Open class in Jiu-Jitsu: what it is and who can enter
The division with no weight limit puts athletes of different sizes in the same bracket; understand the IBJJF registration rules, double gold and who has the most world titles
The open class, also called the absolute, is the Jiu-Jitsu division with no weight limit. In it, a featherweight can face an ultra heavyweight, and the champion leaves the tournament with one of the most prestigious titles in the sport. The division exists at the main IBJJF championships, but it has its own registration rules.
Who can compete in the open class
At IBJJF championships, a spot in the open class depends on the result in the weight division. The official tournament pages state that athletes who place first, second or third are eligible to register for the open class bracket. At adult black belt, the rule is different: all athletes are eligible.
For black belts, there is a condition. Anyone who registers for the open class and does not show up is also disqualified from the weight division. At tournaments such as the No-Gi Pans, white belts have no open class.
In the juvenile division, the open class is split in two: light and heavy.
What double gold means
Winning the weight division and the open class at the same championship is known as double gold. At the 2026 No-Gi Pans, for example, Sarah Galvão won both her weight and the open class.
The feat gets rarer when it is repeated across a season. Gabi Pessanha won weight and open class at all four Grand Slam tournaments, the Europeans, Pans, Brazilian Nationals and Worlds, in three straight seasons, from 2022 to 2024.
The greatest open class champions at Worlds
The record for black belt open class world titles is shared by two Brazilians, with six each. Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida won in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019. Gabi Pessanha won six times in a row, from 2021 to 2026, each time together with the super heavyweight title.
Before Buchecha, the mark belonged to Roger Gracie, open class champion in 2007, 2009 and 2010.
What a close-out is
When two athletes from the same team reach the final, they often do not fight. They “close out” the division, and the team decides who takes the gold. That applies to the open class and to the weight divisions. It happened in the women’s lightweight final at the 2026 Europeans, between Sarah Galvão and Tamara Toros, with the gold going to Sarah.
Not every event has an open class
Professional invitationals do not always have an open class. The IBJJF’s The Crown is held only in weight divisions, four male and two female.
To compare the limits of each division, see the IBJJF weight class chart.
Who is the greatest open class champion in Jiu-Jitsu history? Leave your opinion in the comments.
