Who's Number One? FloGrappling Launches Rankings for Jiu-Jitsu!
Who's Number One? FloGrappling Launches Rankings for Jiu-Jitsu!
FloGrappling is proud to announce the debut of comprehensive objective rankings for Brazilian jiu-jitsu. We collected results from every major tournament an
We collected results from every major tournament and championship in an effort to determine the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitors in the world.
By analyzing the results and performances of the sport’s top grapplers, we’ve compiled rankings for every weight class from roosterweight to ultra heavyweight. All divisions have at a minimum 10 top ranked competitors.
A look at the collated data that forms the basis of our rankings.
These rankings focus entirely on gi competitions. Before you ask, yes we plan to feature rankings for no-gi as well! All in good time.
Which divisions have you ranked? These rankings focus on adult male black belts competitors active in the gi. No-gi results are not considered (see below re no-gi rankings).
What criteria did you use to determine the rankings? The main factors for a competitor to be included in the rankings are as follows: • Titles and results in major championships (IBJJF, UAEJJF etc) • Who defeated who • Methods of victory
In addition to the above, we applied the consensus expert opinion of multiple jiu-jitsu black belts and analysts. Careful consideration was given to how competitors worked their way through a division, who they beat and how.
Which tournaments did you consider when creating the rankings? Principally, we looked at the following tournaments: • IBJJF World Championships • Abu Dhabi World Pro • IBJJF Pans • IBJJF Euros
In addition to these, we considered: • Copa Podio Grand Prixs • Brazilian Nationals • American Nationals • South American Championships • Asian Championships • UAEJJF Grand Slam series …plus invite-only events, other federations and open tournaments where top ranked competitors may have competed.
The most weighting is given to the IBJJF World Championship and Abu Dhabi World Pro gold medals, as these are considered the toughest and most prestigious tournaments in the world.
Competitor X beat Competitor Y, but he’s ranked below him! What gives? In our rankings, a single victory does not automatically rank a grappler higher than their defeated opponent. Competitors meet so frequently during the year that overall performances across multiple tournaments are considered. If Competitor X won three major gold medals in convincing fashion but lost a lesser tournament to Competitor Y, then Competitor Y will be ranked lower than X.
For example, AJ Sousa defeated Lucas Lepri on points at the Copa Podio Lightweight Grand Prix, whereas Lepri won the Abu Dhabi World Pro and took a silver at Worlds (closing out with Michael Langhi). Sousa’s win places him in the top 10 even though the best result he managed in 2015 was a third place finish at the American Nationals.
Another example would be Mikey Musumeci, who defeated Joao Miyao at the American Nationals. Musumeci is a fresh black belt with only one competition under his belt, whereas Miyao is one of the most active and successful competitors in the weight class.
What period does the ranking cover? The debut rankings were based on performances over the last 12 months from today’s date. Anything prior to this was not considered.
How often will you update the rankings? The rankings will be fully updated after every major tournament. Regular updates will occur after other events or smaller tournaments that feature competitors placed in the top 10-20 of their weight class.
Who is eligible for inclusion in the rankings? Any adult black belt competitors who actively compete in the gi will be considered for inclusion. Results from masters divisions will not be considered.
Will you do no-gi rankings? Yes, eventually. No-gi season begins later in the year, so check back for updates.
Will you release women’s rankings? At present there are insufficient numbers in the adult black belt women’s divisions to form a top 10, which is the minimum we require to create a ranking series. We hope to offer women’s rankings as soon as possible.
What about brown / purple / blue belts? Eventually we hope to expand the rankings to also include colored belts.
