Matches follow the official IBJJF ruleset. Below is what makes the English Open different - refunds, weigh-ins, gi requirements, medals - plus a quick scoring summary and the full rulebook PDF.
Matches follow IBJJF rules. The organisers reserve the right to refuse entry. The respect rule applies to competitors, coaches and spectators alike - repeated breaches may result in removal from the event.
Juvenile, Adult and Masters 1–7 divisions across white, blue, purple, brown and black belts.
Round-robin for divisions of 3 or fewer competitors. Single-elimination with a bronze-medal match for everyone else.
Medals: Gold, silver and a single bronze per division - the bronze is decided by a third-place play-off between the two losing semi-finalists. We do NOT award joint bronze.
Absolute (open weight) divisions are open only to medallists. Registration takes place on the day after weight-division medals are awarded. No absolutes for juniors or juveniles.
Full refunds are issued automatically for withdrawals before midnight on the published refund deadline. After that, organiser-issued refunds carry a £20 admin fee covering staff time and PayPal charges.
All competitors receive a free event T-shirt - pick your size during registration.
Top three academies by team points receive team trophies.
Coaching: Coaching passes must be arranged in advance - minimum 5 competitors per pass. There is no matside coaching during fights.
Parking: Free car parking is available behind the venue.
Spectators: Spectator entry is £10 per person, payable on the day.
Points for positional control and advancement. Whoever has more points (then advantages, then referee decision) when the clock hits zero wins - unless the match ends earlier by submission or DQ.
A short summary - the official PDF is the authoritative source for any edge case.
In white belt divisions, it is forbidden to JUMP into closed guard while the opponent is standing. When this happens, the referee stops the fight and restarts both athletes standing in the centre.
Everything competitors and coaches typically ask. The basics also appear on the home page.
The complete IBJJF v6.1 rulebook (June 2024 edition). Use the controls inside the viewer to zoom, search, or jump to a page.
PDF not displaying? Open the rulebook in a new tab.
Save the official documents for reference at events.
These documents are sourced from the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF). The English Open BJJ Championships is a UKBJJA-sanctioned event that follows IBJJF rules with minimal local modifications. In case of any conflict between this page and the official PDFs, the official IBJJF documents take precedence.
Try the belt-progressive rules quiz - pick your level and see how you score.
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