NAGA Baltimore Grappling Championship
Organized by NAGA
December 5, 2026 in Baltimore hosts the NAGA Baltimore Grappling Championship, with gi and no-gi divisions across all belts. The tournament includes absolute brackets and championship belts for adult winners as part of NAGA's national circuit.
Event Description
NAGA brings its Baltimore Grappling Championship to Maryland as part of the "world's largest mixed grappling tournament circuit," now in its 29th-plus year of operation. Unlike belt-based BJJ tournaments, NAGA sorts adults into skill-level divisions — Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Expert — and welcomes wrestlers, judoka, and other grapplers alongside BJJ competitors, not just practitioners from one discipline. The event takes place December 5, 2026 in Baltimore. Gi divisions follow standard BJJ rules, while no-gi uses NAGA's own more permissive ruleset that allows leg locks. Divisions run from age 3 up through 63 and older, with Absolute brackets available and championship belts awarded to adult division winners. Entry fees are tiered — cheaper for early registration, pricier closer to the event — so register early through the Smoothcomp link on Let's Roll.
Divisions
Registration deadline: December 4, 2026
About NAGA
NAGA (North American Grappling Association) is a submission grappling and BJJ tournament promotion founded in 1995 by Kipp Kollar. One of the oldest and highest-volume tournament circuits in the sport, it runs gi and no-gi events across the US nearly every weekend, with divisions from age 4 through adult, using its own Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced/Expert skill-level system for no-gi divisions.
Rules
NAGA (North American Grappling Association) runs one of the largest grappling tournament circuits in the world, with gi and no-gi divisions for kids, teens, adults, and masters at every event. Divisions are grouped by age, weight, and experience level rather than strictly by belt in no-gi, and novice kids divisions do not allow submissions — the legal-technique list expands as competitors age up and move to more advanced divisions.
The no-gi divisions use NAGA's own ruleset, which differs from IBJJF scoring in a few important ways: takedowns and sweeps score 2 points (with extra points when a sweep finishes in a dominant position), and submission attempts themselves can score 1–2 points depending on how close they come to finishing. There are no advantages — if a match is tied, the referee decides it on aggression and initiation, rewarding whoever pushed the action hardest.
Gi divisions run under a more traditional points structure closely based on standard IBJJF-style scoring, so gi competitors will find the positional point values familiar. Because the gi and no-gi rules genuinely differ, competitors entering both should read both sections of the NAGA rulebook.
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 NAGA Baltimore Grappling Championship?
- December 5, 2026, in Baltimore, MD.
- What divisions does NAGA offer?
- Skill-level divisions (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert) rather than a strict belt system, for ages 3 to 63 and older, plus Absolute brackets.
- What's the difference between gi and no-gi rules?
- Gi divisions follow standard BJJ rules; no-gi uses NAGA's own more permissive ruleset, which allows leg locks.
- Do winners get anything besides medals?
- Adult division champions are awarded a NAGA championship belt.
- How much does it cost to register?
- NAGA uses tiered entry fees that rise as the event approaches, so early registration is cheaper.
- How do I register?
- Through the Smoothcomp link on Let's Roll.
BJJ gyms near Baltimore, MD
Looking for a place to train before or after the tournament?
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