NOVEMBER 2, 2025, ROME, ITALY. The 12th edition of the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) European NoGi Championship has just ended, with the adult black belt division – regarded as the professional class of BJJ – being saved for the final two days of action. For the second year in a row, the No-Gi Euros saw a growth in European talent, particularly at the top level of the sport, with many divisions teeming with local competitors, with other corners of the world, who find trips to the US too troublesome due to the distance or visa difficulties, also taking the spotlight, particularly Japan and South Korea. Overall, the European No-Gi Championship solidified the idea that grappling is evolving worldwide.
Scandinavia and Poland have been beacons for Europe’s top talents for a long time. Still, this year we were able to add other regions to the top factories of high-end talent in this sport, particularly the United Kingdom, which saw an array of gold medals at the big show. This included Shay Montague (Scotland), Ash Williams (Wales), Faris BenLamkadem (England), and Injana Goodman (arguably the biggest revelation of the Euros with one gold and one silver in the open class), as well as several bronze medalists.
2025 was undoubtedly a good year for rookie black belts, as we saw plenty making the podium. In that category, none superseded Injana Goodman (gold in weight class & silver in absolute) and Pawel Jaworski (double gold as well as 7 subs out of 9 matches). Goodman looked particularly sharp in all areas, passing, sweeping, and submitting, while the Polish phenom, Jaworski, remains the most dangerous guard player at 85 kg after this year’s Pans and Euros performances. It will be fun to see who (if any) can beat this young man, in his weight class, at worlds. Another name to remember from this weekend was ultra-heavyweight Tito Carle, of Australia. We had never seen this young man compete before, and he truly impressed us. Forward-moving, submission-oriented, and well-rounded.
Below are the European No-Gi Champions of 2025, as well as the main match results of the event.
IBJJF 2025 Euro No-Gi Champions
55KG/M – Shay Montague (SCO)
61KG/M – Vinicius Inacio (BRA)
67KG/M – Ashley Williams (WLS)
73KG/M – Julian Espinosa (CRI)
79KG/M – Tarik Hopstock (NOR)
85KG/M – Pawel Jaworski (POL)
91KG/M – Faris BenLemkadem (ENG)
97KG/M – Jorge Gabriel (BRA)
+97KG/M – Tito Carle (AUS)
ABS/M – Pawel Jaworski (POL)
46KG/F – Thais Loureiro (BRA)
51KG/F – Mayssa Bastos (BRA)
56KG/F – Maria Mayordomo (ESP)
61KG/F – Brianna Ste-Marie (CAN)
66KG/F – Injana Goodman (ENG)
71KG/F – Salla Simola (FIN)
76KG/F – Paige Ivette (US)
+76KG/F – N/A
ABS/F – Gabrieli Pessanha (BRA)
MALE, ABSOLUTE
4F – Heikki Jussila def. Alexander Sak via Decision
4F – Jean Maltese def. Anderson Kauan via Advantage (0x0 pts)
4F – Pawel Jaworski def. Thomas Bracher via Outside heel hook
4F – Clay Mayfield def. Samuel Quinn via N/A
SF – Jean Maltese def. Heikki Jussila via Triangle
SF – Pawel Jaworski def. Clay Mayfield via Inside heel hook
SF – Pawel Jaworski def. Jean Maltese via leg-lock
MALE, ROOSTER (5 matches)
4F – Riki Yoshinaga def. Wanki Chae via Inside heel hook
4F – Denis Beenen def. Stefano Bui via N/A
SF – Shay Montague def. Denis Beenen via Armbar
SF – Riki Yoshinaga def. Weslei Kellisson via Inside heel hook
F – Shay Montague def. Riki Yoshinaga via Inside heel hook
MALE, LIGHT-FEATHER
4F – Lucas Feitosa def. Jacob Semsem via Guillotine
4F – Junny Ocasio def. Manuel Demuru via 4×0
4F – Daniel Groot def. Wojciech Gryz via 5×2
4F – Vinicius Inacio def. Yoonseo Ha via Inside heel hook
SF – Junny Ocasio def. Daniel Groot via Armbar
SF – Vinicius Inacio def. Lucas Feitosa via 4×2
F – Vinicius Inacio def. Junny Ocasio via advantage (2×2 pts)
MALE, FEATHER
4F – Ashley Williams def. Kiren Newadj via Inside heel hook
4F – Noah Gutierrez def. Marius Spac via Armbar
4F – Kamil Wilk def. Lincoln Rafael via Outside heel hook
4F – Alessio Sacchetti def. Samuel Gibbs via 4×0
SF – Ashley Williams def. Alessio Sacchetti via 5×4
SF – Noah Gutierrez def. Kamil Wilk via 2×0
MALE, LIGHT
4F – Yigit Hanay def. Andre Lipienski via RNC
4F – Gianni Grippo def. Rafal Farjaszewski via 7×0
4F – Julian Espinosa def. David Stoilescu via Inside heel hook
