How much does a Jiu-Jitsu world champion make
An adult black belt title at the IBJJF World Championship pays $7,000 to $10,000 in the weight divisions and $18,000 in the open class; only the champion gets paid, and anyone who closes out the final gets nothing
A Jiu-Jitsu world champion earns $7,000 to $10,000 for a weight division title and $18,000 for the open class. Those are the numbers in the IBJJF prize table for adult black belts at the 2026 World Championship, and they are the same for men and women.
Only first place gets paid. The Worlds table has no cash prize for silver or bronze medalists, and the prize money is for adult black belts only.
The Worlds prize table
| Athletes registered in the division | Champion’s prize |
|---|---|
| 2 to 8 | $7,000 |
| 9 to 16 | $8,000 |
| 17 to 32 | $9,000 |
| 33 or more | $10,000 |
| Open class | $18,000 |
The amount goes up with the number of athletes registered in each division, from rooster to ultra-heavy. The open class has a single value.
An athlete who wins both the weight class and the open class collects both prizes. That was the case for Gabi Pessanha in 2026: her double gold was worth between $25,000 and $28,000, depending on the size of the super-heavyweight bracket, before taxes. The full list of title holders is in Jiu-Jitsu world champions.
A closed-out final pays nothing
The IBJJF does not pay the prize when the final is closed out, meaning the two finalists choose not to fight. Under the event rules, the champion in that case also loses the ranking points, and the title does not count for seeding priority in future seasons.
The prize can also be lost later. Results erased for doping take the medal, the points and the money with them, as happened with Rider Zuchi at heavyweight. Taxes also come out of the announced amount, and the organizer may withhold them.
Worlds only started paying in 2019
Through 2018, the world champion left the tournament with a medal. Prize money was announced in March 2019, with $4,000 to $7,000 per division, $10,000 for the open class and equal pay for men and women.
Since then, the division prize has gone up $3,000 at every level of the table, and the open class prize has gone up $8,000.
What other tournaments pay
| Tournament | Weight champion | Open class |
|---|---|---|
| IBJJF Worlds 2026 | $7,000 to $10,000 | $18,000 |
| Brazilian Nationals (CBJJ) 2026 | R$ 8,750 to R$ 13,750 | R$ 11,800 to R$ 17,400 |
| ADCC 2026 | $20,000 for men, $10,000 for women | $50,000 |
| Craig Jones Invitational 2024 | $1 million | — |
At the Brazilian Nationals, the runner-up also gets paid, from R$ 1,900 to R$ 2,850 in the weight divisions. At ADCC, the table pays first through fourth place, and the gap between men and women sparked debate: Craig Jones said he would cover the difference for the women’s champions.
Outside the federation circuit, professional grand prix events pay more. In 2023, Erich Munis received R$ 200,000 for winning the BJJ Stars Grand Prix.
Is $10,000 a fair prize for a world champion? Leave your opinion in the comments.
