Tag: Combat

No matter if you’re participating in MMA, BJJ, or Muay Thai, you need to be wearing a mouthguard. On Amazon, the market for mouthguards is vast and it can be a little overwhelming looking for the best ones.

That is why we put together this list of the best BJJ mouthguards on Amazon. Below are short reviews of each of the best BJJ mouthguards on the website with links provided.

We also added a section of our other best of lists of combat sports products if you need any other recommendations.

Looking for other recommendations?

Looking for other combat sports recommendations besides the best BJJ mouthguards on Amazon? We got you covered! Here are links to our other best combat sports product write ups below.

• Best MMA Shorts
• Best BJJ Shorts
• Best Muay Thai Shorts
• Best Boxing Shorts
• Best Women’s Boxing Shorts
• Best Women’s MMA Shorts
• Best Women’s Muay Thai Shorts
• Best Women’s BJJ Spats
• Best BJJ Spats
• Best MMA Gloves
• Best Boxing Gloves
• Best Muay Thai Gloves
• Best Muay Thai Pads
• Best Muay Thai Shin Guards
• Best Grappling Dummy
• Best Punching Dummy
• Best Rash Guards
• Best BJJ Gis
• Best BJJ Headgear/Ear Guards
• Best Boxing Headgear

What are the different types of mouthguards?

Before you can look for the best BJJ mouthguards, you have to know what type of mouthguards there are. Mouthguards generally come in single sided or double sided.

The single sided mouthguards protect your top teeth, while the double sided mouthguards protect both your top and bottom teeth.

Whichever you choose will be your preference as both are made of the same materials and give the same protection. Everything from protecting your teeth and gums from damage, as well as absorbing impact to limit brain trauma.

OPRO Mouthguards 

The first company up on our best BJJ mouthguards list is the great team at OPRO. They make a variety of custom grade mouthguards that were all designed by dentists. Here are the descriptions of each one below.

OPRO Power Fit Mouthguard 

• Dentist Made
• Trusted By The Pros
• World Leading Dental Technology
• 18 Month Warranty
• $20k Warranty

First up from OPRO is their OPRO Power Fit Mouthguard that is one of the best BJJ mouthguards available. All of OPRO’s guards like this one were made by certified dentists using world leading dental technology.

They look and feel like custom mouthguards. So much that they are used by professional athletes within everything from rugby, MMA,  and USA wrestling.

OPRO stands by their product so much that they have an 18 month warranty and a $20k dental warranty. If you receive any damage to your teeth while wearing the Power Fit model, OPRO will cover your dental bill.

OPRO Gold Competition Level 

• Dentist Designed
• Trusted By Pros
• Top Comfort
• 18 Month Warranty
• $15k Dental Coverage
• 7 Color Options
• Youth & Adult Sizes

The third offering from OPRO is their well rated OPRO Gold Competition Level Mouthguard. Just like everything that OPRO makes, this line of mouthguards were designed by dentists and made with the best materials.

Everyone from pro fighters to lacrosse and rugby players use the OPRO Gold Competition Level Mouthguard. Then like everything OPRO makes, they back their mouthguards with a 18 month warranty and dental coverage up to $15k.

You can currently get this line of OPRO mouthguards in 7 color options for adult and youth athletes.

OPRO Platinum Mouthguard

• Dentist Designed
• Trusted By Pros
• Top Comfort
• 18 Month Warranty
• £17,500 Dental Coverage
• 3 Color Options

Number four from OPRO is their OPRO Platinum Mouthguard. Another high grade mouthguard made from some of the best materials available and designed by dentists.

The Platinum series offers top comfort with unique fins to grip onto your teeth. You can easily breathe and speak while wearing this mouthguard.

Numerous pro athletes use the Platinum series mouthguard from hockey players to rugby players. 

You can currently get this mouthguard in 3 color options that are backed by a £17,500 dental coverage.

OPRO Snap-Fit

• Designed By Dentists
• No Fitting Required
• World Leading Dental Technology
• Trusted By Pros
• 18 Month Warranty
• $5k Dental Coverage

Last from OPRO is their most affordable option with the OPRO Snap-Fit. Like everything OPRO makes, the Snap-Fit line is designed by dentists and trusted by various pro athletes.

This line of mouthguards require no boiling process before using them. Just bite down and they will fit your teeth perfectly.

These Mouthguards are one size fits all and are covered by a 18 month warranty And $5k dental coverage.

Shock Doctor 

Shock Doctor has been one of the most widely used mouthguards in combat sports for decades. Each line of shock doctor mouthguard is dental grade, while being very affordable. Here are descriptions of some of the mouthguards that Shock Doctor currently sells on Amazon.

Shock Doctor Pro 

• Classic Boil & Bite Guard
• Comfortable
• Perfect Fit
• Front Bumper Shock Absorber
• Braces Compatible
• Youth & Adult Sizes

The Shock Doctor Pro is the original mouthguard that Shock Doctor made decades ago. It is a classic boil and bite mouthguard that is functional and works.

You’re guaranteed to get a perfect fit and be perfectly protected. Including less brain trauma thanks to the front bumper shock absorber added to the design.

Shock Doctor makes their original mouthguard for youth and adult athletes and are compatible with braces.

Shock Doctor Gel Max 

• Amazon’s Choice
• Custom Comfort & Fit
• Breathable 
• Exoskeletal Shock Frame
• Durable
• Perfect For Contact Sports
• Flavored & Non Flavored 
• 15 Color Options

Next up from Shock Doctor is the Shock Doctor Gel Max Mouthguard. One of the best BJJ mouthguards on Amazon and an official Amazon’s Choice product.

This mouthguard provides a custom fit that is comfortable whilst also breathable. Complete with a exoskeletal shock frame, which makes it perfect for combat sports training like MMA or Muay Thai.

Also one special thing that Shock Doctor offered with this mouthguard is not only give color options, but flavor options. You can currently choice from 15 different color options in adult and youth sizes.

Shock Doctor Gel Max Power

• Gel-Fit Liner
• Comfort & Fit
• Exoskeletal Shock Frame
• Breathable
• $10k  Dental Warranty

Shock Doctor’s last offering  is an upgrade from their Gel Max Mouthguard. The Shock Doctor Gel Max Power Mouthguard, which is one of the best BJJ mouthguards on Amazon.

They created this mouthguard with gel-fit liner and an exoskeletal shock frame. Not only making this guard extra durable to impacts, but also very comfortable to wear.

You also won’t have to worry about your breathing being inhibited and can easily speak while wearing this mouthguard. If you buy this mouthguard, you can have peace at mind with the $10k dental warranty that comes with your purchase.

Venum 

Venum not only makes some of the best combat sports products available, but also some of the best BJJ mouthguards available. Here are the descriptions of the two types of mouthguards that they currently sell on Amazon.

Venum Challenger Mouthguard 

• Amazon’s Choice
• Nexfit Gel Frame
• Optimal Breathing
• High Density Rubber
• 13 Color Options 
• Case Included

The first mouthguard from Venum is their Venum Challenger Mouthguard. An Amazon’s Choice product and one of the best BJJ mouthguards on our list.

Venum made this mouthguard with high grade density foam and a nexfit gel frame. You’re getting a very durable mouthguard, as a very comfortable one to wear.

Also since Venum is a combat sports company, these mouthguards were specifically designed for MMA and kickboxing training. You can currently get this mouthguard in 13 colors with a protective case included with your purchase.

