Description
Are you looking for a tournament that runs on time and offers cash prizes?
Copa Virginia - Fall 2026 is the tournament for you!
This is an all-ages tournament (4 years old and over).
There are Gi and No Gi divisions (Beginner - Intermediate - Advanced) for men, women, kids, and juveniles.
Cash Prize for 1st Place: $500 for Men's Adult Advanced No Gi Absolute
All Black Belts compete for FREE in the Gi divisions ONLY. All Black Belts competing in Gi divisions need to initiate their registration online (without paying) and then contact us to finalize their registration.
Spectator Fees: $15 at the door (kids under 7 years old enter for free). Coaches (brown and black belts only) of registered athletes enter for FREE. Academies can have one coach per 5 students registered for the event (2 coaches per 10 students, 3 for 15 etc.) Please email us no-later than 2 days before the event, with the coaches' names, so we can enter them on our guest list in time.
Division mergers: Depending on athlete turnout we reserve the right to move athletes from the Masters age group to Adult. As far as weight divisions are concerned, we reserve the right to merge athletes with the weight division above the one they registered, but no more than that (unless provided permission to do so). If we cannot find at least one opponent for an athlete, despite all merging attempts, we'll refund them accordingly.
Refund policy: There will be no refunds for any reason unless an athlete cannot be matched with an opponent (please see above). No credit will be issued unless a valid reason can be provided. You can only request credit via email, do not cancel your registration until credit has been provided or told to do so. There will be no credit provided past the registration deadline for any reason.
Editing registrations: Athletes have until the registration deadline to make any changes to their registration/division. No changes will be allowed after that.
GI Divisions:
All Gi matches will be under IBJJF rules and weight divisions. To view them click here. We will have both Gi Adult and Gi Master (30+) age divisions. In order to sign up for any Gi absolute division you will need to be registered in a Gi weight division first.
Please make sure your Gi uniform adheres to IBJJF rules and regulations (i.e. no rashguard underneath the gi for males, same color top and pants is required, etc.). Per IBJJF rules White, Blue, and Black color gis are the only colors allowed.
In order to sign up for a Gi Absolute Division you will need to be registered in a Gi weight division first.
Time limits for matches in the Gi (Men & Women 18 years old and over):
Adult - White Belt - 5min; Master - White Belt - 5min
Adult - Blue Belt - 6min; Master - Blue Belt - 5min
Adult - Purple Belt - 7min; Master - Purple Belt - 6min
Adult - Brown Belt - 8min; Master - Brown Belt - 6min
Adult - Black Belt - 10min; Master - Black Belt - 6min
No GI Divisions:
The Beginner No Gi rules will be under IBJJF No Gi rules for white belts belts (i.e. no jumping guard, straight ankle lock - the only leg lock allowed). This division is intended for white belts in BJJ as well as athletes with very little grappling experience.
The Intermediate No Gi rules will be under IBJJF No Gi rules for blue belts (i.e. straight ankle lock - the only leg lock allowed). The division is intended for blue belts in BJJ as well as athletes with a few years of grappling experience.
All Advanced No Gi divisions will be under the IBJJF No Gi rules for blackbelts (i.e. all leglocks allowed, including heel hooks, for Adults ONLY. No heel hooks for Master Divisions). Due to the rule set for Advanced No Gi, we recommend participants with multi-year experience in submission grappling (senior blue belts and above). However, no official IBJJF ranking (i.e. having been awarded a colored belt) is required to participate, as long as the athlete has the necessary experience stated above.
In order to sign up for the No Gi Absolute Divisions you will need to be registered in a No Gi weight division first. That is NOT applicable for the Male Advanced No Gi Adult Male Division (with a cash-prize).
Please make sure your No Gi uniform adheres to IBJJF rules and regulations (rashguards are required - no sleeveless ones, no t-shirts) with one major exception. There will be no color requirement on the rashguard and grappling shorts. That means athletes can wear whatever color/design rashguard and shorts they desire.
Time limits for all Beginner No Gi Matches will be 5 minutes.
Time limits for Adult Intermediate No Gi Matches will be 6 minutes; 5 minutes for Masters
Time limits for Adult Advanced No Gi matches will be 7 minutes; 6 Minutes for Masters
All Gi/No Gi Divisions:
Early registration: $50 per Gi/No Gi division (to include Male No Gi Advanced Absolute); $20 to enter an absolute division.
Regular registration: $85 per Gi/No Gi weight division (to include Male No Gi Advanced Absolute); additional $30 to enter an absolute division.
Late registration: $95 per Gi/No Gi weight division (to include Male No Gi Advanced Absolute); additional $40 to enter an absolute division.
In order to ensure a smooth-running tournament all competitors must pre-register. There will be no same-day or past deadline registrations.
All athletes registered for Gi divisions will be weighed with their Gi on before their first match or at the beginning of the tournament (per IBJJF rules and regulations). Athletes registered for No Gi divisions will be weighed with their No Gi uniform. In the interest of time, if you feel comfortable about making weight, you can weigh-in with your Gi once for both your Gi and No Gi divisions. You will have 2 tries to make weight, if you do not make weight, you will be disqualified (you will only be allowed to compete in any Absolute divisions you have already registered). There will be no refunds.
You can weigh in once you arrive at the tournament, starting at 9am. Please be at the venue no later than 1-hour before your first scheduled match-time.
You can change your weight division (or do any edits to your registration) via Smoothcomp up 'till the registration deadline. Please check out: https://support.smoothcomp.com/article/89-how-to-change-weightclass-or-cancel
Please make sure you make the weight for the division you registered.
You do not need to sign up for a Gi division if you only wish to compete in No Gi and vice versa.
Match times and brackets will be published 3-5 days before the day of the competition (an email will be sent to all the competitors notifying them when they get published).
During the day of the event, all competitors can monitor their match times and the tournament's progress on their cell phones/mobile devices via their Smoothcomp account.
Please note:
a) "Copa Virginia - Fall 2026" is an event run by DCJJ LLC.
b) Upon registration your electronic receipt will state DCJJ LLC as the merchant.
c) We reserve the right to close registration early when we reach full capacity.
d) There will be no refunds upon cancellation of one's registration.
