We will keep this list updated as further names qualify or are invited to the 2022 ADCC World Championships.

The black belt class of 2021 is a who's who of top notch competitors, many of whom are likely to grace the top of black belt podiums in the coming months. Below are the athletes who earned the rank of black belt in December.

All year, the 2021 jiu-jitsu season has shown signs that it could bring the changing of the guard, the rise of the next generation. Throughout the year, we’ve seen legacy champions fall to the young up-and-comers; we’ve seen new styles and strategies overthrow the more traditional ones.

The 2021 World Championships final rounds are set. Today, the IBJJF will crown its first new champions in more than two years at the 25th edition of Worlds.

The 2021 IBJJF Worlds finals are set! The absolute divisions and the women’s divisions have been whittled down to a single remaining match to decide this year’s champions; and the male divisions have been narrowed to eight men each.

Day one of the IBJJF World Championships was filled with the action, submissions and incredible stories expected of an event of this caliber. Day two is sure to deliver as well, as the male purple and brown belts will take their place on the mats in search of the most coveted title in jiu-jitsu. With hundreds of competitors in search of just a few medals, we're guaranteed  thrilling action throughout the day.

The brackets for the 25th edition of the IBJJF World Championships are now official. Those brackets are available here via bjjcompsystem.com. The number of potentially exciting matchups is expansive, but there are a few matches guaranteed in the early rounds that you can’t miss. We’ve sifted through the black belt divisions to identify the best first round pairings — as well as likely second round matches — that are bound to provide some of the best jiu-jitsu action of the year.

Less than one month out from the first IBJJF World Championship since 2019, eight invited athletes had an opportunity to compete in a high-stakes event in Las Vegas. The winner would take home $20,000 and no doubt enjoy a huge confidence boost going into Worlds.

The IBJJF has announced the completed heavyweight Grand Prix coming to jiu-jitsu con on Nov 13, and it’s certainly a clash of the titans.

The IBJJF Middleweight GP has fully taken shape with four incredible athletes set to throw down for the cash prize of use $20,000.

An IBJJF Pans title, gold medals at No-Gi Pans and No-Gi Worlds, third place at the WNO Championship, and this weekend, the EUG 155 lb title. Diego “Pato” Oliveira is undoubtedly having the year of his career.

Forty athletes are registered for the male black belt middleweight division at No-Gi Worlds, making it the deepest of the tournament. That roster includes six ADCC veterans, three returning IBJJF no-gi world champs, and one Levi Jones-Leary looking to make his no-gi debut as a black belt.

The 2021 No-Gi Pan Championships kick off on Saturday, May 15. The divisions are loaded with some of the biggest names in grappling. And this year, there's a new wrinkle in place; heel hooks and reaping are legal for black belts. New faces have come out in droves, and we could see the crowning of some first-time IBJJF No-Gi Pans champions. But those new faces will still have to get through some of the best in the world.

The middleweight division will be one to watch closely at the 2021 IBJJF No-Gi Pans on May 15. More than 20 competitors have registered for this bracket, meaning the winner will have to scale through four or five rounds to reach the podium.

There were more than 60 black belt matches on the final day of the 2020 Pan Championships. While you may not be able to watch them all, there are a few matches that you absolutely must see. Some of these contests were 10-minute firefights. Others were one-sided fights that defied expectations. Here are the top 10 matches from the black belt finals.