4F – Yonathan Guertzenstein def. Rodrigo Mariani via RNC
SF – Yigit Hanay def. Gianni Grippo via 7×0
SF – Julian Espinosa def. Yonathan Guertzenstein via Straight ankle lock
F – Julian Espinosa def. Yigit Hanay via 2×0
MALE, MIDDLE
4F – Thomas Rees def. Lars Alpang via Katagatame
4F – Tarik Hopstock def. Tom Maenurm via 2×0
4F – Kieran Kichuk def. Mateusz Flaga via Advantage (0x0 pts)
4F – Omer Emanoely def. Benjamin Robson via Advantage (0x0 pts)
SF – Kieran Kichuk def. Omer Emanoely via Triangle
SF – Tarik Hopstock def. Thomas Rees via Toe hold
F – Tarik Hopstock def. Kieran Kichuk via advantages (0x0 pts)
MALE, MEDIUM-HEAVY
4F – Vihjalmur Arnarsson def. Pedro Veras via Straight ankle lock
4F – Shane Fishman def. Clay Mayfield via 5×0
4F – Pawel Jaworski def. Jaakko Vilander via Inside heel hook
4F – Andre Ygor def. Fernando Herrera via RNC
SF – Pawel Jaworski def. Andre Ygor via Advantage
SF – Shane Fishman def. Vihjalmur Arnarsson via 13×0
F – Pawel Jaworski def. Shane Fishman via Straight ankle lock
MALE, HEAVY
4F – Faris Lamkadem def. Alessandro Speziali via 11×0
4F – Matheus Vetoraci def. Caio Vitorino via 5×0
4F – Lucas Dias def. Tyler Freeman via DQ (stalling)
4F – Karol Kania def. Otto Kuikka via 4×0
SF – Karol Kania def. Lucas Dias via 11×2
SF – Faris Lamkadem def. Matheus Vetoraci via 2×0
F – Faris Lamkadem def. Karol Kania via 10×0
MALE, SUPER-HEAVY
4F – Moritz Koellensperger def. Claudiu Patru via 8×0
4F – Neocicero Barbosa def. Ramiro Leon via advantage
4F – Jorge Gabriel def. Thomas Bracher via 6×0
4F – Adam Nabawy via WO
SF – Jorge Gabriel def. Adam Nabawy via 8×0
SF – Neocicero Barbosa def. Moritz Koellensperger via 14×0
F – Jorge Gabriel def. Neo Barbosa via Decision (2×2 pts)
MALE, ULTRA-HEAVY
4F – Mikael Eric def. Enzo Pioppo via Armbar
4F – Tito Carle def. Heikki Jussila via Kneebar
4F – Alexander Sak def. Anderson Kauan via advantages
4F – Vinicius Izidoro def. Patrik Wysocki via 3×0
SF – Alexander Sak def. Vinicius Izidoro via Kimura
SF – Tito Carle def. Mikael Eric via Kesagatame
F – Tito Carle def. Alexander Sak via 2×0
FEMALE, OPEN WEIGHT
4F – Gabrieli Pessanha def. Amanda Bruse via Choke from mount (poss. Smother tap)
4F – Nadia Frankland def. Salla Simola via advantages (0x0 pts)
4F – Julia Maele def. Ane Svendsen via advantages (0x0 pts)
4F – Injana Goodman def. Gamila Kanew via 16×0
SF – Gabrieli Pessanha def. Nadia Frankland via Kimura
SF – Injana Goodman def. Julia Maele via RNC
F – Gabrieli Pessanha def. Injana Goodman via Smother tap
FEMALE, ROOSTER (1 match)
F – Thais Loureiro def. Mariana Rolszt via Decision (0x0 pts)
FEMALE, LIGHT-FEATHER (4 matches)
4F – Josefine Modig def. Giulia Angiolini via 2×0
SF – Mayssa Bastos def. Josefine Modig via RNC
SF – Esther Garwood def. Laura Peretti via N/A
F – Mayssa Bastos def. Esther Garwood via Inside heel hook
FEMALE, FEATHER
4F – Ana Mayordomo def. Antonia Markou via Kneebar
4F – Mona Bailey def. Paraskevi Roustani via Baratoplata
4F – Liisi Vaht def. Ashley Bendle via Footlock
4F – Martina Zola def. Lauren Sognefest via Inside heel hook
SF – Liisi Vaht def. Martina Zola via Armbar
SF – Ana Mayordomo def. Mona Bailey via Guillotine
F – Ana Mayordomo def. Liisi Vaht via 9×2
FEMALE, LIGHT
4F – Brianna Ste-Marie def. Fiona Mortell via Darce choke
4F – Amanda Schurtz def. Priscila Batista via 13×0
4F – Maria Claudia def. Zara Tofano via Toe hold
SF – Amanda Bruse def. Maria Claudia via Inside heel hook
SF – Brianna Ste-Marie def. Amanda Schurtz via Arm in RNC
F – Brianna Ste-Marie def. Amanda Bruse via 25×0
FEMALE, MIDDLE
4F – Nadia Frankland def. Jaqueline Almeida via RNC
4F – Injana Goodman def. Beatrice Jin via Armbar
4F – Julia Maele def. Lillian Marchand via Kneebar
4F – Rosa Walsh def. Gamila Kanew via 6×4
SF – Julia Maele def. Rosa Walsh via 10×2
SF – Injana Goodman def. Nadia Frankland via advantages (0x0 pts)
F – Injana Goodman def. Julia Maele via 11×2
FEMALE, MEDIUM-HEAVY
4F – Ane Svendsen def. Linda Stachova via RNC
4F – Nia Blackman def. Sandra Triebel via 4×0
4F – Jessika Tortilla def. Grace Colley via advantage
SF – Salla Simola def. Jessika Tortilla via Inside heel hook
SF – Ane Svendsen def. Nia Blackman via 3×0
F – Salla Simola def. Ane Svendsen via points
FEMALE, HEAVY (1 match)
F – Paige Ivette def. Laura Barker via Armbar
FEMALE, SUPER-HEAVY (0 matches)