Venum Predator Mouthguard

• Nexfit Fit Gel
• Multi Layer Construction
• Advanced Shock Absorption
• High Density Rubber Frame
• 16 Color Options
• Case Included

The other mouthguard option from Venum is their Venum Predator Mouthguard. A slight upgrade from the challenger mouthguard with extra features. 

Some of those features include multi layer construction and advanced shock absorption in a high density rubber frame. All of this along with the comfortable nexfit gel filling that lets you train in comfort.

This mouthguard is an excellent choice for any type of combat sports training. It also comes in 16 color options with a protective case included with your purchase.

SISU Mouthguards 

SISU is known for making some of the most discreet and small mouthguards that offer you full protection. They’re also some of the highest rated and affordable mouthguards on Amazon. Here are some descriptions of each SISU mouthpiece that’s currently sold on Amazon.

SISU 2.0mm Easy To Fit Mouthguard 

• Ultralight
• 50% Thinner Than Standard Mouthguards
• Diffusix Technology
• Breathable & Talkable
• Pre-formed
• $50k Dental Warranty
• 5 Color Options

The first mouthguard from SISU that we’ll highlight is the SISU 2.0mm Easy To Fit Mouthguard. A really sleek looking mouthguard that seems small, but gives you the same protection as a normal mouthguard.

SISU made their Easy To Fit mouthguards preformed, ultra light, and 50% thinner than standard mouthguards. You won’t have to do the boiling and bite process before using this mouthguard.

They made this mouthguard with state of the art diffusix technology that provides both comfort and durability. You can currently get the Easy To Fit mouthguard in 5 colors and it is backed by a $50k dental warranty.

SISU Max 2.4mm Max Mouthguard 

• 30% Thinner Than Conventional Mouthguards
• Easy To Talk, Breathe, & Drink W/ Mouthguard In
• Diffusix Technology
• Wide Bite Pad
• 8 Color Options

The SISU Max 2.4mm Mouthguard is the largest mouthguard that SISU makes, but it is still incredibly small. Around 30% thinner than conventional mouthguards, while not giving up any protection.

They may seem small, but they were designed with a wide bite pad that is both comfortable and durable. You can easily breathe, talk, and drink water while wearing this mouthguard no problem.

Right now, SISU makes the Max mouthguard in 8 color options that were built to last.

SISU Aero 1.6mm Mouthguard 

• Amazon’s Choice
• 50% Thinner Than Conventional Mouthguards
• Custom Fit
• Talkable, Breathable & Drink W/ Mouthguard In
• Diffusix Technology
• Wider Bite Pad
• 15 Color Options

The SISU Aero 1.6mm Mouthguard is the smallest mouthguard that SISU makes. An Amazon’s Choice product and one of the best BJJ mouthguards on the website.

Even though the Aero is small, it gives just as much protection as a standard mouthguard. Providing with you a custom like fit and a wider bite guard.

You can keep this mouthguard in and have no problem breathing, talking, or drinking water. SISU currently offers their Aero line of mouthguards in 15 colors and of course they’re made with diffusix technology.

SISU Go Minimalist Mouthguard

• Ultra Light
• Ultra Thin
• Canine to Canine Coverage
• Easy Fitting
• One Year $35k Dental Warranty
• For Ages 11 & Up
• 4 Color Options

SISU’s last mouthguard is the SISU Go Minimalist Mouthguard. It is their most affordable and minimalist option that performs like an expensive mouthguard.

This mouthguard is ultra light, ultra thin, and comes in 1.6mm long. Complete with a wide bite pad that is canine to canine coverage.

They also back their Go Minimalist Mouthguard with a $35k dental warranty. Anyone from ages 11&up can wear this mouthguard and it’s available in 4 colors.

Nxtrnd

Nxtrnd arguably makes two of the best BJJ mouthguards that are currently available on Amazon. The best part is you’re buying two great mouthguards for the price of one. Here are the descriptions for the two types of Nxtrnd mouthguards below.

Nxtrnd Rush Mouthguards 

• 2 Pack
• Amazon’s Choice
• Ultra Durable
• Comfortable
• Multi Sport Use
• Unlimited Defective Warranty
• 8 Color Options

One of the best BJJ mouthguards that you can buy is the Nxtrnd Rush Mouthguards. This mouth guard is an Amazon’s Choice product that is affordable, yet performs like a custom mouthguard.

Nxtrnd made this mouthguard ultra durable, while being very comfortable to wear. Never having to take it out to talk or drink water and it doesn’t inhibit your breathing.

You can use this mouthguard for various types of sports and Nxtrnd backs it with an unlimited defective warranty. Currently available in over 8 different color options and the best part is that you get two mouthguards.

Nxtrnd Classic Thin Mouthguards

• 2 Pack
• Amazon’s Choice
• Ultra Versatile
• Thin & Protective
• Breathable
• Unlimited Defective Warranty

Next up from Nxtrnd is their Nxtrnd Classic Thin Mouthguards that are extremely thin, yet incredibly durable. They are an Amazon’s Choice product and also one of the best BJJ mouthguards on the website.

This mouthguard is ultra versatile and will attach to your teeth and won’t come off until you’re ready to take it out. Your breathing will never be inhibited wearing this mouthguard and you can easily communicate while wearing it.

Then just like the other mouthguard from Nxtrnd, this one also has an unlimited defective warranty if they ever break down. Also the best feature being that you get two great mouthguards for the price of one.

Damage Control 

• Amazon’s Choice
• Ultra Protection
• Ideal For Contact Sports
• Designed By Dental Experts
• Stylish
• 13 Color Options

Damage Control has established themselves as making one of the best BJJ mouthguards that they sell on Amazon. This mouthguard is an Amazon’s Choice product that offers ultra protection and is ideal for contact sports like MMA or kickboxing.

Their mouthguard was designed by dental experts to keep you 100% protected, while also allowing you to train in comfort. Not only did Damage Control make a super durable mouthguard, but also a stylish one.

They currently offer their mouthguards in over 13 stylish design options for adults.

Bulletproof Mouthguards

• Made With Kevlar
• Maximize Oxygen Intake
• Improve Performance
• 3D Cush Pads
• Last 4x Longer
• 30 Day Refund Policy
• 7 Color Options

Bulletproof Mouthguards not only make one of the best BJJ mouthguards, but one of the most durable. They are the only company that makes their mouthguards out of 100% kevlar.

The same material that is used to make bullet proof vests, which will insure that your teeth are protected. Designed to last 4 times longer than normal mouthguards if you take care of it properly.

Complete with 3D cush pads to absorb hard impacts and to improve your performance while you train. This design also allows you to maximize your oxygen intake and clearly speak while wearing it.

The crew at Bulletproof has a 30 day refund policy if you aren’t satisfied with your mouthguard. Which happens to come in 7 great color options.

GuardLab Apex Mouthguard

• Award Winning Apex Bite Pattern
• Protection
• BPA Free & Latex Free
• Versatile For Multiple Sports
• 7 Color Options
• Small/Medium/Large

Next on our list is the GuardLab Apex Mouthguard. Made of high grade materials that are free of BPA and latex.

Made with GuardLab’s award winning apex bite pattern. It offers you comfort and extreme protection no matter if you’re practicing Muay Thai, MMA, or BJJ. 

GuardLab sells their Apex mouthguard in small, medium, large, and offers them in 7 color options.

