{"id":1667,"date":"2026-03-02T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/taipeibjj.com\/?p=1667"},"modified":"2026-03-21T13:01:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-21T13:01:11","slug":"ufc-bjj-2026-champions-results","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/taipeibjj.com\/zh\/ufc-bjj-2026-champions-results\/","title":{"rendered":"UFC BJJ 2026: Champions, Results & What’s Next"},"content":{"rendered":"

UFC BJJ 6 delivered exactly what the promotion needed heading into its second year: title defenses, controversial decisions, and a marquee debut that left fans demanding more. Held at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas on March 12, 2026, the eight-bout card crowned a new women’s champion, saw the light heavyweight king retain his throne, and introduced one of grappling’s biggest names to the UFC BJJ roster.<\/p>\n

Here’s everything that went down \u2014 and what it means for the sport going forward.<\/p>\n

Mason Fowler Retains the UFC BJJ Light Heavyweight Title<\/h2>\n

\"Submission<\/p>\n

Mason Fowler came into UFC BJJ 6 as the reigning light heavyweight champion, having won the inaugural 205-pound title against David Garmo at UFC BJJ 2 back in July 2025. His challenger, Brazil’s Pedro Machado, had a history with Fowler \u2014 Machado actually beat him at the 2021 IBJJF World Championships brown belt absolute final. Five years later, Fowler flipped the script entirely.<\/p>\n

From the opening bell, Fowler used his size and wrestling to physically dominate Machado inside the Bowl. When Machado tried to pull guard, Fowler moved into half-guard and started hunting for arm isolations. The second round was more of the same \u2014 Machado attempted a guillotine choke early, but Fowler escaped and turned it into yet another takedown. He nearly locked in a kimura to close the show.<\/p>\n

The third round slowed down as Machado tried to scramble into submission positions, but Fowler’s defensive awareness kept him safe. The judges delivered a unanimous decision in Fowler’s favor. Nobody was surprised.<\/p>\n

What makes Fowler special is the gap between his no-gi experience and his opponents’. He’s built for this format \u2014 heavy top pressure, relentless wrestling, and the kind of grinding positional control that wins rounds under the 10-point must system. Machado, who spent most of his career in the gi, simply couldn’t match that pace.<\/p>\n

Cassia Moura Shocks the World Against Ffion Davies<\/h2>\n

\"Ffion<\/p>\n

The co-main event was the fight everyone was watching. Ffion Davies, widely considered the best female no-gi grappler on the planet and an ADCC champion, met 20-year-old Brazilian sensation Cassia Moura for the inaugural UFC BJJ women’s bantamweight championship.<\/p>\n

Moura came out with explosive energy, scoring three takedowns in the first round alone. Davies managed to reverse position and end the round on top, but Moura’s aggression set the tone. In the second round, Davies controlled from the top for nearly the entire five minutes, using heavy pressure to shut down Moura’s attacks. Davies even dragged Moura back to the mat after the Brazilian tried to escape up the Bowl wall.<\/p>\n

The third round was where it got wild. Both women knew the title was up for grabs in the final five minutes. Davies pulled guard, isolated a leg, and denied a back-take attempt. Moura answered with a takedown before they returned to the feet. In the closing seconds, Moura hit an arm-drag takedown \u2014 but Davies brilliantly countered with a judo throw to end on top as time expired.<\/p>\n

The split decision went to Moura. The grappling community erupted.<\/p>\n

A significant portion of fans and analysts disagreed with the outcome. Davies was the heavy favorite, and many felt her top control in the second round should have been decisive. But Moura’s takedown volume across all three rounds clearly swayed at least two judges.<\/p>\n

At just 20 years old, with two IBJJF No-Gi World Championship titles already on her resume, Moura now holds UFC BJJ gold. The women’s bantamweight division instantly became one of the most interesting weight classes on the roster.<\/p>\n

Nicky Rod vs. Elder Cruz: The Draw That Nobody Wanted<\/h2>\n

\"No-gi<\/p>\n

Nick Rodriguez \u2014 better known as Nicky Rod \u2014 made his highly anticipated UFC BJJ debut against Elder Cruz in a heavyweight superfight. The hype was enormous. Rodriguez won the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational, earned $1 million at that event, then pocketed another $250,000 at CJI 2. His signing with UFC BJJ was a massive coup for the promotion.<\/p>\n

