UFC BJJ 5 is scheduled for February 12th, 2026 and we’re on hand to provide a full preview of every exciting match that’s taking place. There’s elite competitors and world champions in pretty much every match, but the final two matches of the night will also have UFC BJJ titles on the line. Most of the attention will be on the main and co-main event as a result, but there’s another major storyline leading in to the match right before them too. Nicholas Meregali will be facing Nicholas Maglicic his long-awaited return to competition after 17 months away, and nobody knows how well he’s going to be able to bounce back from a devastating injury that required multiple surgeries.
UFC BJJ 5 Full Preview
Mikey Musumeci vs Shay Montague – Bantamweight Title
Mikey Musumeci is the reigning champion at bantamweight and currently the only one the division has ever known, but his winning streak extends far beyond that. He hasn’t lost a single match or even looked to be in any real trouble since 2021, although it’s worth noting that he has competed less frequently in recent years. Shay Montague on the other hand is very active and is just a few months removed from becoming the first Scottish person to win an IBJJF No Gi World Championship. Both men will want to play guard and this will likely play out as a battle for the legs or the back from a double guard-pull. Musumeci has to be the favorite in that scenario but this will be a lot closer than many people would predict at first.
Ronaldo Junior vs Tarik Hopstock – Middleweight Title
Ronaldo Junior is the other reigning champion in this preview of UFC BJJ 5 but he’s much newer to the role than Musumeci, having won the middleweight title at UFC BJJ 4. Much like Musumeci though, Junior is also facing a man who took home a gold medal at the IBJJF No Gi World Championship 2025. Junior’s opponent is Tarik Hopstock, an elite leglocker and the inventor of the Tarikoplata. Hopstock is dangerous from everywhere and will definitely put Junior in difficult situations, but Junior is a master of the tactical element of the sport and will likely stay safe enough to maintain control and win a decision.
Nicholas Meregali vs Nicholas Maglicic – Heavyweight
This match would seem like a foregone conclusion two years ago but the Nicholas Meregali that was on fire back then is not the same man who will be stepping into the bowl here. Not only has he been inactive for 17 months but he’s also coming off the back multiple surgeries and around a year without any real training. During the time that Meregali has been forced to spend recovering, Nicholas Maglicic has been steadily working his way up the ranks. If Meregali comes in at somewhere near his previous form then he should win this match but if he looks a little slower or suffers from some ring rust, Maglicic could easily outwork him to a decision win.
Andy Murasaki vs Andy Varela – Welterweight
Andy Varela has been one of the key figures for UFC BJJ during their time in operation, he competed for their inaugural welterweight title and has since gone on to win both of his matches afterward. It seems like the promotion is building up to a rematch between him and Andrew Tackett, and Varela is playing his part by putting in great performances. This is the toughest test they’ve given him since that title-shot though, as Andy Murasaki is a very well-rounded grappler who won his debut at UFC BJJ 3 by submission. Varela is going to be tough to put away and he’ll come out aggressively in every round, but Murasaki is the favorite here.
Jonnatas Gracie vs Yan Paiva – Welterweight
This match was added at the very last minute so both men are coming in to this without being able to prepare for their opponent very well. They’ll both be making their promotional debut too, but it’s hard to imagine either of them being fazed by that. Jonnatas Gracie is an excellent tactician and a veteran of virtually every promotion and ruleset in the world, but he’s really hit a new level over the last few years. Yan Paiva is just as experienced but he has largely focused on the gi during his career, and that combined with Gracie’s ability to play the rules to perfection should seal Gracie the win.
Landon Elmore vs Rerisson Gabriel – Featherweight
This is an interesting match because it wasn’t that long ago that Rerisson Gabriel was playing a leading role in the first UFC BJJ reality show and now he’s facing a teenage prospect. Gabriel is moving up after competing for the bantamweight title but his opponent, Landon Elmore, isn’t going to be significantly bigger than him. Where Gabriel has the advantage in experience, Elmore is a phenomenal leglocker who is known for his fast-paced style. If Gabriel can weather the storm then he does have the technical ability to win this, but Elmore is probably the smart choice seeing as he only needs one good entry to finish the match.
Taylor Hishaw vs Rebeca Lima – Featherweight
Taylor Hishaw is one to watch over the next few years and although she’s still improving, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see her competing at ADCC later this year. Rebeca Lima is only a few years older than Hishaw but she’s already had a fair bit of experience at the highest level and that may well be a factor. Hishaw’s style is better-suited to submission-only matches though and she always pushes the pace, so competing over three rounds favors her too. This should be a very close match, but we’re picking Hishaw to come away with the win.
Mona Bailey vs Caroline Brunacio – Flyweight
Mona Bailey has only been a black belt for a little over a year now but she’s already put on some impressive performances at that level. Caroline Brunacio is in a similar position with only a few months’ more experience at this level, but she does already hold a win over Bailey from last year. Everyone is constantly improving of course, but it’s unlikely that wither woman has had the time to make significant changes to their game. This should be fairly similar to their last match and Brunacio is likely to come away with the decision win.
Jalen Fonacier vs Carlos ‘Bebeto’ Oliveira – Bantamweight
Jalen Fonacier already had his breakthrough year last year, becoming an IBJJF world champion and winning both of his UFC BJJ matches by submission. He’s quickly becoming the best competitor in their bantamweight division outside his teammate Musumeci and this is another chance for him to prove that. Carlos ‘Bebeto’ Oliveira is a fellow world champion and he has a wealth of experience to pull from, but Fonacier’s leg-attacks have become incredible lately and that should see him through to another submission win.
The full UFC BJJ 5 live event, including every match in the above preview, will be available to watch on February 12th, 2026 on UFC Fight Pass.