SAFEJAWZ 

• Amazon’s Choice
• Perfect Fit Guarantee
• Jaw Protection
• Anti-Gag Guard
• 11 Color Options
• Adult & Youth Sizes

SAFEJAWZ make a mouthguard that is one of the best BJJ mouthguards on Amazon’s that’s an Amazon’s choice product. They have a perfect fit guarantee, the first time that you boil your mouthguard and bite down.

While also offering ultimate jaw protection and an anti gag design, so you don’t choke. Right now, SAFEJAWZ makes their mouthguard in adult and youth sizes in 11 color options.

Champs 

• Fits Like A Boxing Glove
• Made For Combat Sports
• High Impact Rigid Outer Layer
• 3 Air Hole Design
• Comes With Case
• 6 Color Options
• Adult & Youth Sizes

Champs made their mouthguads specifically for boxing, but they’re also great for other combat sports. It fits like a good boxing glove and performs like one too.

They made their mouthguard with a high impact rigid outer layer that absorbs hard impacts. You’ll also be able to breathe freely without restriction thanks to the 3 air hole design.

The crew at Champs made their mouthguard in both adult and youth sizes. It also comes in 6 great color options.

FIGHTR

• High Quality
• Easy To Mold
• Max Oxygen 
• High Comfort
• 3 Color Options
• Comes With Case

The last product on our best BJJ mouthguard list is from a company called FIGHTR. Their mouthguard is a high quality mouthguard that was tailor made for combat sports with striking.

This mouthguard is easy to mold and fits perfectly to your teeth that offers a high level of comfort. You can get this great mouthguard in 3 color options and comes with a free case.

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts. It has the most number of World Champions on the planet. Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, Evolve MMA is the top rated Muay Thai gym in Singapore.

Of all the Muay Thai stylists, Muay Khao (knee fighters) might be the most effective offensive fighters.

These competitors thrive on getting up close and personal with their rivals. 

Many embrace the clinch, and have the strength, skill, and stamina to wear opponents down with some of the most devastating strikes in the art of eight limbs.

This kind of aggressive, relentless offense requires these competitors to be in peak physical condition, and many gain a reputation for being some of the most dedicated trainers. 

Anyone who has ever been through a clinch class knows how hard they can be, so it’s clear that anyone who embraces this style and completes thousands of hours of the most grueling practice is dedicated to their craft.

That hard work is worth it in the ring because a lot of the most skilled Muay Femur technicians find that they have no answer for the bulldozing style of their Muay Khao opponents. Their best weapons are neutralized as they’re dragged into deep waters.

It’s a style for hardcore fans and hardcore athletes. It might not be the prettiest approach to the art of eight limbs, but there is a ton of technical brilliance to admire.

Some Muay Khao are among the sport’s all-time greats, and these are the top 5 modern-day superstars of the style.

Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn

There’s no better place to start than with the premier Muay Khao in the long history of Muay Thai.

Ask hardcore fans about the greatest fighters of all time, and Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn will be near the top of the list. Some will even have him at the summit.

At over six feet tall, “The Sky-Piercing Knee” towered above many of his contemporaries. Size does not always make a great fighter, but Dieselnoi knew how to make the most of his physical attributes.

He may not have been a master of punching and kicking, but it was usually game over if he stepped into the pocket and secured the clinch. His height gave him incredible leverage to break opponents’ posture and drown them in torrents of knees. 

Plus, he often got into that dangerous position by firing his knees like spears into his opponents’ midsections.

Dieselnoi enjoyed a legendary four-year reign as Lumpinee Stadium lightweight champion, which only ended when officials stripped him of the belt and forced him to retire because they declared there was no one worthy of challenging him.

During his long reign of dominance, Dieselnoi earned his most famous win when he dropped down in weight to challenge one of his main rivals for the title of Muay Thai GOAT, Samart Payakaroon.

The knee fighter’s style was kryptonite for Samart’s technical approach, and he walked away with the win. That contributed to his capture of Thailand’s most prestigious award, the 1982 Sports Writers Association of Thailand Fighter of the Year.

Petchboonchu FA Group

No Muay Khao comes close to Dieselnoi when it comes to historic excellence, but Evolve’s own Petchboonchu FA Group boasts a list of championships that leaves almost everyone else’s résumé in the shade.

There is no fighter more decorated in the art of eight limbs. His five Lumpinee Stadium titles in four divisions, seven Thai titles in six divisions, Rajadamnern Stadium title, and WMC World Title make for a trophy cabinet that may never be matched.

Petchboonchu would not have won so many belts without an exemplary skillset and few athletes that can match his skills in the clinch.

His proficiency at close range was outstanding. He could control his opponents and neutralize their offense, then sneak knees and elbows through the smallest gaps in their defense.

Petchboonchu could also match that technical beauty by bringing out his inner beast. He was aggressive, would push the pace, and overpower opponents. 

It was tough to match “The Deadly Knee of the Mekong” over five rounds. Not many men can claim to have defeated Saenchai three times.

Sagetdao Petpayathai

Muay Thai World Champion Sagetdao Petpayathai from the EVOLVE Fight Team isn’t just one of the greatest Muay Khaos in history, but one of the sport’s best fighters of the modern era.

Sagetdao’s excellent knee-fighting style landed him multiple Muay Thai world championships. His style was considered extremely difficult to counter by the majority of his opponents and would lead to various honors, which include the stellar Lumpinee, Rajadamnern, MAX Muay Thai, and WBC Muay Thai world titles.

Although Sagetdao is a clinch-heavy Muay Khao, he’s able to mix it up a little bit when facing another Muay Thai if needed. He holds wins over notable Muay Thai legends and names such as Saenchai PKSaenchaiMuayThaiGym, Petchboonchu FA Group, Singdam Kiatmookao, Nong-O Gaiyanghadao, Anuwat Kaewsamrit, and Nongbee Kiatyongyuth.

Sagetdao moved over to MMA in 2017 to compete in ONE Championship. Sagetdao’s success in MMA has given other Muay Thai fighters reason to consider trying their luck in mixed martial arts.

Yodwicha Banchamek

Another modern Muay Khao great is the phenomenal Yodwicha Banchamek. 

He rose to fame when he won the Lumpinee Stadium title in 2012, and went on to beat Kongsak, Nong-O, Petchboonchu (twice), and Singdam (twice) in the space of a year.

Not long after that incredible run, it looked like Yodwicha’s hype train might be derailed after Petchboonchu beat him twice, including once for the Rajadamnern Stadium championship. 

But the youngster rebounded with two more wins to take his record against the most decorated Muay Thai fighter of all time to 4-2-1.

Since that series in 2014, Yodwicha has only lost three more times, and he is currently the WBC World Champion riding an undefeated streak of more than 25 fights.

Whether he’s fighting big names at home or abroad, most of his opponents simply cannot handle his pressure.

Of course, Yodwicha is deadly with knees in the clinch, but his knee strikes from the outside are probably his most dangerous weapons. He’ll push his rivals back with punches, then leap forward to land a powerful, piercing blow to the torso.

By the time he has a hold of his opponents, they’re so worried about getting kneed again, they’re wide open for some of Yodwicha’s other favorite weapons – his relentless elbows.

Chamuakpetch Haphalung 

You may know about “The Boxing Computer” Yodsanklai Fairtex, but many fans of 21st Century Muay Thai have never heard of “The Knee Computer” Chamuakpetch Haphalung.

Chamuakpetch had high-quality boxing and a tremendous teep, but he was best known for his precision knees from long range. His trademark technique was lethal as a counterstrike and could stop rivals in their tracks if they got too aggressive.

