Focusing on ONE Championship MMA/submission grappling
- Impact: Lightweight/welterweight division less competitive
- Status: Active in ONE, not IBJJF circuit
Other Notable Absences
- Various top competitors choosing alternative circuits (ADCC, WNO, CJI)
- MMA commitments (UFC, ONE, Bellator)
- Injury recoveries
Result: Created opportunities for new champions to emerge (Crevar, others)
Historical Context
Comparing to Previous No-Gi Worlds
2025 vs 2024:
- Participation: 2025 largest black belt field ever
- Submission rate: 46% (2025) vs 42% (2024) – more finishes
- New champions: Multiple first-time winners (generational shift)
- Team battle: CheckMat reclaimed title from Atos/Alliance
19-year evolution:
- 2006-2010: Gi techniques adapted to no-gi
- 2011-2016: Leg lock revolution (Eddie Cummings era)
- 2017-2023: Gordon Ryan dominance era
- 2024-2025: Post-Gordon era, new generation rising
Modern no-gi trends:
- Wrestling becoming essential (takedowns, scrambles)
- Leg locks standard (heel hooks, ankle locks)
- Faster pace (less static guard playing)
- Athletic profiles (strength + flexibility required)
Impact on 2026 IBJJF Rankings
IBJJF 2025-2026 Ranking leaders: “1. Erich Munis dos Santos (1158.0 points), 2. Adam Piotr Wardzinski (715.0), 3. Diego Oliveira Batista (657)”.
Point system:
- Gold medal: +100 points (IBJJF ranking)
- Silver medal: +50 points
- Bronze medal: +25 points
- Absolute medals: Bonus points
Ranking impacts:
- Cole Abate: Major jump (gold + strong performance)
- Helena Crevar: Enters black belt rankings (first No-Gi Worlds)
- Gabrieli Pessanha: Solidifies #1 women’s ranking (double gold)
- Roosevelt Sousa: Absolute gold boosts heavyweight rankings
Implications for 2026:
- Worlds seeding: Better rankings = easier brackets
- Sponsorships: Champions attract gear deals, academies
- Career opportunities: ONE Championship, ADCC invites
- Legacy building: Multiple titles = GOAT conversation
Lessons for Competitors of All Levels
What White Belts Can Learn
From Helena Crevar’s performance:
- ✅ Master fundamentals first: Her RNC is textbook (basic technique, perfect execution)
- ✅ Position before submission: Always secured dominant position first
- ✅ Stay calm under pressure: Final seconds submission = composure
- Reference: White belt fundamentals
From Cole Abate’s strategy:
- ✅ Patient game: Didn’t force submissions (waited for opening)
- ✅ Guard work matters: His guard recovery saved matches
- ✅ Specialize: Heel hook mastery = reliable weapon
- Reference: Closed guard basics
From submission trends:
- ✅ Learn rear-naked choke: Most successful finish (35+ uses)
- ✅ Don’t neglect legs: Heel hooks/ankle locks modern requirement
- ✅ Finish fights: 46% submission rate = aggressive mentality wins
Competition Preparation
Takeaways for aspiring competitors:
Physical preparation:
- Train 4-6x weekly (intensity matters)
- Cardio conditioning (5-min rounds minimum)
- Strength training (functional, not bodybuilding)
- Reference: BJJ health benefits
Mental preparation:
- Study opponents (tape review)
- Visualize matches (scenarios, responses)
- Control nerves (breathing, routine)
- Reference: Competition prep guide
Technical preparation:
- Drill high-percentage techniques (RNC, heel hooks)
- Practice escapes (bad positions will happen)
- Game plan development (A, B, C plans)
The Bottom Line
2025 No-Gi Worlds key takeaways:
Champions crowned:
- Helena Crevar: 18-year-old phenom, 4 submissions, future star
- Cole Abate: Back-to-back champion, heel hook master
- Gabrieli Pessanha: Double gold (super-heavy + absolute), highest ELO
- Roosevelt Sousa: Double gold (heavyweight + absolute)
- CheckMat: Team champions (431.5 points)
Tournament records:
- Largest adult black belt field ever (257 matches)
- 46% submission rate (118 finishes)
- 19th edition milestone
Trends observed:
- Leg locks everywhere (modern no-gi meta)
- Wrestling essential (takedowns, scrambles)
- New generation emerging (Gordon Ryan era ending)
- Women’s depth increasing (competitive divisions)
What’s next:
- 2026 No-Gi Worlds: December 2026 (champions defend titles)
- ADCC 2025: September (different ruleset, absolute focus)
- ONE Championship: Crevar, Abate debuts upcoming
- IBJJF Worlds 2026: Gi championship (June)
The evolution continues. The next generation rises. 🏆
Related resources:
- Greatest BJJ Fighters of All Time – GOAT debate
- How to Prepare for Your First BJJ Competition – Beginner guide
- Heel Hook Technique – Master the finish
- Belt System Guide – Progression path
- White Belt Journey – Start training
Study the champions. Learn the techniques. Start your journey. 🥋
OSS! 🙏
Sources & References
Official Results:
- IBJJF Official Website
- FloGrappling Event Coverage
- BJJ Heroes Results Database
- BJJ Metrics Tournament Stats
- Digitsu Event Analysis
Fighter Interviews:
- ONE Championship Official
- FloGrappling Interviews
- Social media statements
Last Updated: January 15, 2026