NAGA Denver Grappling & BJJ Championship
Organized by NAGA
Absolute divisions headline the NAGA Denver Grappling & BJJ Championship on October 17, 2026. The event runs gi, no-gi, and kids brackets across all skill levels, with same-day weigh-ins and championship belts for adult winners.
Event Description
NAGA brings its open, skill-level-based format to Denver with gi, no-gi, and kids divisions on the same day. Adults are grouped Beginner through Expert rather than by belt, and NAGA's no-gi ruleset is more permissive than standard BJJ, including leg-lock allowances not found at many other circuits. The championship runs Saturday, October 17, 2026, in Denver, CO, with same-day weigh-ins and divisions for ages 3 through 63-plus. Adult champions take home a NAGA championship belt, and entry fees are tiered by registration date. Sign up through NAGA's Smoothcomp portal at nagafighter.com.
Divisions
Registration deadline: October 16, 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 NAGA Denver?
- Saturday, October 17, 2026, in Denver, CO.
- When are weigh-ins?
- NAGA runs same-day weigh-ins at the event.
- How are adult divisions organized?
- By skill level (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert) rather than a strict belt system.
- Are leg locks allowed?
- Yes, in NAGA's no-gi divisions, which are more permissive than standard BJJ rules.
- How do I register?
- Through NAGA's Smoothcomp portal linked from nagafighter.com/events; fees are tiered and rise closer to the event.
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