No Gi Competitions and levels

[chris miah]

Hey everyone, I've been chatting with my coach and I'm deciding to go for some major competitions as a blue belt still. Its being pushed that the main avenue is the Worlds Gi as far as the top level of competition. My main question is with the options available what No gi competition, and which are the most prestigious, bar the ADCC. The options that look available due to Uni schedule would be a Grappler Quest in Amsterdam, the British Open (biggest domestic comp), or possibly the world no gi in November. The easiest to afford would be the domestic and Grapplers Quest, my main question is are they worth travelling too. and also what is the pinnacle in no gi that you guys strive towards Thanks!

[Justin W.]

If you're talking about prestigious competitions, I'd say ADCC at the top, followed closely by Gi Worlds, then the Abu Dhabi World Pro, then IBJJF Pro League, and NoGi Worlds below that and after that, it's a toss up. Those are all the A list tournaments and then I'd say Grapplers Quest, NAGA and Gracie Worlds are all pretty close as far as B list tournaments go. You'll still have the occasional big name show up and dominate at the B list events. Just my opinion.

[Joseph Hachey]

Gracie Worlds? Isn't that a small open tournament in the Bay area? How many competitors did they have last year? Every tournaments wants to call themselves a world/national/regional championship but, in the end, they are just local tournaments.

[Gary Meek]

I've heard good things about this International Submission Only Federation (ISOF). ]=)

[Justin W.]

Gracie Worlds? Isn't that a small open tournament in the Bay area? How many competitors did they have last year? Every tournaments wants to call themselves a world/national/regional championship but, in the end, they are just local tournaments.

well that's why I listed them in with naga, grapplers quest etc...

also, I forgot about PanAms. it's obviously under worlds but still very high level tournament.