The inaugural UFC BJJ 1 finale didn’t just stick the landing—it spiked it, backflipped off the mat, and left fans wondering if this might quietly become one of the most consistently watchable formats in the submission grappling world.
A huge standout was the numbers from YouTube:
BJJ has been conquered. Anyone else putting in money has already lost. pic.twitter.com/gE5jFFgAX1
— FightOracle ™🇺🇸 (@fightoracle) June 27, 2025
This finale, designed to crown three inaugural champions, succeeded in blending clean production, compelling matchups, and high-stakes intensity.
Let’s start with the statistics: an eye-watering 87.5% submission rate. That’s not a typo. Seven of eight bouts ended with a submission, a rarity at the professional level, and a massive endorsement of both matchmaking and the format itself. Submissions were heavily skewed toward chokes (62.5%), including triangles, rear-naked chokes, and a silky-smooth Darce. There were also surgical joint locks—one armbar and one outside heel hook—just to round out the danger.
Andrew Tackett, now crowned a UFC BJJ champ, pulled off what might go down as the event’s most technically nuanced finish—a rare arm-in rear-naked choke, possibly even a reverse Ezekiel. Either way, it’s the kind of technique that demands a second and third viewing. Mikey Musumeci returned in fine form as well, landing a clean outside heel hook and, in classic Mikey fashion, manipulating the tempo and positional exchanges while embracing footsweeps with joyful chaos. According to the breakdown, Mikey might have inflated the de ashi barai stats for the entire sport this year.
The positional flow supported the submission action. Side control and saddle were the most common control points, with finishes also coming from mount and back—suggesting a wide distribution of threats across dominant positions. The takedown rate (51%) and sweep rate (38%) speak to how fluid the matches were, and while the pass rate (18%) was low, it reflects a balance between aggressive retention and transition attempts rather than static control.
Only one fight went the distance, and it was a clear decision, not the controversy magnet many feared with the 10-point must system. If anything, this lone decision proved the rule set can work without derailing momentum.
As for the production format? The “bowl” setup, rumored to have been “borrowed” from CJI, really worked. It removed breaks for resets—an issue that plagued the FPI shows—and kept the pace furious. The pacing, aided by a clear visual presentation and clean editing, carried the show beyond just diehard grappling circles.
There’s room to improve: Announce the undercard earlier. Clean up the belt design. But beyond that? This was as close to a dream debut as fans could’ve hoped for. With champions like Mikey, Henrique, and Tackett now established and the format proving it can deliver action, UFC BJJ is off to a phenomenal start.