He was as strong as a bull in the clinch too. He could ragdoll his rivals around the ring if he got a hold of their necks, and ramped up his aggression when he got the chance to unload with knees.

Despite competing against a murderer’s row of the top competition in the golden era of Muay Thai, this muay khao master became one of the most decorated champions in history with four Lumpinee and five Rajadamnern belts.

Chamuakpetch might not be as well known as some of today’s biggest names, but “The Knee Computer’s” record against the elite of his era makes him an icon of the ring. 

In the nearly 4 decades of MMA, there have been some phenomenal grapplers that have competed in the sport. Everyone from Royce Gracie in UFC 1 to the world champions of today.

To pay these grapplers respect, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best BJJ fighters of all time. Listing some of the best BJJ fighters from the past and then the Best BJJ fighter from the present.

Best BJJ Fighters from the past

Some of the best BJJ fighters from the past paved the way for MMA to become the sport it is today. Here are some of the most legendary BJJ fighters from the past.

Royce Gracie 

You cannot make a best BJJ fighters list without starting it off with a legend and pioneer of MMA in Royce Gracie. Without a doubt one of the best fighters to ever step in a cage or ring.

Royce Gracie won three UFC tournaments and 11 of his 15 MMA wins were by submission. Thanks to Royce’s performance in those early UFC events the sport of MMA and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu were able to grow.

If you love MMA or BJJ, you can thank Royce Gracie for helping them become globally popular.

BJ Penn 

“The Prodigy” BJ Penn was one of the most dominant fighters ever in his prime. From becoming the first American to win a BJJ world title at black belt to winning multiple UFC titles. 

During his prime, nobody could compete with Penn. His Jiu Jitsu game was years ahead of everyone else and later developed a great striking game.

Any best BJJ fighters list must include BJ Penn.

Murilo Bustamante 

One of the best BJJ fighters ever that doesn’t get enough recognition is former UFC champion Murilo Bustamante. Murilo was one of the top middleweights in the world during his time and was the second ever UFC middleweight champion.

He was a proud representative of Jiu Jitsu and showed the power of the martial art. Today, he is a 7th degree coral belt and runs his own school and affiliation.

Renzo Gracie 

One of the favorites of the Gracie family and all time great BJJ and MMA competitor is Renzo Gracie. Renzo won two ADCC titles and out of his 14 wins in MMA, 9 were by submission.

On top of being a great fighter, Renzo has been an incredible coach. Producing some of the best fighters and coaches out of his academy in New York City.

Roger Gracie 

Roger Gracie is arguably the greatest heavyweight BJJ competitor of all time. A winner of 10 BJJ world titles and 2 ADCC titles makes it hard to argue that he is a GOAT in BJJ.

While many feel his MMA career didn’t live up to the hype, Roger still went 8-2 with 6 submission wins. A good record to hang his hat on as he was one of the best BJJ fighters ever.

Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira 

The Pride legend Minotauro Nogueira at one time was the best heavyweight fighter on the planet. He is tied with Sakura for the most submissions in Pride history with eleven.

Those 11 subs led Nogueira to win the Pride Heavyweight Championship and Pride Interim Heavyweight Championship. Also winning the Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship with an incredibly sick guillotine win over Tim Sylva.

Nogueira is a legend and is deserving of his place in the UFC Hall of Fame.

Ronda Rousey 

Ronda Rousey was technically a Judo fighter, but had high level grappling equal to the best BJJ fighters. Of her 12 MMA wins, Rousey won 9 fights with her patented armbar.

Thanks to Ronda, women’s MMA exploded in popularity and gave opportunities to future women fighters. She was a pioneer and is a deserving hall of famer.

Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza

Recently retired Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza was both a force in BJJ, as well as MMA. After having a hall of fame BJJ career winning multiple world titles, he transitioned successfully to MMA.

Of his 26 MMA wins, Jacaré won 14 by submission and won the Strikeforce middleweight title. Souza was a fantastic fighter that both MMA and BJJ fans enjoyed watching.

Best BJJ Fighters(present)

Now that we have given homage to the best BJJ fighters from the past, let’s move to the present. Here are some of the best BJJ fighters from the present. Below we have organized the current best BJJ fighters in the world by their weight classes.

Best BJJ Fighters(Men’s Flyweight division) 

Demetrious Johnson 

Demetrious Johnson is the greatest flyweight fighter of all time and one of the best BJJ fighters ever. Mighty Mouse dominated the UFC flyweight division for years and put on incredible grappling displays.

Most notably simultaneously suplexing and locking in an armbar on Ray Borg at UFC 216. No one will argue against Demetrious Johnson being on any best of fighter list.

Brandon Moreno

The former UFC Flyweight Champion, Brandon Moreno has proven to be the current best flyweight grappler in the UFC. Of Moreno’s 19 wins, 11 have been by submission with his last submission win being to win the flyweight title.

Brandon has evolved his Jiu Jitsu to a near elite level and at only 28, he is just reaching his prime.

Best BJJ Fighters(Men’s Bantamweight division) 

Bibiano Fernandes

Bibiano Fernandes has been one of the best representatives for Jiu Jitsu in MMA for the last few decades. A winner of 3 BJJ world championships and the current One Championship Bantamweight Champion.

Fernandes currently holds the One Championship record with 7 title defenses. At 41, he is proving that age is just a number and proving he’s one of the world’s best bantamweights.

Aljamain Sterling 

Many feel that Aljamain Sterling has the best Jiu Jitsu skills in the UFC bantamweight division. He has 8 career wins by submission, including putting Cory Sandhagen to sleep with a triangle.

Sterling is coming off of a neck injury after his DQ win against Yan. Aljamain will look to prove that he can beat Yan using his top level Jiu Jitsu ability.

Patchy Mix

Patchy Mix has shown to be an incredibly talented Jiu Jitsu fighter and currently the #2 ranked bantamweight in Bellator. Of his 15 career wins, 11 of them have been by submission.

In his last fight, Mix submitted Irish fighter James Gallagher in front of Gallagher’s fans in Dublin, Ireland. If Mix continues to evolve, he could easily become the next Bellator bantamweight champion.

Best BJJ Fighters(Men’s Featherweight division) 

Brian Ortega

The protege of Rener Gracie and currently one of the best featherweights in the world is Brian Ortega. He has been a Gracie Jiu Jitsu student since he was 13 and has represented them proudly.

Ortega has shown incredible Jiu Jitsu ability in his fights and nearly put champion Alexander Volkanovski to sleep with a guillotine. He is still on a quest to earn his first UFC title and his Jiu Jitsu skills could get him there one day.

Bryce Mitchell

Bryce Mitchell has been working his way up the UFC featherweight ranks for the last few years. Showing that he has some of the best Jiu Jitsu abilities of any fighter currently in the UFC.

In 2019, Thug Nasty pulled off just the second twister in UFC history against Matt Sayles. Mitchell is currently undefeated with 9 of his 15 wins being by submission.

Jung Chan-Sung(The Korean Zombie) 

While the Korean Zombie is more known for his many wars over the years, he is very skilled at Jiu Jitsu. We had to give him recognition for his grappling abilities being the first UFC fighter to pull off a twister. For that alone, Jung Chan-Sung gets a spot on the best BJJ fighters list.

Garry Tonon

The lion killer, Garry Tonon has been making quite a splash since transitioning to MMA. Tonon was one of the best Jiu Jitsu athletes in the world and now is proving to be a top level MMA fighter.

