Empire Grappling: Northern Sub Only Championships 2026
London, England
London, England
By registering for this event, you agree to the following terms, conditions, and event guidelines (as detailed on the event page in Smoothcomp).
| ITEM | INFORMATION |
| Event | Northern Sub Only Championships |
| Date | Saturday, 24th October 2026 |
| Venue | John Charles Centre for Sport, Middleton Grove, Belle Isle, Leeds, LS11 5DJ |
Our Northern Submission Only Championships follows IBJJF rules and legal techniques for each age, experience, and belt level, with a modified scoring format designed to reward submission hunting and continuous action.
❌ No positional points
❌ No advantages
✅ IBJJF penalties remain in effect
✅ Submission Points awarded for legitimate submission attempts that require a genuine escape
✅ Winners decided by Submission Points, then penalties, then aggression, and then positional control if no submission occurs
Referee decisions are final, and athletes are expected to compete continuously, honestly, and in a sportsmanlike manner at all times.
📖 For a full breakdown of the rules, scoring criteria, penalties, and referee decision process, please visit the complete rules page HERE
| ACTIVITY | TIME |
| Doors Open | 8:00am |
| Weigh-ins Begin | 8:00am |
| Spectator Entry | 8:00am |
| Matches Begin | 9:00am |
This is a pre-registration only event. No late or on-the-day sign-ups will be accepted.
| PERIOD | CLOSES |
| Early Bird | Saturday, 8th August 2026 |
| Normal | Saturday, 12th September 2026 |
| Late | Thursday, 15th October 2026 |
We are proud to support experienced athletes by offering discounts on registration.
| ELIGIBILITY | DISCOUNT |
| BJJ Brown Belt | 50% off |
| BJJ Black Belt | 50% off |
| Pro MMA Fighter* | 50% off |
*Pro MMA Fighters must have 3+ professional fights.
| CONDITION | DETAIL |
| Minimum Fights | Pro MMA fighters must have at least 3 professional fights. |
| Prior Support | You must have supported Empire Grappling in the past to qualify. |
| Availability | Limited places are available per event. |
| Right to Refuse | Empire Grappling reserves the right to deny this discount if necessary. |
| Retroactive Discounts | Discounts cannot be applied after payment has been made. |
| Automatic Application | Offer is not automatic on Smoothcomp. |
| Claim Process | To claim, email info@empiregrapplingevents.com before making payment with the following: |
| 1) Which event would you like to register for? | |
| 2) A link to your Smoothcomp profile to confirm your belt ranking (please ensure your profile is set to public). | |
| 3) A link to your Tapology profile confirming you are a Pro MMA fighter with 3+ Pro MMA bouts. |
| ACTION | DEADLINE | METHOD |
| Division Changes | Saturday, 17th October 2026 – 10:00pm | Smoothcomp only |
🎥 Tutorials: How to Amend | How to Cancel
| DETAIL | RULE / REQUIREMENT |
| Location | On the day only |
| With my Gi? | You can weigh-in without your Gi |
| Coverage | One weigh-in covers all divisions |
| Timing | Open usually from 8:00am until 60 minutes before division |
| Allowance | Zero allowance |
| Failure | Missed weight or late weigh-in = disqualification |
To ensure athlete safety, fairness, and accurate division placement, ID checks are being introduced at Empire Grappling events.
| AGE GROUP | ACCEPTED ID |
| Adults (18+) | Driving Licence, Passport, or other government-issued photo ID |
| Children (under 18) | Birth Certificate or Passport |
Implementation will begin with random spot checks at upcoming events. By the end of 2026, ID verification will become mandatory for all athletes during check-in.
⚠️ Failure to provide valid ID when requested may result in disqualification without refund.
| ITEM | INFORMATION |
| Fees | All taxes and admin included |
| Waiver | May be required on the day |
| Minimum Matches | 2 per athlete (Gi and No-Gi), unless prevented by injury or withdrawal |
| Absolute Divisions | Straight knockout format |
| CONDITION | REFUND / CREDIT | METHOD |
| Withdraw more than 28 days before event | 100% Refund | Smoothcomp |
| Withdraw 7–27 days before event | 100% Credit | Smoothcomp |
| Amendments deadline → 24 hrs post brackets | 50% Credit | Smoothcomp |
| After deadlines | No refund/credit | N/A |
| DEADLINE TYPE | DATE |
| Refund | Sunday, 26th September 2026 |
| Credit | Saturday, 17th October 2026 |
⚠️ Credits can only be used once. If used and then withdrawn, the credit is lost and will not be reissued (including unused portions).
⚠️ Withdrawals made after the 50% credit window are not eligible for refunds or credits under any circumstances.
⚠️ Registrations are non-transferable.
🎥 Tutorial: How to Withdraw
| DETAIL | RULE |
| Validity | 24 months (2 years) |
| Usage | Single use only |
| Replacement Policy | No replacement if used and later withdrawn |
| ITEM | DETAIL |
| Release Date | Tuesday, 20th October 2026 |
| Display | Live order on venue screens and Smoothcomp mobile |
| Courtesy Calls | May be made, but athlete must be ready |
| Bullpen Arrival | 20–30 mins before match |
| Presence | Must be weighed in and present 60 mins before division start |
| AWARD TYPE | NOTES |
| Medals | Awarded once division is complete. All medallists must be present. |
| Team Trophies | Academy Champions |
| Affiliation Champions | |
| Gi Academy Champions | |
| No-Gi Academy Champions | |
| Kids Academy Champions | |
| Kids Affiliation Champions | |
| Eligibility | Awards given to individual academies only (not combined affiliations) |
| Additional | #1 Athlete of the Event (only if there is a clear winner) |
We welcome referees and event staff.
| ROLE | BENEFITS |
| Referees and Staff | Competitive pay + lunch allowance |
| Athlete Volunteers | Free registration in exchange for setup/pack-down or event help |
📧 To apply, email: info@empiregrapplingevents.com
By registering, you confirm:
⚠️ Violations may result in disqualification, forfeiture of fees, and bans from future events.
| RULE | ENFORCEMENT |
| Zero tolerance for abuse, threats, or disrespect | Offenders will be removed immediately |
| Teams/individuals causing issues | May face future bans |
| Severe incidents | Authorities may be contacted |
If government restrictions or similar prevent the event, all entry fees will be converted into credit for a future Empire Grappling event.
| ITEM | DETAIL |
| Policies | Privacy, Data Protection, Safeguarding, Risk Assessments |
| Documents | Available at Empire Grappling Documents |
| info@empiregrapplingevents.com | |
| Company | Empire Grappling Events Ltd |
📧 Still have questions? Contact us at info@empiregrapplingevents.com