NAGA Phoenix Grappling & BJJ Championship
Organized by NAGA
September 26, 2026 in Mesa, AZ: NAGA Phoenix hosts a gi and no-gi tournament with kids divisions and an absolute division for all skill levels. Adult winners receive championship belts. Registration is open on the NAGA website.
Event Description
Despite sharing Phoenix in its name, this NAGA Grappling & BJJ Championship is held in Mesa, Arizona, a separate stop on NAGA's circuit from the Arizona Athletic Grounds event happening the same day in Phoenix proper. It follows NAGA's usual skill-level division structure (Beginner through Expert), with gi divisions under standard BJJ rules and no-gi under NAGA's own more permissive rules. Competition takes place Saturday, September 26, 2026, in Mesa, AZ, with Gi, No-Gi, and Kids divisions for all skill levels. Championship belts are awarded to adult winners. Registration is through Smoothcomp at the link on this page.
Divisions
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 this NAGA event?
- Saturday, September 26, 2026, in Mesa, AZ (note: despite the Phoenix name, the venue is in Mesa).
- How is this different from NAGA's other Phoenix-area event the same day?
- This is a separate NAGA stop held in Mesa, distinct from the Arizona Athletic Grounds event in Phoenix on the same date.
- What divisions are offered?
- Gi, No-Gi, and Kids divisions across NAGA's Beginner-to-Expert skill levels.
- Are leg locks legal?
- In no-gi, yes, under NAGA's more permissive ruleset; gi divisions follow standard BJJ rules.
- How do I register?
- Through Smoothcomp at the link on this page.
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