The IBJJF just announced the first ever IBJJF Pro League GP, on July 9th, in Las Vegas.

The event will be part of the UFC Fan Expo. It will offer the impressive sum of $50,000 for the first and second places. The champion will take $40k and the runner up will get $10k.

There are six names already announced: Bernardo Faria, Marcus Buchecha, Andre Galvão, Xande Ribeiro, João Gabriel Rocha, Romulo Barral.

Two more spots still need to be filled and the IBJJF should announce it soon.

The Long Beach Pyramid at the 2014 Worlds

The IBJJF announced this week a big incentive for black belts in the adult division.

At the end of the 2015/2016 season, the entity will award the leaders of the male and female rankings with $10,000.

The immediate reaction to the news was mostly positive with a few critics.

On GRACIEMAG’s Facebook page, the post with the news had 45 shares and 124 likes.

Some readers thought the money should go to more people on the rankings, not only the leaders.

Various athletes welcomed the great news.

Gabi Garcia wrote a comment on GRACIEMAG’s Instagram account: “Now you’re talking, IBJJF. I knew I was not going to retire.”

Mackenzie Dern, the current female black belt leader, also left her comment: “I’m gonna go after that! Not only for the money, but to be the actual number 1 in the world. Thanks IBJJF.”

Many people celebrated the fact that both men and women will receive the same amount.

“Due to a fantastic effort from Dominyka and her equal pay for women movement, the IBJJF has reached their demands,” wrote reader Chris Klahn, mentioning the campaign started by the 2015 black belt open class champion Dominyka Obelenyte in favor of equal pay for men and women in BJJ.

Kim Terra, bronze medalist in the light-feather division of the 2015 Worlds, found unfair for men and women to receive the same amount of money: “It’s absurd for the female ranking leader to get the same amount as the male ranking leader. No offense to the girls, the level of male Jiu-Jitsu is infinite times superior to female Jiu-Jitsu. There’s no dispute to that. Overall, it’s a great initiative by the IBJJF, but they should have done a better job “slicing that cake”. To use a legal term of “equity”: treat those equal in a equal way and treat those unequal in a unequal way.”

Kim’s opinion generated a heated debate on social media.

World champion Hillary Williams posted a comment on her Facebook page giving her opinion on why men and women should get the same prize: “Most of the current female black belt champions have been grappling every bit as long as the men. Bia Mesquita has 16+ years of training under her belt. We pay the same fees for training, competing, traveling, and as shown in this thread, still receive less than men. If you’re not using that logic to justify less for men’s super light weight divisions as well as the super heavies (the light-middle heavy are the most stacked divisions), then it shouldn’t be applied to the women.”

Gabi Garcia also posted on her Facebook page about the issue of men and women receiving the same amount: “You train just like the men do or sometimes even more. You are victim of prejudice when you chose a career said to be for men. You give up the body and the life of a regular women to live your dream. You get paid less your entire life. Then when some kind of equality comes along, you have to deal with this kind of mentality. I’m in a new moment in my career, but I will try to conciliate both [MMA and BJJ] and compete for that I fought so hard to see happen. Congratulations to the IBJJF”

The Long Beach Pyramid

The IBJJF is not Santa Claus, but it can also make your christmas merrier.

The Long Beach BJJ Pro is scheduled Dec. 14, and it will award great money prizes for division winners.

Competitors in the adult white, blue, purple and brown belt divisions and all masters divisions do not need to pre-qualify to compete.

Just sign in and you are good to go.

In the adult black belt division, you need to have at least 20 pts in the IBJJF ranking to be able to register.

Know more and register now here.

The prizes are:

Rodrigo Freitas coming back to NY for the NY BJJ Pro

The IBJJF is now offering a chance to earn money at their tournament–and not just the black belts. In a similar format to the BJJ Pro League for the black belts that will be held at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo on Oct. 19, the lower belts will now have the opportunity to gain some monetary compensation.

