40andFighting

Today’s Top BJJ News — October 5, 2026

Daily BJJ News Briefing

October 5, 2026 · Updated 8:00 AM -07:00

#1

José Aldo and Marlon Vera fight to a draw in HYPE Quito grappling main event

José Aldo and Marlon “Chito” Vera battled to a draw in a 10-minute submission-only grappling match at HYPE Fighting Championship in Quito, Ecuador, on October 4, 2026. The event also featured a submission-only bout between Colby Covington and Mayton Perea, with Perea losing by submission. [103]

Why it matters: The result gives HYPE immediate crossover visibility by placing two major MMA names in a grappling headline bout, while also demonstrating the promotion’s attempt to blend bare-knuckle boxing and submission grappling.

Social hook: “José Aldo vs. Chito Vera went the full 10 minutes—and neither man could separate himself.”

#2

Ruan Alvarenga edges Shoya Ishiguro by split decision at ONE Fight Night 48

Ruan Alvarenga defeated Shoya Ishiguro by split decision in their featherweight submission-grappling match at ONE Fight Night 48 in Bangkok on October 2, 2026. Alvarenga controlled much of the contest before surviving a late surge from Ishiguro, with two judges awarding him the victory. [104]

Why it matters: The win keeps Alvarenga unbeaten in ONE and strengthens his position in the promotion’s increasingly important featherweight grappling division. It also adds another competitive decision to ONE’s high-profile submission-grappling schedule.

Social hook: “Ruan Alvarenga dominated early, survived a late scare, and escaped ONE Fight Night 48 with a split decision.”

#3

2026 IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship closes with strong men’s fields and renewed questions about women’s divisions

The 20th IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship concluded in New Jersey after running from October 2 through October 4, 2026. Early reporting highlighted solid competition in the men’s adult black-belt divisions, while noting that a significant number of women’s black-belt medals were awarded by default rather than after completed matches. [105]

Why it matters: The Pan No-Gi remains one of the IBJJF season’s key ranking and prestige events, but the reported default-medal rate raises broader questions about participation depth and competitive balance in some women’s divisions.

Social hook: “The Pan No-Gi delivered elite men’s competition—but the women’s divisions are reigniting the default-medal debate.”

#4

Polaris 39 brings another major professional grappling card to the United Kingdom

Polaris 39 took place at the Doncaster Dome in England on October 3, 2026, with the event streamed exclusively on FloGrappling. The card included a bantamweight title challenge involving Yuki Takahashi and Shye Montague, along with a featured matchup between 2026 Pan No-Gi champion Shye Lilly and Julia Livesey. [106]

Why it matters: Polaris continues to serve as one of Europe’s most visible professional grappling platforms at a time when elite athletes are increasingly divided among UFC BJJ, ONE Championship, ADCC and FloGrappling events.

Social hook: “Polaris 39 put Europe’s pro grappling scene back in the spotlight with title stakes and fresh international matchups.”

Editor’s Notes

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Sources

  1. https://grapplersnews.jp/en/events
  2. https://www.flograppling.com/events/14687695-2026-adcc-world-championships
  3. https://www.tapin-bjj.com/tournament
  4. https://letsbjj.com/
  5. https://grapplersnews.jp/en/article/2026-adcc-99kg-champion-victor-hugo
  6. https://www.onefc.com/news/shoya-ishiguro-vs-ruan-alvarenga-featherweight-submission-grappling-match-added-to-one-fight-night-48/
  7. https://www.flograppling.com/articles/14420362-grappling-bulletin-mica-in-cji-wno-29-adcc-2026-bjj-stars-16-more
  8. https://www.bjj-radar.com/
  9. https://digitsu.com/events
  10. https://grapplersnews.jp/en
  11. https://www.bjjwatchlist.app/
  12. https://ingrappling.com/meta/state-of-no-gi-2026/
  13. https://www.reddit.com/r/bjj/comments/1v5bqzz/what_happened_to_flo_wno/
  14. https://www.reddit.com/r/bjj/comments/1v5pyt6/flograppling_coming_to_amazon_prime/
  15. https://www.reddit.com/r/bjj/comments/1wbnvcf/watching_adcc_2026/
  16. https://www.reddit.com/r/bjj/comments/1u4ci2b/what_happened_to_the_good_events/
  17. https://www.reddit.com/r/bjj/comments/1kwiook
  18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Tonon
  19. https://www.reddit.com/r/bjj/comments/1wa22vm/can_we_get_a_little_hype_for_the_matchups_and/
  20. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kade_Ruotolo