The match itself told a frustrating story. Cruz, who had beaten Rodriguez at Who’s Number One in 2022, brought his wrestling game from the start. He scored an early takedown and his takedown defense proved too much for Rodriguez through the first two rounds. Cruz controlled the pace, found good positions, and built a clear lead on the cards.<\/p>\n

Down on points entering the third round, Rodriguez finally caught fire. After stuffing a Cruz takedown, Nicky Rod hit a takedown of his own near the edge of the Bowl and secured top position. He passed to side control, then north-south. As the clock wound down, the two fell into a leg entanglement and Rodriguez cranked on a heel hook. Cruz didn’t tap \u2014 the bell saved him.<\/p>\n

The judges couldn’t agree on a winner. Majority draw.<\/p>\n

The result exposed a real structural problem: UFC BJJ has no tiebreaker protocol for marquee bouts. Two rounds of Cruz control against one round of Rodriguez dominance, and nobody wins? For a promotion trying to attract casual fans, this kind of anti-climax is damaging. The rivalry remains unresolved, and a rematch seems inevitable.<\/p>\n

The Night’s Only Submission: Maquine’s Armbar<\/h2>\n

\"BJJ<\/p>\n

In a card that went almost entirely to the judges, Meyram Maquine stood out by delivering the only finish of the evening. He submitted Marco Mendes with a beautiful armbar in the second round, working through fluid transitions before locking up the submission and forcing the tap.<\/p>\n

The finish carried extra weight considering Mendes’s credentials \u2014 he won the IBJJF No-Gi World Championship at featherweight in late 2025 and had earned bronze at the same event in each of the two prior years. Maquine, regarded as one of the top gi featherweights in the sport, showed his no-gi game is equally deadly.<\/p>\n

Seven of the eight bouts went to the judges. That’s a problem the promotion needs to address. The early bouts produced clear verdicts \u2014 Manuel Ribamar Filho over Caio Vinicius, Jo\u00e3o Miyao over Jussier Formiga, and Devhonte Johnson over Lucas Norat were all unanimous decisions. But the close calls on the title fights, combined with the Rodriguez-Cruz draw, tested confidence in the judging process.<\/p>\n

Jo\u00e3o Miyao’s Arrival Signals UFC BJJ’s Growing Roster<\/h2>\n

\"Competitive<\/p>\n

One of the most significant developments from UFC BJJ 6 wasn’t a result \u2014 it was a signing. Jo\u00e3o Miyao, one of the most decorated BJJ competitors in history, made his big-stage no-gi appearance and defeated Jussier Formiga by unanimous decision.<\/p>\n

Miyao’s arrival was described as a major coup for the promotion, comparable to Nicholas Meregali joining the organization. His presence immediately sparked speculation about a potential future matchup with Mikey Musumeci \u2014 a fight that would sell itself on name recognition alone.<\/p>\n

This is where UFC BJJ is starting to differentiate itself from other grappling promotions. The roster is getting deeper. Between Musumeci, Fowler, Andrew Tackett, Carlos Henrique, Ronaldo J\u00fanior, and now Miyao, the promotion has genuine star power across multiple weight classes.<\/p>\n

Dana White’s Vision: 14 UFC BJJ Events in 2026<\/h2>\n

\"Dana<\/p>\n

The UFC isn’t treating BJJ as a side project. Dana White has announced plans for 14 UFC BJJ events in 2026 alone, alongside 44 UFC fight cards, 16-18 Zuffa Boxing events, and 12 Power Slap events. The sheer volume of content is staggering.<\/p>\n

UFC BJJ launched in June 2025 with the reality show “Road to the Title,” which aired for free on YouTube and UFC Fight Pass. The eight-episode series featured two teams coached by Mikey Musumeci and Rerisson Gabriel, competing in a tournament format. UFC BJJ 1 followed immediately, crowning Musumeci, Carlos Henrique, and Andrew Tackett as the first champions.<\/p>\n

Six events deep, the promotion already has established champions across seven divisions \u2014 five men’s and two women’s. The format is simple but effective: three five-minute rounds, no-gi, contested inside the Bowl at Meta APEX. The 10-point must scoring system prioritizes submission attempts first, then action initiation, then control time.<\/p>\n

That scoring hierarchy is supposed to encourage finishes. UFC BJJ 6’s one-submission card suggests it isn’t working perfectly yet. But the format itself is TV-friendly, easy to follow, and free on YouTube \u2014 which matters enormously for growing the audience.<\/p>\n

\n