The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling landscape could be on the verge of a major transformation after ONE Championship announced a possible groundbreaking partnership with FloGrappling aimed at bringing the sport’s biggest promotions closer together.
The announcement was shared by multiple-time IBJJF World Champion Tom DeBlass, who revealed that discussions with ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong have led to an initiative designed to reduce scheduling conflicts, create more opportunities for athletes, and help unify the global grappling scene.
A New Era for Grappling?
According to an instagram post by DeBlass, ONE Championship could work alongside FloGrappling to better align the calendars of many of the sport’s premier organizations whenever possible.
The initiative includes collaboration involving major promotions such as:
- WNO (Who’s Number One)
- Polaris
- Craig Jones Invitational (CJI)
- IBJJF
- ADCC
- A potential future ONE Grappling Grand Prix
The goal is not to merge these organizations into one league, but rather to coordinate events in a way that allows athletes to compete across multiple promotions while giving fans access to more dream matchups. This deal would compete against UFC BJJ who sign athletes to exclusive agreements into a single promotion.
More Opportunities for Athletes
One of the biggest challenges in professional grappling has been overlapping event schedules. High-level competitors are often forced to choose between competing at different promotions because events occur on the same weekends.
If this initiative succeeds, athletes could benefit from:
- More chances to compete
- Increased earning potential
- Less pressure to choose between major tournaments
- More superfights against elite opponents from different organizations
For professional grapplers, this could represent one of the most significant developments in years.
Better for Fans
Fans also stand to benefit.
Scheduling conflicts have frequently divided audiences, forcing viewers to choose between multiple major events taking place simultaneously.
A coordinated calendar could mean:
- More marquee events throughout the year
- Bigger superfights
- Clearer championship storylines
- Increased exposure for the sport worldwide
Rather than competing against one another, promotions could collectively grow the grappling audience.
ONE Championship’s Growing Investment in Grappling
While ONE Championship is best known for MMA, Muay Thai, and kickboxing, the promotion has continued expanding its submission grappling division by signing elite athletes and showcasing world-class grappling matches on its global platform.
Is This the Start of a Unified Grappling Calendar?
Although few operational details have been announced, the message is clear: cooperation rather than competition is the vision.
The initiative does not suggest that organizations like IBJJF, ADCC, Polaris, CJI, or WNO will lose their identities. Instead, the partnership aims to create a healthier competitive ecosystem where athletes can compete across multiple organizations without unnecessary scheduling clashes.
If successful, it could become one of the most important collaborative efforts in the history of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling.
A freelance journalist with more than seven years of experience covering a wide range of topics, with a focus on delivering accurate, engaging, and well-researched reporting. He studied at the University of Birmingham, where he developed a strong foundation in journalism and communications. Martin is a 10th Planet BJJ brown belt and has been training for approximately 10 years and a keen follower of submission grappling.