Garry is currently undefeated as a pro fighter with 3 of his 6 wins being by submission. His next fight is scheduled to fight for the One Featherweight Championship this year.

A.J. McKee

The current Bellator Featherweight Champion, A.J. McKee is proving that he is one of the world’s best featherweights. McKee is undefeated and during his run to the Bellator championship has shown incredible Jiu Jitsu skills.

Especially in his last bout putting the former champion Patricio Pitbull to sleep with a guillotine choke. McKee is out to prove he is the best featherweight fighter in the world and just may prove it.

Best BJJ Fighters(Lightweight division) 

Charles Oliveira 

A best BJJ fighters list cannot be complete without the reigning UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira. Do Bronx is the current record holder for most submission wins in UFC history with 15 and counting.

His Jiu Jitsu abilities helped him fight his way to a UFC title after a decade with the promotion. Oliveira proved that his title win wasn’t a fluke as he submitted Dustin Poirier with a standing guillotine choke.

Tony Ferguson

Tony Ferguson’s best days may be behind him, but for the last decade he was a force in the lightweight division. Showing off his unorthodox striking and elite grappling ability with 8 of his 25 wins being by submission.

Most notably submitting Kevin Lee with a triangle choke to become the UFC Interim Lightweight Champion at UFC 216.

Benson Henderson 

Benson Henderson is also in the twilight of his career, but was one of the best BJJ fighters of his era. Winning the UFC lightweight title using his impressive Jiu Jitsu skills that he is known for.

Henderson has also been actively competing in Jiu Jitsu for the last decade and has made appearances at the ADCC. He is currently fighting in Bellator, where he is a top 5 ranked lightweight.

Shinya Aoki

Shinya Aoki is no doubt one of the best BJJ fighters that have ever competed in a ring or cage. In his career that spans 3 decades, Aoki has had some incredible submission wins.

Everything from a mounted gogoplata and highlight reels full of other impressive submission wins. Shinya currently has 30 career submission wins and will look to add to that as he continues to fight.

Best BJJ Fighters(Welterweight division) 

In the nearly 4 decades of MMA, there have been some phenomenal grapplers that have competed in the sport. Everyone from Royce Gracie in UFC 1 to the world champions of today.

To pay these grapplers respect, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best BJJ fighters of all time. Listing some of the best BJJ fighters from the past and then the Best BJJ fighter from the present.

Best BJJ Fighters from the past

Some of the best BJJ fighters from the past paved the way for MMA to become the sport it is today. Here are some of the most legendary BJJ fighters from the past.

Royce Gracie 

You cannot make a best BJJ fighters list without starting it off with a legend and pioneer of MMA in Royce Gracie. Without a doubt one of the best fighters to ever step in a cage or ring.

Royce Gracie won three UFC tournaments and 11 of his 15 MMA wins were by submission. Thanks to Royce’s performance in those early UFC events the sport of MMA and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu were able to grow.

If you love MMA or BJJ, you can thank Royce Gracie for helping them become globally popular.

BJ Penn 

“The Prodigy” BJ Penn was one of the most dominant fighters ever in his prime. From becoming the first American to win a BJJ world title at black belt to winning multiple UFC titles. 

During his prime, nobody could compete with Penn. His Jiu Jitsu game was years ahead of everyone else and later developed a great striking game.

Any best BJJ fighters list must include BJ Penn.

Murilo Bustamante 

One of the best BJJ fighters ever that doesn’t get enough recognition is former UFC champion Murilo Bustamante. Murilo was one of the top middleweights in the world during his time and was the second ever UFC middleweight champion.

He was a proud representative of Jiu Jitsu and showed the power of the martial art. Today, he is a 7th degree coral belt and runs his own school and affiliation.

Renzo Gracie 

One of the favorites of the Gracie family and all time great BJJ and MMA competitor is Renzo Gracie. Renzo won two ADCC titles and out of his 14 wins in MMA, 9 were by submission.

On top of being a great fighter, Renzo has been an incredible coach. Producing some of the best fighters and coaches out of his academy in New York City.

Roger Gracie 

Roger Gracie is arguably the greatest heavyweight BJJ competitor of all time. A winner of 10 BJJ world titles and 2 ADCC titles makes it hard to argue that he is a GOAT in BJJ.

While many feel his MMA career didn’t live up to the hype, Roger still went 8-2 with 6 submission wins. A good record to hang his hat on as he was one of the best BJJ fighters ever.

Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira 

The Pride legend Minotauro Nogueira at one time was the best heavyweight fighter on the planet. He is tied with Sakura for the most submissions in Pride history with eleven.

Those 11 subs led Nogueira to win the Pride Heavyweight Championship and Pride Interim Heavyweight Championship. Also winning the Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship with an incredibly sick guillotine win over Tim Sylva.

Nogueira is a legend and is deserving of his place in the UFC Hall of Fame.

Ronda Rousey 

Ronda Rousey was technically a Judo fighter, but had high level grappling equal to the best BJJ fighters. Of her 12 MMA wins, Rousey won 9 fights with her patented armbar.

Thanks to Ronda, women’s MMA exploded in popularity and gave opportunities to future women fighters. She was a pioneer and is a deserving hall of famer.

Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza

Recently retired Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza was both a force in BJJ, as well as MMA. After having a hall of fame BJJ career winning multiple world titles, he transitioned successfully to MMA.

Of his 26 MMA wins, Jacaré won 14 by submission and won the Strikeforce middleweight title. Souza was a fantastic fighter that both MMA and BJJ fans enjoyed watching.

Best BJJ Fighters(present)

Now that we have given homage to the best BJJ fighters from the past, let’s move to the present. Here are some of the best BJJ fighters from the present. Below we have organized the current best BJJ fighters in the world by their weight classes.

Best BJJ Fighters(Men’s Flyweight division) 

Demetrious Johnson 

Demetrious Johnson is the greatest flyweight fighter of all time and one of the best BJJ fighters ever. Mighty Mouse dominated the UFC flyweight division for years and put on incredible grappling displays.

Most notably simultaneously suplexing and locking in an armbar on Ray Borg at UFC 216. No one will argue against Demetrious Johnson being on any best of fighter list.

Brandon Moreno

The former UFC Flyweight Champion, Brandon Moreno has proven to be the current best flyweight grappler in the UFC. Of Moreno’s 19 wins, 11 have been by submission with his last submission win being to win the flyweight title.

Brandon has evolved his Jiu Jitsu to a near elite level and at only 28, he is just reaching his prime.

Best BJJ Fighters(Men’s Bantamweight division) 

Bibiano Fernandes

Bibiano Fernandes has been one of the best representatives for Jiu Jitsu in MMA for the last few decades. A winner of 3 BJJ world championships and the current One Championship Bantamweight Champion.

Fernandes currently holds the One Championship record with 7 title defenses. At 41, he is proving that age is just a number and proving he’s one of the world’s best bantamweights.

Aljamain Sterling 

Many feel that Aljamain Sterling has the best Jiu Jitsu skills in the UFC bantamweight division. He has 8 career wins by submission, including putting Cory Sandhagen to sleep with a triangle.

Sterling is coming off of a neck injury after his DQ win against Yan. Aljamain will look to prove that he can beat Yan using his top level Jiu Jitsu ability.

Patchy Mix

Patchy Mix has shown to be an incredibly talented Jiu Jitsu fighter and currently the #2 ranked bantamweight in Bellator. Of his 15 career wins, 11 of them have been by submission.

