The IBJJF No Gi Absolute Grand Prix 2026 is scheduled for February 26th, 2026 and we’ve put together a full preview of the tournament and every superfight on the card. It’s going to be an exciting night of high-level grappling and some of the best competitors on the world are stepping on the mat, even before the grand prix begins. Then when the first matches of the tournament start, all 8 men will be giving everything they have in the hopes of walking away with the $50,000 grand prize. As with any absolute tournament, it’s sure to result in some crazy matches that fans might not get to see anywhere else.
IBJJF No Gi Absolute Grand Prix 2026 Full Preview
Favorites
Victor Hugo is the man we’re picking as the clear favorite in this preview of the IBJJF No Gi Absolute Grand Prix 2026. First of all, he’s probably going to have a size advantage over everyone in the field and will outweigh some of the smaller competitors by a huge margin. Secondly, he has the single best guard in heavyweight Jiu-Jitsu right now and that makes him a threat from everywhere here. Pedro Marinho is not too far behind him though; he might not be anywhere near as big as Hugo but he’s very well-rounded and actually won an equally tough BJJ Stars Absolute Grand Prix less than a year ago. They’re on opposite sides of the bracket too, so Hugo vs Marinho seems like the most likely final.
Contenders
Michael Pixley and Devhonte Johnson have been matched up in the very first round but whoever wins might actually be able to make a run to the final. They’re on the same side of the bracket as Marinho, so the winner has the chance to take advantage of a noticeable size difference in their semi-final match. Then on Hugo’s side of the bracket, Javier Barter should make it through his opening round match to meet him in the semi-final. Barter beating Hugo would be a huge upset, but if he can manage it then he has the skills to beat whoever he faces in the final.
Dark Horses
Marlon Tajik is an excellent competitor and although he’s only been a black belt for a couple of weeks, he has already won the ADCC European Trials 2026 in that space of time. He’s poised for a big year this year but he has Hugo in the opening round here, and will be facing a weight disadvantage of around 60lbs on top of facing one of the best in the world. Diego ‘Pato’ Oliveira is in a similar spot; he’s one of the most accomplished featherweights in the world and has an incredible guard, but his opening match is against Marinho and that’s a huge challenge for anyone even without the size difference between them. Nick Hartman rounds out the bracket and he has a tough match against Barter first, followed by either Hugo or Tajik in the final. It’s not impossible for him to make a run here, but the odds are definitely stacked against him.
Superfights
Cole Abate vs Will Wilson
Will Wilson made a big impact by winning the IBJJF European Championship 2026 just a few weeks ago, and he beat some big names in order to do so. This is the biggest matchup he’s had so far though, and Cole Abate recently registered one of the moat impressive performances of his gi career. Abate won the lightweight division at IBJJF: The Crown 2025 and he was already a world champion in no gi even before that. Abate might be the favorite here but Wilson is not to be overlooked, and this match might be a lot closer than it looks on paper.
Helena Crevar vs Aghata Rabelo
Helena Crevar has already completed her journey from exciting young prospect to legitimate top contender, and she’s proven she belongs at the very top of the sport several times over now. Aghata Rabelo is still on that journey herself but her rise to the top hasn’t been as quick as Crevar’s, or as early on. She will absolutely put on a great match and will push Crevar hard, but ultimately Crevar is still the favorite to get the win here.
Sarah Galvao vs Maria Vicentini
Sarah Galvao is another former prodigy who can now count herself among the best in the world in her weight class, and she’s facing off against the more experienced Maria Vicentini. Vicentini normally competes at a higher weight class than Galvao so will almost certainly have a bit of a size and strength advantage, but Galvao has historically done very well against bigger opponents. Galvao is very difficult to submit and although Vicentini will give her a tough battle positionally, she should be able to come our on top here either by submission or on points.
Leonardo Souza vs Mateo Cardona
Mateo Cardona has been a black belt less than a year and although he hasn’t won any major titles just yet, he’s given a great account of himself all around the world. Although Leonardo Souza hasn’t been competing at this level for about a year longer, he’s been very active and has crammed a lot into that space of time. Souza is a human highlight-reel and he chases the submission relentlessly in every match; boasting a very high finishing rate so far. Cardona is no slouch and he definitely has weapons that Souza needs to be wary of, but Souza should be able to get the finish here.
Ashlee Funegra vs Yasmyn Castro
Yasmyn Castro has been competing at black belt just a little over a year; having been promoted on the podium after winning a brown belt world title back in 2024. Ashlee Funegra has followed the same trajectory one year later, winning a purple belt world title in 2024 and winning a brown belt one in 2025. Castro has delivered good results in her first few years as a black belt but Funegra’s rise has been meteoric, and she even submitted Castro on her way to winning her first black belt world title last year. Funegra is the favorite and she may even get another submission win over Castro here.
The full IBJJF No Gi Absolute Grand Prix 2026 event, including every match in the above preview, will be available to watch live on February 26th, 2026 on FloGrappling, click here to subscribe and watch.
