Nicky Rod BJJ: UFC BJJ 6 Fowler, Moura Results

The sixth installment of UFC BJJ delivered a night packed with high-level grappling at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas on Thursday, March 12. Two title fights headlined an eight-match card that showcased everything from dominant wrestling to last-second heel hook attempts.

Mason Fowler defended his light heavyweight championship with a commanding unanimous decision over Pedro Machado, while 20-year-old Brazilian phenom Cassia Moura captured the inaugural women’s bantamweight title in a razor-thin split decision against Welsh ADCC champion Ffion Davies. The much-anticipated UFC BJJ debut of CJI superstar Nick “Nicky Rod” Rodriguez ended in a dramatic majority draw with Elder Cruz.

Here is the complete breakdown of UFC BJJ 6.

Mason Fowler Defends Light Heavyweight Crown

The main event saw Mason Fowler prove why he is the top light heavyweight in professional grappling. Facing Pedro Machado — the same man who defeated him in the brown belt absolute final at the IBJJF World Championships in 2021 — Fowler flipped the script emphatically five years later.

From the opening seconds, Fowler used his size and wrestling to physically dominate Machado inside the Bowl. When the Brazilian attempted to pull guard, Fowler immediately advanced to half-guard and began hunting for an arm. A brief return to the feet only led to another Fowler takedown as the champion established crushing positional control.

Machado opened Round 2 with a guillotine choke attempt, but Fowler slipped free and converted the exchange into yet another takedown. The champion transitioned from half-guard to mount, threatening a kimura grip that could have ended the match. Machado exploded out each time, but could never establish any sustained offense of his own.

In the final round, Machado threw caution to the wind, scrambling for submissions, but Fowler’s defensive awareness kept him out of danger. All three judges scored it for the champion, giving Fowler his first successful title defense via unanimous decision.

After the match, Fowler was characteristically humble but confident, noting that avenging his 2021 loss to Machado was personally meaningful. The Caio Terra Association product looks like he could hold this belt for a long time.

Cassia Moura Wins Inaugural Women’s Bantamweight Title

The co-main event was arguably the match of the night. Cassia Moura and Ffion Davies put on a back-and-forth battle that had the crowd on the edge of their seats for all fifteen minutes.

Moura came out hot, repeatedly hitting arm drags from standing — a technique she executed with stunning consistency against one of the most decorated female grapplers in history. Her takedowns in Round 1 set the tone early, and even a brief medical stoppage for a cut on Moura’s nose could not slow her momentum.

Davies answered in Round 2 with her signature pressure passing game. A powerful double-leg takedown put Moura on the wall of the Bowl, and the Welsh star dominated from top position for much of the round. When Moura tried to escape by backing up the curved wall, Davies dragged her right back down.

The third round was a coin flip. Davies pulled guard and worked her leg attacks, while Moura countered with more arm drags and takedowns. The final sixty seconds were pure chaos — Moura hit one last arm-drag takedown, but Davies brilliantly countered with a judo throw to end the round on top.

The split decision went to Moura, making her the inaugural UFC BJJ women’s bantamweight champion at just 20 years old. With two IBJJF no-gi world titles already on her resume, Moura is quickly becoming one of the most accomplished grapplers of her generation.

Nicky Rod’s UFC BJJ Debut Ends in Majority Draw

The most anticipated match on the card was Nick Rodriguez’s UFC BJJ debut against no-gi world champion Elder Cruz, a rematch of their 2022 Who’s Number One encounter.

Rodriguez came in on short notice and it showed early. Cruz controlled the first two rounds with superior wrestling, landing takedowns and maintaining top position. Rodriguez showed impressive scrambling ability and was never truly in danger, but he could not get his offense going against Cruz’s relentless pressure.

Down on the cards heading into the third round, Nicky Rod exploded. He immediately took Cruz down and worked methodically into side control, then north-south. As the final seconds ticked away, Rodriguez locked up a heel hook and cranked hard. Cruz grimaced but refused to tap, saved only by the final horn.