In his last fight, Mix submitted Irish fighter James Gallagher in front of Gallagher’s fans in Dublin, Ireland. If Mix continues to evolve, he could easily become the next Bellator bantamweight champion.

Best BJJ Fighters(Men’s Featherweight division) 

Brian Ortega

The protege of Rener Gracie and currently one of the best featherweights in the world is Brian Ortega. He has been a Gracie Jiu Jitsu student since he was 13 and has represented them proudly.

Ortega has shown incredible Jiu Jitsu ability in his fights and nearly put champion Alexander Volkanovski to sleep with a guillotine. He is still on a quest to earn his first UFC title and his Jiu Jitsu skills could get him there one day.

 Bryce Mitchell

Bryce Mitchell has been working his way up the UFC featherweight ranks for the last few years. Showing that he has some of the best Jiu Jitsu ability of any fighter currently in the UFC.

In 2019, Thug Nasty pulled off just the second twister in UFC history against Matt Sayles. Mitchell is currently undefeated with 9 of his 15 wins being by submission.

Jung Chan-Sung(The Korean Zombie) 

While the Korean Zombie is more known for his many wars over the years, he is very skilled at Jiu Jitsu. We had to give him recognition for his grappling abilities being the first UFC fighter to pull off a twister. For that alone, Jung Chan-Sung gets a spot on the best BJJ fighters list.

Garry Tonon

The lion killer, Garry Tonon has been making quite a splash since transitioning to MMA. Tonon was one of the best Jiu Jitsu athletes in the world and now is proving to be a top level MMA fighter.

Garry is currently undefeated as a pro fighter with 3 of his 6 wins being by submission. His next fight is scheduled to fight for the One Featherweight Championship this year.

A.J. McKee

The current Bellator Featherweight Champion, A.J. McKee is proving that he is one of the world’s best featherweights. McKee is undefeated and during his run to the Bellator championship has shown incredible Jiu Jitsu skills.

Especially in his last bout putting the former champion Patricio Pitbull to sleep with a guillotine choke. McKee is out to prove he is the best featherweight fighter in the world and just may prove it.

Best BJJ Fighters(Lightweight division) 

Charles Oliveira 

A best BJJ fighters list cannot be complete without the reigning UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira. Do Bronx is the current record holder for most submission wins in UFC history with 15 and counting.

His Jiu Jitsu abilities helped him fight his way to a UFC title after a decade with the promotion. Oliveira proved that his title win wasn’t a fluke as he submitted Dustin Poirier with a standing guillotine choke.

Tony Ferguson

Tony Ferguson’s best days may be behind him, but for the last decade he was a force in the lightweight division. Showing off his unorthodox striking and elite grappling ability with 8 of his 25 wins being by submission.

Most notably submitting Kevin Lee with a triangle choke to become the UFC Interim Lightweight Champion at UFC 216.

Benson Henderson 

Benson Henderson is also in the twilight of his career, but was one of the best BJJ fighters of his era. Winning the UFC lightweight title using his impressive Jiu Jitsu skills that he is known for.

Henderson has also been actively competing in Jiu Jitsu for the last decade and has made appearances at the ADCC. He is currently fighting in Bellator, where he is a top 5 ranked lightweight.

Shinya Aoki

Shinya Aoki is no doubt one of the best BJJ fighters that have ever competed in a ring or cage. In his career that spans 3 decades, Aoki has had some incredible submission wins.

Everything from a mounted gogoplata and highlight reels full of other impressive submission wins. Shinya currently has 30 career submission wins and will look to add to that as he continues to fight.

Best BJJ Fighters(Welterweight division) 

Demian Maia  

Demian Maia has long been considered to have the best Jiu Jitsu game in MMA since his UFC debut. Maybe even one of the best all time best BJJ fighters.

His Jiu Jitsu is so good that Anderson Silva refused to go on the ground against him in their title fight. Maia has announced that he is retiring soon and we will always regard him as a highly respected fighter.

Gilbert Burns

Gilbert Burns has proven to be one of the best welterweight fighters on the planet. Burns has won 3 world championships in Jiu Jitsu to go along with being one of the world’s best fighters.

He still actively competed in Jiu Jitsu in between MMA fights to stay active. Gilbert is currently on a quest to win the welterweight championship and prove he’s the best fighter in the world.

Best BJJ Fighters(Middleweight division) 

Gerard Mousasi 

Gegard Mousasi is the current Bellator Middleweight Champion and has proven to be the best middleweight grappler in the world. Using his elite grappling ability to set up his vicious ground and pound.

Mousasi has a very precise ground game and is always in the right place at the right time.

John Salter

John Salter may be more known for his funny Instagram videos, but he is a top middleweight in Bellator. Of his 18 career MMA wins, 10 have been by submission.

His Jiu Jitsu game led him to fight Gegard Mousasi for the Bellator Middleweight Championship just last year. At 36, Salter will try to make one more run at Bellator gold.

Best BJJ Fighters(Light Heavyweight division) 

Glover Teixeira 

Glover Teixeira has proved that age is just a number and that he is the best light heavyweight fighter in the world. While Glover has been more known as a striker during this year, he has recently been displaying his ground game.

During his current 6 fight win streak, 4 of the wins have been by submission. Including submitting Jan Blachowicz to become the oldest UFC Light Heavyweight Champion at 42.

Teixeira is proving age is just a number and is looking better than he ever has

Paul Craig

One of the up and comers in the UFC light heavyweight division is Scottish fighter Paul Craig. The Bear Jew may have the best Jiu Jitsu within the division with 12 of his 15 wins being by submission.

Craig is also a top level No-Gi Jiu Jitsu competitor. He makes frequent appearances for the Europe based Jiu Jitsu promotion Polaris.

Best BJJ Fighters(Heavyweight division) 

Fabrício Werdum 

Fabricio Werdum has long been considered to have the best Jiu Jitsu game in the heavyweight division. Having beaten the world’s best heavyweights, which includes beating Fedor Emilianenko with a triangle choke. 

Werdum is in his forties, but is still out there showing he is one of the best BJJ fighters in the world.

Ciryl Gane

Ciryl Gane is more known for his high level striking abilities, but has developed quite an impressive Jiu Jitsu game. In just a few years of MMA training, Gane has become quite skilled on the ground.

The first two wins in his current UFC run were submission wins. He also nearly submitted Francis Ngannou with a heel hook.

Best BJJ Fighters(Women’s Strawweight division) 

Michelle Nicolini

Michelle Nicolini is arguably the greatest female Jiu Jitsu athlete that has ever lived. A winner of over 10 BJJ world championships and 2 ADCC titles.

She transitioned to MMA a few years ago and currently has a 6-3 record with 5 submission wins. Her MMA career pales in comparison to her Jiu Jitsu career, but that is a bar that is hard to live up to.

Rose Namajunas

The current UFC Strawweight Champion Rose Namajunas is more known for her striking ability, but does have a solid ground game. If you’ve seen highlights of Rose, you have seen her pull of high level submissions like a flying armbar.

Also being the only 2x UFC Strawweight champion with 5 submission wins, she has to go on the list.

Best BJJ Fighters(Women’s Flyweight division) 

Valentina Schevchenko

Arguably the best female MMA fighter in the world Valentina Schevchenko is more known for her deadly striking. But she has an underrated ground game and has been working with Draculino Magalhaes at Gracie Barra Texas for years.

Valentina made statement wins in her last two matches out grappling two fighters that were known ground fighters. Including Jessica Andrade, who is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Taking her down and finishing her with vicious strikes.

