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The objective of BJJ is to submit. Today, due to time constraints, keeping an audience entertained and the logistics of renting a stadium, we have created time constraints and a point system and in so doing, the primary objective, submission, has gotten lost to the rules of the game.

My objective is to suggest an alternative bracket system. A bracket system that would not alter the rules of the sport but give more value to the submission.


Currently in IBJJF, JJIF, ADCC and NAGA fighting sport there is a point system in place in order to determine who wins a fight and who goes to the next round.

This point system is in place to put a limit on fighting time in order to protect the fighters, to keep things sweet and short for the public, and to have a clear set of rules to determine which fighter dominated the fight and came closest to controlling and submitting their opponent.


Let me give you an examples:


IBJJF (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) During a fight there are time limits ranging from 5-10 minutes depending on your age and belt. Takedowns get 2 points, garde pass gets 3 points, sweeps get 2 points etc... Submission trumps all and wins the fight.


A side effect of the point system In IBJJF and other organizations,Is that fighters look to play it safe and smart by Focusing on winning fights by points and then Stalling the game with no desire to submit. This is a smart way to play the system but in my opinion it looses the essence of why we fight.


I would like to get back to the core principle of submission. You could do this by changing the rules of the game, but this would be way too complicated for so many reasons. So I suggest we change the bracket system.


I call it the Bypass Bracket System which goes as follows:


All the competitors start in bracket 1. If a fighter submits their opponent they immediately move on to bracket 2. In order to get to bracket 2 you have to win your fight by submission or be the winner of bracket 1. This scenario keeps repeating itself until you are left with 2 finalists for the final fight.

Keep in mind, by moving someone to bracket 2 you are also reducing the number of fights in bracket 1. If for example you have a fight in bracket 1 and one competitior wins the fight by points, they will move on to fight another winner in bracket 1 that has also won by points.

Example :

competitor A wins against B by points

competitor A moves on to fight competitor C (who also won by points)

Competitor A then submits competitor C. So now competitor A will move from Bracket 1 to Bracket 2.


Because Competitor A goes to bracket 2, we are left with competitor D that should have fought competitor A, but A moved on to bracket 2... So D will end up without an opponent.

In this case we take competitor B that didn’t get submitted and make him fight competitor D.

This is what I’ve come up with to focus the game more on submission, let me know what you think about it and if you have any questions ?


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