IBJJF No-Gi Pans 2026: Brown & Black Belt Preview

The Pan No-Gi Championship runs Oct 2–4 in Secaucus, NJ. Here's the schedule, where to watch, and who to follow at brown and black belt.

The 2026 Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship is underway. Over 2,300 athletes are competing at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey, from Friday, October 2 through Sunday, October 4. It's the largest IBJJF no-gi event outside of Worlds, and the brown and black belt adult divisions are stacked.

Here's what you need to know if you're watching from home or planning to head up from Philadelphia.

When and where

Event: Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship 2026

Dates: October 2–4, 2026 (Friday through Sunday)

Venue: Meadowlands Exposition Center, 355 Plaza Dr, Secaucus, NJ 07094

Doors open: 8:00 AM each day

Competition starts: 9:30 AM each day

Spectator admission: Free

Secaucus is about 90 minutes from Philadelphia by car, making this one of the most accessible major IBJJF events for our area.

Day-by-day schedule

Friday, October 2 — Blue and Brown belt day

9:30 AM: Adult male blue belt (all weights)
11:30 AM: Adult male brown belt (all weights)
12:26 PM: Adult female brown belt
Afternoon: Master 1–7 blue and brown belt divisions

Saturday, October 3 — Black belt begins

9:30 AM: Master 1–7 black/blue/purple divisions
10:10 AM: Adult female blue and black belt
11:02 AM: Adult male black belt (all weights — opening rounds)
Afternoon: Juvenile 1–2 blue and purple

Sunday, October 4 — Finals day

9:30 AM: Adult male purple and black belt (quarterfinals through finals)
10:51 AM: Adult female purple and black belt (quarterfinals through finals)
Afternoon: Master 1–7 purple and black belt finals

The full bracket-by-bracket schedule is on bjjcompsystem.com.

Where to watch

FloGrappling has the exclusive livestream. All mats, all divisions, all three days — live and on replay.

Monthly subscription: approximately $29.99/month
Annual: approximately $150/year
Available on desktop, iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, and Android TV

If you're watching from your phone between classes, the FloGrappling app works well. Up to 12 simultaneous streams on the same network, so a watch party is an option.

Stream link: FloGrappling live page

Brown belt divisions to watch

Brown belt adult divisions compete on Friday. At No-Gi Pans, brown belts compete under the same heel hook and knee reap rules as black belts — so these matches can be some of the most aggressive and unpredictable of the weekend.

The full brown belt brackets are published at bjjcompsystem.com/tournaments/3239. Navigate to the "Brackets" tab and filter by belt.

Brown belt is where many of the athletes you'll be watching at black belt in 2027 and 2028 are competing right now. It's worth tuning in Friday morning if you can.

Black belt men's divisions

Men's black belt adult opens Saturday morning and runs through finals on Sunday. There are ten weight classes from rooster to ultra-heavy, plus the absolute (open weight).

Medium-heavy is one of the deepest brackets this year. Pawel Jaworski (Gorilla Academy) enters fresh off ADCC gold and is the clear frontrunner. He faces a bracket that includes Jacob Couch, Alan Sanchez (10th Planet), David Garmo (Detroit JJ Syndicate), Angelo Cliborne (Team Lloyd Irvin), and Natan Chueng (Unity Jiu-Jitsu). This is a weight class where the quarterfinals alone could produce match-of-the-tournament candidates.

Middleweight features a deep field including Tarik Hopstock (Frontline Academy), Kieran Kichuk (Cicero Costha), CJ Murdock (Pedigo Submission Fighting), Elijah Dorsey (Team Lloyd Irvin), Natan Sap (ZR Team), and Logan Smith (Alliance). Any of these athletes can beat anyone else on a given day.

Super-heavy has Andre Galvao (Atos Jiu-Jitsu) on the entry list — a name that needs no introduction. Galvao is a multiple-time ADCC and Worlds champion and one of the most accomplished competitors in the sport's history.

Full black belt brackets: bjjcompsystem.com/tournaments/3239

Black belt women's divisions

Women's black belt begins Saturday and continues through Sunday finals. Eight weight classes from rooster to super-heavy.

Middleweight features Sarah Galvao (Atos Jiu-Jitsu), an ADCC veteran, alongside Nadia Franklin (Corvus Grappling Collective), Amanda Schurtz (ECJJA), Julia Maele (OXY), and Naomi Sharp (Unity Jiu-Jitsu).

Heavyweight includes Anabel Lopez Beard, another ADCC veteran who has competed at the highest levels in both gi and no-gi.

The women's divisions at No-Gi Pans have grown significantly over the past few years, and the depth of talent across weight classes reflects how fast the women's competitive scene is progressing.

Absolute division

The absolute (open weight) is always one of the most anticipated brackets at any major IBJJF event. Weight advantages are real, but technique, conditioning, and strategy can close the gap. Watch for medium-heavy and heavyweight athletes entering the absolute with confidence. The absolute brackets will be available on bjjcompsystem.com as the tournament progresses.

Next up: IBJJF No-Gi Worlds 2026

After Pans, the next major stop on the IBJJF no-gi calendar is the World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship 2026, December 10–12 at the Las Vegas Convention Center (Halls N3/N4) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Many of the brown and black belts competing in Secaucus this weekend will be in Las Vegas too, so Pans results are a good early look at who will be contending for world titles. Registration closes November 29, 2026. Full details are on the official IBJJF event page.

Thinking about competing?

If you're a Garden member and you've ever thought about competing, at any belt and any level, reach out to us. Tell us about your goals, whether that's your first local tournament or a major like Pans or Worlds, and we'll help you with preparation and coaching.

Talk to any of your coaches after class, or email us at info@thegardenmma.com with what you're aiming for. You can also reach us through our contact page.

FAQ

When is No-Gi Pans 2026? October 2–4, 2026 (Friday through Sunday).

Where is No-Gi Pans 2026? Meadowlands Exposition Center, 355 Plaza Dr, Secaucus, NJ 07094. About 90 minutes from Philadelphia.

How do I watch No-Gi Pans 2026? FloGrappling has the exclusive livestream. Subscribe at flograppling.com. All mats stream live with replays available.

Who is competing at black belt? Over 2,300 athletes total across all belts. Notable black belt entries include Pawel Jaworski, Andre Galvao, Tarik Hopstock, CJ Murdock, Sarah Galvao, and Anabel Lopez Beard. Full registration and brackets at bjjcompsystem.com/tournaments/3239.

Is spectator admission free? Yes. Doors open at 8:00 AM each day.

When is No-Gi Worlds 2026? December 10–12, 2026, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Details on the IBJJF event page.

I'm a Garden member and want to compete. Who do I talk to? Your coaches. Tell us your goals after class or email info@thegardenmma.com, and we'll help you prepare.

Watch with your training partners

If you're training at The Garden this weekend, catch some matches between classes. Pull up FloGrappling in the lobby or watch the replays later. Studying high-level no-gi competition is one of the best ways to sharpen your eye for the techniques and positions we drill every week.

Open mat is on the schedule — a great time to try something you saw from the weekend.

And if you're not training with us yet, a $35 Day Pass gets you any class on the schedule plus the sauna afterward. The $35 is credited toward your membership if you sign up.

Book your $35 Day Pass →