Best BJJ Fighters(Women’s Bantamweight Division) 

Julianna Pene

Julianna Pene recently just shocked the world by beating the GOAT of female MMA in Amanda Nunes. The Venezuelan Vixen was able to out grapple the champion and submit Nunes in the second round.

Of Pene’s 11 wins, she has won 5 by submission and will look to add to that and defend her title. 

Demian Maia has long been considered to have the best Jiu Jitsu game in MMA since his UFC debut. Maybe even one of the best all time best BJJ fighters.

His Jiu Jitsu is so good that Anderson Silva refused to go on the ground against him in their title fight. Maia has announced that he is retiring soon and we will always regard him as a highly respected fighter.

Gilbert Burns

Gilbert Burns has proven to be one of the best welterweight fighters on the planet. Burns has won 3 world championships in Jiu Jitsu to go along with being one of the world’s best fighters.

He still actively competed in Jiu Jitsu in between MMA fights to stay active. Gilbert is currently on a quest to win the welterweight championship and prove he’s the best fighter in the world.

Best BJJ Fighters(Middleweight division) 

Gerard Mousasi 

Gegard Mousasi is the current Bellator Middleweight Champion and has proven to be the best middleweight grappler in the world. Using his elite grappling ability to set up his vicious ground and pound.

Mousasi has a very precise ground game and is always in the right place at the right time.

John Salter

John Salter may be more known for his funny Instagram videos, but he is a top middleweight in Bellator. Of his 18 career MMA wins, 10 have been by submission.

His Jiu Jitsu game led him to fight Gegard Mousasi for the Bellator Middleweight Championship just last year. At 36, Salter will try to make one more run at Bellator gold.

Best BJJ Fighters(Light Heavyweight division) 

Glover Teixeira 

Glover Teixeira has proved that age is just a number and that he is the best light heavyweight fighter in the world. While Glover has been more known as a striker during this year, he has recently been displaying his ground game.

During his current 6 fight win streak, 4 of the wins have been by submission. Including submitting Jan Blachowicz to become the oldest UFC Light Heavyweight Champion at 42.

Teixeira is proving age is just a number and is looking better than he ever has

Paul Craig

One of the up and comers in the UFC light heavyweight division is Scottish fighter Paul Craig. The Bear Jew may have the best Jiu Jitsu within the division with 12 of his 15 wins being by submission.

Craig is also a top level No-Gi Jiu Jitsu competitor. He makes frequent appearances for the Europe based Jiu Jitsu promotion Polaris.

Best BJJ Fighters(Heavyweight division) 

Fabrício Werdum 

Fabricio Werdum has long been considered to have the best Jiu Jitsu game in the heavyweight division. Having beaten the world’s best heavyweights, which includes beating Fedor Emilianenko with a triangle choke. 

Werdum is in his forties, but is still out there showing he is one of the best BJJ fighters in the world.

Ciryl Gane

Ciryl Gane is more known for his high level striking abilities, but has developed quite an impressive Jiu Jitsu game. In just a few years of MMA training, Gane has become quite skilled on the ground.

The first two wins in his current UFC run were submission wins. He also nearly submitted Francis Ngannou with a heel hook.

Best BJJ Fighters(Women’s Strawweight division) 

Michelle Nicolini

Michelle Nicolini is arguably the greatest female Jiu Jitsu athlete that has ever lived. A winner of over 10 BJJ world championships and 2 ADCC titles.

She transitioned to MMA a few years ago and currently has a 6-3 record with 5 submission wins. Her MMA career pales in comparison to her Jiu Jitsu career, but that is a bar that is hard to live up to.

Rose Namajunas

The current UFC Strawweight Champion Rose Namajunas is more known for her striking ability, but does have a solid ground game. If you’ve seen highlights of Rose, you have seen her pull of high level submissions like a flying armbar.

Also being the only 2x UFC Strawweight champion with 5 submission wins, she has to go on the list.

Best BJJ Fighters(Women’s Flyweight division) 

Valentina Schevchenko

Arguably the best female MMA fighter in the world Valentina Schevchenko is more known for her deadly striking. But she has an underrated ground game and has been working with Draculino Magalhaes at Gracie Barra Texas for years.

Valentina made statement wins in her last two matches out grappling two fighters that were known ground fighters. Including Jessica Andrade, who is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Taking her down and finishing her with vicious strikes.

Best BJJ Fighters(Women’s Bantamweight Division) 

Julianna Pene

Julianna Pene recently just shocked the world by beating the GOAT of female MMA in Amanda Nunes. The Venezuelan Vixen was able to out grapple the champion and submit Nunes in the second round.

Of Pene’s 11 wins, she has won 5 by submission and will look to add to that and defend her title. 

Bo Nickall is one of the most decorated wrestlers of his generation accomplishing nearly everything possible within the sport. Now he has his eyes set on dominating in BJJ and MMA.

Here is a rundown of Bo Nickal and his journey from wrestling champion to competing in the cage. We’ll detail Bo Nickal’s run winning multiple collegiate wrestling titles to his transition to BJJ and MMA.

Bo Nickal’s start in wrestling

Bo Nickal was born in Rifle, Colorado, but moved to Wyoming when he was very young. He first started wrestling when he was just 5 years old.

Nickal lived in Wyoming for 6 years years until his family moved to Rio Rancho, New Mexico. During his time in New Mexico, Bo continued to improve his wrestling ability.

When he was in eight grade, he would make the high school wrestling team, which is unheard of. In that year, Nickal would place 2nd at the New Mexico state championship against wrestlers 5 years older than him.

After placing second at state, Nickal’s family would once again move to another state. This time to Allen, Texas, where Bo would start his freshman year.

During his freshman years, Bo would place second in the Texas state wrestling championship. Then from the time Nickal was a sophomore he would win the state title three years in a row.

Winning 3 UIL state wrestling titles and placing fifth in the Cadet World Championship during his junior year.

Bo Nickal would end his high school wrestling career with a record of 183-7 with 131 pins. He was also ranked the 9th best wrestler in the country.

Bo Nickal dominates collegiate wrestling

After Nickal graduated from high school, he would then commit to wrestle at Pennsylvania State University. Bo would choose to redshirt as a freshman, which means he delayed his freshman year to extend his eligibility.

During the 2014-2015 season, Bo Nickal would wrestle unattached to any university. He would compile a record of 15-2 in open tournaments and would still practice with the Penn State wrestling team.

Bo Nickal’s Freshman Year

After redshirting for the 2014-2015 wrestling season, Nickal would join Penn State as a freshman in the 2015-2016 season. He quickly made Penn State one of the top wrestling teams in the country.

Bo would compete at 174lbs and win his first 18 matches. After getting his win streak snapped, Nickal would win 8 matches in a row and win the Big 10 Conference Championship.

Also nearly winning the national title, but placing second after being upset by rival Myles Martin.

Bo Nickal’s 1st national championship

Bo Nickal came back better than ever for his sophomore year after coming up short his freshman year. This time, he would choose to cut less weight and move up to the 184lb division.

He would only lose one time this season during the Big 10 Championship and would end up placing 3rd. But he would bounce back at the national championship tournament.

In the championship finals, he met Gabe Dean, who was going for his 3rd straight national title. Nickal was able to upset Dean by a point to win his first national title.

Bo Nickal’s 2nd national championship 

Nicklal would return for his junior as the top ranked wrestler in the country. During the regular season, Bo Nickal went undefeated.