The NY BJJ Pro will be held at the usual NYC venue, the Nat Holman Gymnasium located on the campus of the City College of New York. The one-day event has some different weight categories for black belt males.

They will be confined as follows:

Rooster, light-feather and feather will be combined to a new featherweight with a weight limit of 154.4 lb.

Light and middle will be combined to a new middleweight with a weight limit of 181.5 lb.

Medium-heavy and heavy will be combined to a new heavyweight with a weight limit of 208 lb.

Super-heavy and ultra-heavy will be combined to a new ultra-heavyweight with a weight limit of over 208 lb.

The categories for female adult, and female/male master are the same except the absolutes will be separated as follows:

Female adult blue, purple, brown and black belt will have one absolute for each belt.

Male adult blue, purple and brown belts will have two absolutes, rooster to light, middle to ultra-heavy.

Master male blue, purple, brown and black belts will have one absolute.

Female and male white belts will have no absolute.

Note: All adult black belts, male and female, will need to have at least 20 points in the IBJJF ranking system to qualify for competition.

The prizes are listed as follows:

Black belt adult male weight divisions: $4,000 for gold, $1,000 for silver

Black belt female absolute: $1,500 for gold

Master 1, 2, 3 black belt male: $1,000 for gold

Each brown belt male absolute (2): $800 for gold

Each purple belt male absolute (2): $600 for gold

Each blue belt male absolute (2): $400 for gold

Master 1, 2, 3 male blue, purple, brown belt absolute: $400 for gold

Adult female blue, purple, brown belt absolute: $400 for gold

Note: All athletes must place in their weight divisions to be eligible for open class except for adult female black belts.

To register, head to www.ibjjf.org. Registration period ends on Oct. 17!

The only two Abu Dhabi WPJJC trials for the 2014 main event will be for the east and west coast. In order to earn your free travel package to compete in Abu Dhabi next year, you must attend one of two competitions.

The west coast trial is on September 22 at the Long Beach Walter Pyramid. The registration deadline is on September 16 and fast approaching.

The east coast trial is on October 20 at the Fitzgerald Gymnasium at the City University of New York Queens College. The registration deadline is October 14.

Divisions are available for both male and female athletes with divisions for adults, masters, seniors, teens and kids. Prizes are divided among divisions with travel packages granted to open weight class winners.

Do not miss your chance to compete for $6,000 in cash prizes, a $139 Fuji Kassen Gi and your paid trip to compete in the World Championships in Abu Dhabi in 2014. If you have already registered get the word out as  there are minimum number division requirements for prizes.

To register, go to www.apjj.org

The Walter Pyramid in Long Beach will be the stage for the West Coast Abu Dhabi WPJJC Trial on September 22. Photo: GRACIEMAG.

The Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship is seeking out its 2014 athlete list. Soon, the trials will begin and the west coast is of the first to kick it off.

The west coast trial will be on September 22 at the famous Long Beach Walter Pyramid. There are multiple chances to compete for a travel package to Abu Dhabi for the 2014 main event but you will also be able to win a Fuji gi from their newest line.

Abu Dhabi USA Trials and Americas Pro Jiu-Jitsu are excited about once again teaming up with Fuji to offer our competitors a chance to win one of Fuji’s newest line of quality Gi’s. All west coast Trial Adult Champions will receive Fuji’s highly rated Kassen gi, retail price is $139.00! This gi has been modified to make it approved for any IBJJF competition.

Don’t miss your chance as time is running out. Registration for the West Coast USA trials ends September 16.

To register for the Abu Dhabi –USA West Coast Trials go to www.apjj.org

Go down to the Long Beach Pyramid to watch live the Long Beach Open and the IBJJ Pro League.

Stop by GRACIEMAG stand at the Long Beach Pyramid this Saturday and get the chance of winning exclusive prizes!

All you have to do is:

Print this image! fill your info! deposit in our jar!

Immediately you get a free sticker!

You also get the chance to win an exclusive GRACIEMAG hoodie or t-shirt.

See you in Long Beach!

Print this image now!

Click on the image and print it!