Polaris Professional Jiu-Jitsu Invitational is a professional submission grappling promotion founded in the United Kingdom. The organization was created to showcase elite-level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling through a professional event format focused on high-level superfights, tournaments, and international athlete matchups.
Polaris primarily features no-gi submission grappling, although the organization has hosted both gi and no-gi events. The promotion is known for bringing together top competitors from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, judo, and other grappling backgrounds.
Polaris Competition Prestige
Polaris is considered one of the most influential professional grappling promotions of the modern era.
The promotion gained recognition because of:
- Elite athlete matchmaking: Polaris has featured many of the world’s highest-level grapplers.
- Professional superfight format: The organization helped popularize professional grappling matches outside traditional tournament structures.
- International reach: Polaris has hosted events featuring competitors from multiple countries.
- Modern submission grappling influence: The promotion contributed to the growth of professional no-gi competition.
While ADCC is generally considered the most prestigious no-gi championship event, Polaris holds an important place as one of the longest-running professional grappling promotions focused on elite matchups.
Polaris Event Structure
Polaris events are primarily built around:
- Superfights
- Championship matches
- Tournament brackets
- Special exhibition matches
Unlike IBJJF competitions, Polaris does not primarily operate through belt-based divisions.
Instead, matchups are generally created around:
- Athlete reputation
- Competitive ability
- Weight category
- Style matchups
- Professional rankings
This creates a format closer to professional combat sports events, where individual matchups are a major focus.
Polaris Competition Formats
Polaris has featured several types of competition formats.
Superfights
Superfights are one of Polaris’ defining features.
These matches typically involve:
- Two elite competitors
- Individual matchmaking
- High-level technical battles
- Professional presentation
Superfights allow organizers to create specific matchups between highly ranked athletes rather than relying only on tournament brackets.
Tournament Events
Polaris has also hosted tournament formats featuring:
- Weight divisions
- Elimination brackets
- Multiple competitors
- Championship finals
Tournament structures may vary depending on the event.
Polaris Match Format
Polaris matches are conducted under submission grappling rules.
Competitors may use:
- Wrestling techniques
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu positions
- Submission attacks
- Takedowns
- Guard systems
- Positional control
Matches are typically won by:
- Submission
- Judges’ decision if no submission occurs
The rules are designed to encourage submission attempts while still providing a method to determine winners when matches go the distance.
Polaris Ruleset
The Polaris ruleset has evolved over time, but the organization has generally emphasized:
- Submission attempts
- Technical engagement
- Offensive grappling
- Competitive pacing
Important ruleset considerations include:
- Match duration
- Scoring criteria
- Legal submission techniques
- Decision criteria
- Overtime procedures when applicable
Rules may differ depending on the specific Polaris event.
Polaris Scoring System
Unlike IBJJF competitions, Polaris does not rely on a traditional BJJ points system as its primary method of determining winners.
Instead, matches emphasize:
Submission Attempts
Successful submissions immediately end matches.
Common attacks include:
- Rear naked chokes
- Guillotines
- Arm locks
- Leg locks
- Triangle chokes
Positional Dominance
Judges may consider dominant positions and effective grappling when determining winners.
Examples include:
- Guard passing
- Mount control
- Back control
- Takedown effectiveness
- Submission pressure
Overall Performance
Decision criteria may include:
- Offensive activity
- Effective control
- Submission attempts
- Competitive dominance
This differs from IBJJF, where athletes can win by accumulating points through specific positional achievements.