In the postseason, Nickal would win his second Big 10 title, beating his rival Myles Martin again. He would meet Martin again in the finals of the national tournament and was able to pin him. One of the best pins of his collegiate career and winning the rivalry with Martin to win his 2nd national title.

Bo Nickal’s 3rd national championship

Bo came into his senior year looking to make history as one of the few wrestlers to win 3 national titles. This time, he would test himself by once again moving up a weight class to 197lbs.

By not cutting weight, Nickal moved incredibly well in his new weight class. To end his collegiate career, Nickal would win every major title and won the Danny Hodge award.

Bo Nickal’s road to winning a wrestling world title

After finishing his collegiate wrestling career, Bo Nickal would take his shot on the world stage. He would win the US Open wrestling tournament, which gave him a chance to qualify for the US national wrestling team.

In the finals, he would face former world champion J’den Cox. Nickal would lose two straight matches to Cox and come up short of making the team.

But by winning the US Open, Nickal had the right to a wrestle off at the US U23 World Team Trials. He would face the winner of the challenge tournament, Jakob Woodley in a wrestle off for the final spot.

Nickal would beat Woodley and secure his spot on the US national team. In the U23 World Championship, Bo would have three matches.

He won his second match by beating returning world champion Shamil Zubairov. This would set him up in the finals against Batirbek Taskulov, who had previously beaten Nickal in 2013.

Bo Nickal would get revenge and win the world title by beating Taskulov 12-2.

Bo Nickal misses the Olympics

Unfortunately in 2020, Nickal wasn’t able to compete much during that season due to Covid-19. That year’s Olympic Summer Games would be rescheduled for the next year in 2021.

Bo Nickal attempted to make the Olympic team and came into the team trials tournament as a 6th seed. He beat his former teammate and college national champion Carter Starocci in the opening round.

In the second round, Bo beat another US national champion in Pat Downey. Then in the third round, Nickal would beat Zahid Valencia to earn his spot in the finals.

He would face another teammate and former world champion in David Taylor. Nickal’s teammate would beat him to earn a spot on the Olympic team and would win a gold medal.

Bo Nickal starts coaching MMA fighters 

After winning the world wrestling title, Nickal announced that he had signed with First Round Management. A management agency for MMA fighters.

As Bo Nickal began his transition to MMA, he would be invited to join American Top Team. At ATT, Nickal would begin learning MMA and also become a wrestling coach for the MMA team.

Nickal has most notably worked with Dustin Poirier and Jorge Masvidal for their title fights.

Bo Nickal’s transition to BJJ 

In a surprise move, Bo Nicka would make his debut in professional Jiu Jitsu in 2019. Answering a challenge from ADCC and No-Gi World Champion Gordon Ryan.

Their match would take place in the main event of a Third Coast Grappling event. In the match, Nickal was very hesitant, but did well as he had never competed in a Jiu Jitsu competition before.

He defended nearly all of Ryan’s takedown attempts, but would eventually get submitted by Ryan later in the match. As of now, this has been the only Jiu Jitsu match that Nickal has participated in.

Bo Nickal’s transition to MMA 

Since 2019, Bo Nickal has been transitioning to MMA and working to build his skills at American Top Team. So far, Nickal has competed in two amateur fights and is currently 2-0 with one TKO and one submission.

Although he is still at the amateur level in MMA, Bo is still being scouted by the top MMA promotions in the world. Both the UFC and Bellator have expressed interest in signing Nickal in the future when he turns pro.

What is next for Bo Nickal? 

Bo Nickal has shown that he is a special competitor with a drive to win like no other. He dominated the world of wrestling and is now looking to make a splash in BJJ and MMA.

Don’t be surprised to see Bo Nickal’s name at the elite level of either sport in the future. He has shown that he can compete and win at the highest level of any sport he tries.

Nickal has expressed that his desire is to one day become a UFC champion. With Bo’s determination, you will likely see him in either the UFC or Bellator in the coming years.

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts. It has the most number of World Champions on the planet. Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, Evolve MMA is the top rated MMA gym in Singapore.

Takedowns are a huge part of wrestling. It scores points during competitions, and it can even win you a match if it’s executed perfectly. There are thousands of different takedowns used in the sport of wrestling, and it will take you a while to master them all.

Wrestling is a sport that tests your strength, endurance, intelligence, and quickness as you engage in a physical chess match with your opponent. You must use moves and countermoves as you and your opponent battle in a constant struggle for the upper hand. As a beginner, you need to master the basic moves and techniques so that you can unleash them on your opponent and defend against these moves when they are used against you.

Wrestling is one of the oldest martial arts.

These fundamental techniques have been proven to be effective at the highest levels of wrestling and other grappling competitions, and they are made up of very simple movements that are easy to learn.

The Basic Shot

Before you can perform any takedown, you first need to know how to shoot. It’s impossible to be a good wrestler without a decent shot. Learning how to shoot in properly on an opponent allows you to go underneath his defense and initiate an offensive move. There is not much to this technique. It is performed by changing your level, dropping down, stepping forward and placing your knee on the ground in between your opponent’s legs. It should all be done as one fluid motion

When executed properly, this move allows you to close the distance on your opponent and secure one or both of his legs. Once you’ve properly shot in, you have a variety of takedowns to choose from to complete your offense.

Once you know how to shoot, here are some of the fundamental takedowns you should be focused on when you start wrestling.

1) Double Leg Takedown

The double leg takedown is one of the first offensive moves taught to beginner wrestlers. The technique starts by shooting in on an opponent, as described above. Once in position, you grab the back of your opponent’s knees on both sides.

Next, you place your head next to the person’s hip, then you drive forward with your legs and head pressure while pulling your opponent’s legs into you. You also have the option of using the position to pick the opponent off the mat so you can throw him back on it. The key to mastering this technique is to perform it repeatedly. You want to be able to execute all the steps listed above in one smooth motion. Master this, and your double leg takedowns will be a nightmare for anyone you face on the mat.

2) Single Leg Takedown

The single leg takedown is another effective takedown that you will quickly run into when you first start wrestling. It’s a good move to have in your arsenal since it can be very useful when dealing with an opponent that has solid defensive wrestling or a solid base.

To perform the technique, perform a basic shot, but instead of grabbing both of the person’s legs as you would do when executing a double leg, secure only one of his legs. You typically would want to go for the person’s lead leg since it is the closest one to you. That makes it harder for your opponent to defend, as well.

You secure the leg by grabbing his foot with your inside hand and holding his ankle with the outside hand. Stand up straight once you have these two points secured, then spin and twist outwards to get your opponent to lose his balance. Many wrestlers like to keep the secured leg between their legs when executing this technique.

When done properly, a single leg takedown can be used to get your opponent on the mat and to secure a more dominant position.

3) Rear Body Lock Takedown

This move comes in handy when you have taken your opponent’s back. You can use the technique to bring him back to the mat if he tries to escape.

It is a very easy move to master. It starts with your arms locked around your opponent’s waist. You then place one of your feet behind your opponent’s corresponding foot. You want your foot to be perpendicular to your opponent’s foot. Both of your feet should look like the letter “T” when in the proper position.

Next, you place your other leg between your opponent’s legs, and you drag him down as you try to sit down. Roll through the position to regain top position as both of you hit the canvas.

The techniques listed above give you the foundation you need to take your wrestling to the next level. Make them a part of your muscle memory, and you will enjoy lots of success of the mat.