Two of the three judges gave Rodriguez a 10-8 third round for the near-submission, resulting in a majority draw. It was a dramatic ending that reminded everyone why Rodriguez is one of the most exciting grapplers on the planet — and that coming in on short notice preparation left something to be desired in the conditioning department.

Meyram Maquine Delivers Statement Finish

The night’s only submission came in the featherweight bout between Meyram Maquine and Marcos Mendes. In what was Maquine’s UFC BJJ debut, the Brazilian showcased patience and technical precision.

After a first round where Mendes controlled the leg attack game, Maquine took over in Round 2. He worked from top position, transitioning from side control to north-south to mount with textbook progressions. Once in mount, Maquine seamlessly transitioned to an armbar to force the tap at 3:29 of the second round.

The finish was slick enough to earn recognition as one of the best submissions so far in 2026, and it announced Maquine as a serious contender in the featherweight division.

Joao Miyao Targets Musumeci After Shutout Win

BJJ legend Joao Miyao made his UFC BJJ debut in dominant fashion, shutting out former UFC flyweight contender Jussier Formiga with a 30-27 unanimous decision across all three scorecards.

Miyao controlled the action throughout, repeatedly sweeping to top position and threatening submissions. He nearly locked up an armbar in Round 2 that had Formiga in serious trouble, and his guard work was as dynamic as fans have come to expect from one of the sport’s all-time greats.

After his victory, Miyao called out UFC BJJ bantamweight champion Mikey Musumeci. In a moment that electrified the crowd, Musumeci emerged from the audience to shake Miyao’s hand, and the two had a respectful face-off that hinted at a potential superfight down the line.

Undercard Results

Ana Rodrigues def. Jasmin Rocha via split decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) — A tactical bantamweight contest that came alive in the final minute when Rodrigues attacked a guillotine choke. The Brazilian’s aggression in the closing seconds likely swayed the judges.

Devhonte Johnson def. Lucas Norat via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26) — Johnson was a physical force in the heavyweight division, using his size and strength to dominate from top position throughout. He threatened with an anaconda choke in Round 1 and a back take in Round 3, earning a shutout on the scorecards.

Manuel Ribamar def. Caio Vinicius Santos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) — The all-Brazilian middleweight opener was a chess match of leg attacks and counters. Ribamar’s early heel hook attempts and late-round passing gave him the edge on all three scorecards.

Full UFC BJJ 6 Results

• Mason Fowler def. Pedro Machado — Unanimous Decision (Light Heavyweight Title)
• Cassia Moura def. Ffion Davies — Split Decision (Women’s Bantamweight Title)
• Elder Cruz vs. Nick Rodriguez — Majority Draw (Heavyweight)
• Meyram Maquine def. Marcos Mendes — Submission (Armbar), R2 3:29 (Featherweight)
• Ana Rodrigues def. Jasmin Rocha — Split Decision (Bantamweight)
• Devhonte Johnson def. Lucas Norat — Unanimous Decision (Heavyweight)
• Joao Miyao def. Jussier Formiga — Unanimous Decision (Bantamweight)
• Manuel Ribamar def. Caio Vinicius Santos — Unanimous Decision (Middleweight)

Watch UFC BJJ 6 Full Event

What UFC BJJ 6 Means for the Sport

UFC BJJ continues to establish itself as the premier platform for professional no-gi grappling. The promotion’s sixth event proved that elite-level BJJ can captivate audiences with compelling storylines, dramatic finishes, and high-level technical exchanges.

The Fowler-Machado revenge narrative, Moura’s emergence as a generational talent, Nicky Rod’s buzzer-beater heroics, and the potential Miyao-Musumeci superfight all give UFC BJJ plenty of momentum heading into future events.

The entire event streamed live and free on YouTube, a smart move by the UFC that continues to grow the sport’s audience. If UFC BJJ 6 is any indication, professional grappling’s future is bright — and it lives in Las Vegas.