UFC BJJ 4 main event revealed; Polaris leaves UFC for Flo, WNO crossover next? – BJJ Beat

Welcome to the BJJ Beat! On this recurring feature, we’ll tackle the biggest news from the professional grappling scene, and roll everything up in an easily digestible and familiar jiu-jitsu format.

Polaris leaves UFC Fight Pass for FloGrappling, Polaris vs. WNO crossover next?

Polaris has long been one of the best professional grappling promotions, and after years partnering with UFC Fight Pass, the Europe-based organization will now be moving to FloGrappling.

While a BJJ promotion switching broadcast partners normally won’t be particularly notable news in a vacuum, this move could prove to be pretty massive for the current jiu-jitsu landscape today.

Polaris and WNO have long been the top rival organizations in the sport, and both will now fall under the same umbrella in FloGrappling. Soon after a stacked line up of BJJ champions from Team Europe won the Polaris Squads title, the organization is now teasing a crossover and potential clash against a team built from WNO stars in 2026.

This move to FloGrappling not only could produce interesting match ups, like the aforementioned Polaris vs. WNO Squads event, it also has ramifications on the industry as a whole.

Considering that CJI also partnered up with FloGrappling, as they try to combat the UFC’s entry into the sport, this is just the latest development between the power players and rival organizations in jiu-jitsu. Polaris leaving UFC Fight Pass adds another layer and only further bolsters FloGrappling’s place in the industry.

It’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out, but at the end of the day, competition is always good for the athletes. With more options and organizations battling for their services, it can improve purses and help the already rapidly growing sport.

Andrew Tackett vs. Elijah Dorsey headlines UFC BJJ 4

UFC BJJ 4 happens on December 11, 2025, and it will have three title bouts on the card. The first two title bouts have been previously announced, and now the main event has also been confirmed.

Headlining UFC BJJ 4 is one of the faces of the promotion, as Andrew Tackett defends his welterweight title against ADCC East Coast Trials winner Elijah Dorsey. Both men are known entertaining matches, Tackett especially, which should only add to an already fun card.

Dorsey was previously announced to face Renato Canuto on the card, but with him being promoted to the main event, it’s still unclear what happens to Canuto next. The current UFC BJJ 4 line up is as follows:

UFC BJJ 4 fight card so far

BJJ legend Claudio Calasans becomes first to win ADCC, IBJJF, Judo world titles

Claudio Calasans is already a BJJ legend in his own right, but he’s still adding to his resume through his 40s. After over a decade and a half away from the sport, “Juninho” competed in the 2025 Veteran World Judo Championships in Paris, and ended up winning gold in his Masters 3 division (age 40-44) at 81 kg.

With the victory, the double judo and jiu-jitsu black belt has now become the first to ever win world titles across Judo, ADCC and IBJJF. Showing that versatility across three disciplines, Calasans previously won the most prestigious gi and no gi events by taking an ADCC absolute world title and IBJJF world title a decade prior in 2015.

Full WNO 31 fight card: Diego Pato and Helena Crevar to defend titles

After the Felipe Pena vs. Luke Griffith headliner was announced to be for Gordon Ryan’s vacated heavyweight belt, the rest of the WNO 31 main card has been revealed.

Three title bouts will top the card, with Diego Pato returning for an excellent rematch with Filipino grappler DeAndre Corbe, who pulled off an insane $100,000 upset against the top pound-for-pound talent earlier in the year.

The third title bout in the December 5 event will feature the top ranked female grappler in Helena Crevar, who defends her WNO featherweight title against Julia Boscher. The teenage prodigy in Crevar has recently been collecting more belts, following up on her lucrative CJI tournament win, by becoming a two-division champion at Polaris.

Also on the card is BJJ legend Xande Ribeiro returning against popular BJJ YouTuber Jordan Preisinger, and Gabi Pessanha — fresh off creating a BJJ milestone — competing in her first ever no gi super fight opposite Paige Ivette.

BJJ champ Max Gimenis badly KO’d in UFC debut

IBJJF Pan Champion and CJI veteran Max Gimenis recently signed with the UFC, but the grappler badly lost his debut against a better MMA prospect at UFC Vegas 111. The IBJJF Worlds silver medalist was touted as one of the better grapplers at heavyweight, but was violently out-struck and knocked out by “The Incredible Hulk” Josh Hokit in under a minute.

The much hyped Hokit remained undefeated at 7-0, while Gimenis dropped to 6-2 in his MMA career.

To close things out, here are other interesting BJJ stories you might have missed:

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