Co-Owner of Ocean BJJ Pro Championship, Fabrizio Forconi, has just laid down a challenge for grapplers all around the world in 2026. We spoke to Forconi about some of his plans for the promotion previously and he reached out recently to share his thoughts on the state of grappling today. Forconi has been involved in martial arts for practically his entire life and has been a key figure in the growth of Italian MMA and Jiu-Jitsu. Thanks to his work over the years, he has a keen insight into how the sport has changed and although much of it is undoubtedly positive, Forconi was clearly less impressed with other elements.
He started out by sharing his thoughts on the idea of playing for a win on points, something that is prevalent at all levels of the sport today:
“Let’s not confuse a points win with a submission win. They’re both wins, sure, but they don’t carry the same weight, especially if one athlete is always hunting the submission while the other plays the points game.”
That’s where Ocean BJJ comes into it:
“Ocean might be the realest “submission-only” championship out there, because even though it has a points framework, useful to avoid matches ending in a bland, empty draw, it still posts insane numbers, up to 90% of fights finishing by tapout.”
Forconi believes that this remarkable statistic is a direct result of the ruleset that Ocean BJJ use, and he shared what the inspiration behind that ruleset was:
“Ocean is a competitive engine that makes stalling expensive and intent genuinely measurable. That’s why the Ocean Rules include points and referee decisions: to let anyone in, from any grappling discipline. But a real grappler, to us, gets measured another way. Have you ever wondered why we still call Vale Tudo or PRIDE fighters “superhumans,” or why we look at the Hall of Famers from the earliest BJJ tournaments with a mix of respect and fear? It’s not nostalgia: back then people fought to prove which human being was superior, winning was just the consequence.”
Ocean BJJ has already attracted plenty of elite competitors over the last two years that they’ve been operating and that looks set to grow even more in 2026. Forconi explained exactly why the promotion is so appealing to some grapplers, before sharing a message to those who might have second thoughts:
“The Ocean Rules want to put that truth back at the center, to find those superhumans again and give them a title: “the most dangerous grappler on the planet.” We’ve got prize money per division, seasonal bonuses, and a belt for the final winners. But before we talk money, let’s answer the only question that really matters: are you the most dangerous grappler on the planet, or are you a mat accountant, someone chasing victory by living on the edge of the score? If all you want is a photo on a half-empty podium, go somewhere else. Signing exclusive contracts is just hiding from real challenges. Hiding in team tournaments means knowingly watering down your true value. Only people with balls walk in here: the ones who aren’t afraid to drown when a shark decides to drag them under; and who Keep Breathing.”
Ocean BJJ Pro Championship 2026 Trials Schedule
Milan, Italy – February 8th – Completed
Warsaw, Poland – March 14th – Registration available here
Paris, France – May 3rd – Registration available here
London, England – May 31st – Registration available here
Barcelona, Spain – June 14th – Registration pending
Roma, Italy – July 19th – Registration pending
