What Are the IBJJF Rules in Competition? (2021 Update)

(ATTENTION: If you’re looking for the 2021 update of the IBJJF rules, you can find it at the bottom of this article.)

People try out BJJ for different reasons. Some do it because it’s fun. Others do it to get fit. Some learn it for self-defense. Whatever our driving force may be, training day in and day out will eventually get us to the point when signing up for a BJJ comp becomes an option. Whether or not you aim to compete, knowing the IBJJF rules can help keep you (and your partner) safe from injury.

Some people prefer to train and improve without entering the competitive side of BJJ. And that’s absolutely fine! But if you’re looking to grow into greater heights with your grappling skills, competing is the way to go.

Here’s the most important thing you need to know about competitive BJJ. There’s no unified ruleset that applies across all organizations. What’s legal in one comp may be illegal in another. What puts you at an advantage in one may get points docked from you in another. 

So if you’re looking to compete, you need at least a basic understanding of these different rulesets. There are quite a number of them. In this article, we’ll go over the biggest BJJ comp rulesets in detail, with focus on IBJJF rules. We’ll also explore other popular ones you’re most likely to encounter.