UFC BJJ 13 Packs Up a Submission Carnage: What's Driving The Shift?
Six out of nine fights on the UFC BJJ 13 card ended in a submission. Here's what might be driving this uptick in finishes.
Jiu-jitsu matches can both put you on the edge of your seat or make you look away even before the final bell. If both fighters play defensively, it doesn't take long before the showdown becomes painfully boring.
UFC BJJ 13, however, was its polar opposite, keeping fans glued to their screens with intense, non-stop action. Here's what the promotion is doing differently.
Blistering Submissions Take Over Meta APEX
The card kicked off with a tight rear-naked choke with just seven seconds left on the clock, as lightweight grappler Tristan Sainz delivered a statement win over David Weintraub in the first round. That strangulation set the mood of the night, with other elite grapplers hunting for the finish.
The welterweight bout between Liam Crelinsten and Seilkhan Bolatbek showcased a tactical leglock battle as the Canadian defeated the Kazakh with a round two heel hook. The belly-down finish produced a lethal torque, forcing the tap at 1:26.
The women on the card also turned up the heat as Jasmine Rocha returned to the Bowl after an unsuccessful debut. The flyweight swiftly weaved through back control to an armbar attack, getting the win within 38 seconds.
Performance of the Night: Arm Triangle Barrage
BJJ phenom Ffion Davies also delivered a masterclass in jiu-jitsu with a sweep to side control to mount progression before locking in the arm triangle. Davies bagged the performance of the night bonus, alongside another exciting competitor on the card, Nick Rodriguez.
The former light heavyweight title challenger's fight against Nata Tenca was nothing short of a spectacle. After pushing the pace in the first two rounds, Rodriguez came in aggressively in the decisive last five minutes of the match, too. Rodriguez quickly moved to mount while the Brazilian received a stalling warning. That allowed the aggressor to finally secure a textbook arm triangle.
SHOWED OUT IN THE BOWL 🙌 #UFCBJJ13 | B2YB: @HamptonAdams_ https://t.co/tH7Ucgwnkg
— UFC BJJ (@ufcbjj) October 30, 2026
William Tackett vs. Jay Rodriguez: Middleweight Title Fight
The main event of the night, too, brought a fireworks display of high-level jiu-jitsu. Although Jay Rodriguez started the action with a rapid blast-double takedown, William Tackett was quickly back on his feet before taking back control and finishing via RNC.
With Andrew Tackett holding the welterweight belt, the brothers have become the first sibling duo to simultaneously hold UFC championship belts. As William Tackett took the mic post-fight, fans could see exactly what made the Tackett brothers so dangerous and fun to watch.
“I’m seeing all these matches in this Bowl – you guys are not taking the chances that the UFC is giving you. Take the chance, get the sub, or die trying. We want exciting matches, guys. We’ve got to push this sport. Go out there and bang!" the new UFC BJJ champion quipped.
With a night so productive, it begs the question: has UFC BJJ finally perfected the formula for exciting jiu-jitsu matches?
UFC BJJ Adopts a Submissions-First Philosophy
The easiest method to ramp up the action in a grappling exchange is adding submissions to the mix. Well, of course, that's the entire agenda of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the first place, but the sport seems to have distanced itself a lot from that primary goal, with point-scoring now dominating the showdowns.
UFC BJJ has turned that narrative on its head, with legit submission threats at the top of its scoring criteria, even above positional control. Clearly, that has fighters chasing the most exciting highlight-reel finish to get a better rap in front of the judges, even if the tap doesn't arrive.
Now, the organization has added another bonus to incentivize action: Boring Mattress' Submission of the Night. Introducing the award right before its Las Vegas card, the UFC will reward the most exciting finish with an extra undisclosed amount. The main-event stunner William Tackett took the inaugural award for his 86-second rear-naked choke.
WHAT A STATEMENT 🤯 #UFCBJJ13 | B2YB: @BoringMattress https://t.co/XJYpZrL2hp
— UFC BJJ (@ufcbjj) October 30, 2026
Has UFC Cracked The Secret To Exciting Jiu-Jitsu?
Right with its introduction, the Submission of the Night bonus already seems to have transformed the entire UFC BJJ landscape. Moreover, its unconventional Bowl also adds to the thrill, with action that doesn't stop if it hits the wall.
Despite that, one must note that the UFC is not a pioneer in creating high-octane jiu-jitsu events. Craig Jones Invitational 1, 2024, is often regarded as one of the best grappling events ever, featuring multiple electrifying matchups like Andrew Tackett vs. Kade Ruotolo and Jozef Chen vs. Lucas Barbosa.
The B-Team jiu-jitsu event, however, took a very different approach. Its ruleset prioritized initiating action over passive grappling as the biggest judging metric.
Even without submissions at the crux of the competition, CJI 1 still became an event for the history books. Its second season, which placed more emphasis on submissions, however, failed to match the success of its predecessor.
This contrast points to one of the most important contradictions in jiu-jitsu: do submissions encourage matches to pick up pace faster, or do they instead make grapplers more cautious and passive? While we may not have a definitive answer yet, UFC BJJ 13 may be a good starting point.
