UFC BJJ 2026: Champions Crowned and What’s Next

UFC BJJ has crowned its first wave of champions, and the promotion is building momentum heading into 2026. If you’ve been following since the launch last year, here’s what’s happened since—and what’s coming next.

The Champions Are Set

Six months into UFC BJJ’s existence, the championship picture is taking shape. Here’s who holds gold:

Lightweight: Carlos Henrique

The first champion in UFC BJJ history. Henrique earned his title through Road To The Title, submitting Gianni Grippo with a second-round anaconda choke and then finishing Isaac Doederlein via armbar. His methodical ground game made him a deserving inaugural champion.

Bantamweight: Mikey Musumeci

No surprise here. Musumeci’s leg lock wizardry and charismatic personality made him the face of UFC BJJ from day one. After coaching on Road To The Title opposite Rerisson Gabriel, he faced Gabriel at UFC BJJ 1 for the inaugural bantamweight strap.

Featherweight: Le Vern

The 2023 IBJJF bronze medalist earned her shot with a 79-second Americana at UFC BJJ 2. She then captured the title at UFC BJJ 4, tapping Canuto via first-round Kimura despite the hometown crowd backing her opponent.

What’s Working

UFC BJJ’s production value is unmatched in grappling. The Road To The Title format successfully introduced grapplers to casual fans, and the championship matches have delivered finishes. The promotion is proving that submission grappling can be exciting for mainstream audiences.

What’s Next

Expect roster expansion, more weight classes, and potentially crossover superfights between UFC fighters and pure grapplers. With ADCC growing and ACBJJ signing names like Zabit Magomedsharipov, the grappling landscape is more competitive than ever—which means UFC BJJ will need to keep delivering.

The ground game’s moment in the spotlight is just beginning.