NAGA New Mexico Grappling Championship
Organized by NAGA
December 12, 2026 in Albuquerque hosts NAGA's New Mexico Grappling Championship, with gi and no-gi divisions across all belts. Absolute brackets and championship belts for adult winners round out this stop on NAGA's national circuit.
Event Description
NAGA's New Mexico Grappling Championship lands in Albuquerque as part of the promotion's long-running national circuit — 29-plus years strong and open to grapplers from any background, not just jiu-jitsu. Instead of belt rank, NAGA groups adults by skill level (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert), with gi divisions under standard BJJ rules and no-gi divisions under NAGA's own, more permissive ruleset that permits leg locks. The championship takes place December 12, 2026 in Albuquerque, NM. Age divisions span from 3 years old to 63 and over, Absolute brackets are available, and adult winners are awarded a championship belt. Entry fees are tiered — early registration is cheaper than signing up late — through the Smoothcomp link on Let's Roll.
Divisions
Registration deadline: December 11, 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 New Mexico Grappling Championship?
- December 12, 2026, in Albuquerque, NM.
- What divisions does NAGA offer?
- Skill-level divisions (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert) 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 do I register?
- Through the Smoothcomp link on Let's Roll; entry fees are tiered, so early registration is cheaper.
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