Houston Fall International Open IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship 2026
Organized by IBJJF
The Houston Fall International Open IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship will take place on October 10, 2026, at the NRG Center Hall D in Houston, Texas. This event is organized by IBJJF and follows the IBJJF ruleset.
Event Description
Houston's IBJJF fall slate includes a dedicated no-gi championship, run on the federation's standard points-and-advantages ruleset covering takedowns, guard passes, mount, back control, and submissions. IBJJF's no-gi divisions span all 22 age brackets, from young kids through the 61-and-over category, and every competitor faces the same strict, one-attempt weigh-in used across the federation's global calendar. This no-gi edition takes place Saturday, October 10, 2026, at NRG Center Hall D in Houston, Texas. An active annual IBJJF membership is required in addition to event registration through ibjjf.com, with entry fees generally falling in the $50-$120 range depending on tier.
Divisions
Registration deadline: October 2, 2026
Venue & travel
8600 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX 77054 (NRG Center — enter via Gate 10, corner of Kirby & McNee)
NRG Park's lots hold roughly 26,000 vehicles complex-wide; event-day parking runs about $25/vehicle, card only.
Nearest airport: William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) — about 15-20 minutes by car, closer than Bush Intercontinental.
NRG Park sits inside Houston's Inner Loop (I-610) between Kirby St and Fannin St.
About IBJJF
The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF), founded in 2002 and headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is widely regarded as the largest and most prominent sanctioning body in competitive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It organizes the sport's most prestigious tournaments, including the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship, European Open, and World No-Gi Championship, drawing thousands of competitors to its largest events each year.
Rules
IBJJF rules are the standard most BJJ competition rules descend from. Matches are scored on positional progress: 2 points for a takedown, sweep, or knee-on-belly; 3 points for passing the guard; and 4 points for mount, back mount, or back control with hooks. Advantages are awarded for near-scores and close submission attempts and act as the first tiebreaker, followed by penalties and finally referee decision. Match length scales with rank, from 5 minutes for adult white belts up to 10 minutes for black belts.
Legal techniques expand with age and belt. White belts face the tightest restrictions (no wrist locks, slicers, or kneebars); jump to purple and brown/black and more leg attacks and pressure submissions open up. Since the 2021 rule change, heel hooks and inside knee reaping are legal — but only in the adult brown/black no-gi divisions. Kids divisions run shorter matches with a much more restrictive legal-technique list.
Uniform rules are enforced: gis must be white, royal blue, or black, properly fitted, with a rank-appropriate belt; no-gi divisions require rash guards displaying the competitor's belt color. Referees can disqualify for illegal gear, so check the uniform checklist before stepping on the scale.
Always confirm the official rulebook before you compete — organizations update rules between seasons. See the official event page for current rules.
Community results
No results logged yet. Results show up here once competitors log them after the event.
Frequently asked questions
- When and where is the Houston Fall International Open No-Gi Championship?
- Saturday, October 10, 2026, at NRG Center Hall D in Houston, Texas.
- Is this the gi or no-gi Houston event?
- This is the no-gi championship; IBJJF also runs a separate gi event the same weekend.
- What membership do I need?
- An active annual IBJJF membership plus event registration.
- How strict are IBJJF weigh-ins?
- Very strict -- one attempt only, with missed weight resulting in disqualification.
- What age divisions are available?
- IBJJF runs 22 age divisions total, from young kids through 61-and-over.
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