NAGA Rhode Island Grappling & BJJ Championship
Organized by NAGA
Gi and no-gi competition at the NAGA Rhode Island Grappling & BJJ Championship in Tiverton on September 12, 2026. The event runs kids and adult divisions in a beginner-friendly format, with championship belts for adult winners. Registration is available online.
Event Description
NAGA's Rhode Island Championship keeps the circuit's beginner-friendly format intact, sorting adult competitors by skill level (Beginner through Expert) rather than strict belt rank so wrestlers and other grapplers can compete alongside BJJ practitioners. Gi divisions follow standard BJJ rules, while no-gi runs under NAGA's more permissive ruleset, leg locks included. This event takes place September 12, 2026 in Tiverton, RI, with Gi, No-Gi, and Kids divisions for ages 3 through 63-plus. Register through NAGA's Smoothcomp portal, linked from nagafighter.com/events; pricing is tiered, so signing up early costs less. Adult division champions take home a NAGA championship belt.
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 the NAGA Rhode Island Championship?
- September 12, 2026 in Tiverton, RI.
- How do I register?
- Through NAGA's Smoothcomp portal, linked from nagafighter.com/events. Entry pricing is tiered, cheaper the earlier you register.
- What divisions are offered?
- Kids, Gi, and No-Gi divisions across Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Expert skill levels.
- Is this beginner-friendly?
- Yes, NAGA's skill-based divisions (rather than strict belt rank) are designed to keep first-timers out of brackets against seasoned veterans.
- What do adult division winners receive?
- A NAGA championship belt.
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