The Professional Grappling Federation (PGF)

Enters Full League Era with Season 8: A New Age of Professional Jiu-Jitsu Begins


PGF Expands Format From 1 Week Tournament to 12 Week Full Season

Las Vegas, NV (May 6, 2025) — The Professional Grappling Federation, the world’s fastest-paced grappling format, announced today that following two explosive, back-to-back seasons in 2024 (Season 6 and Season 7) streamed on UFC Fight Pass, Youtube and Caffeine TV - with Season 7 alone amassing over 10 million views across platforms - the PGF is evolving into the Jiu-Jitsu equivalent of the NFL or NHL: a true professional league - with teams, owners, seasons, and stars.

A New PGF 12-Week Format for a New Era

Season 8 kicks off with the PGF Draft, streamed live on June 25th, 2025, and launches the league’s first full-length season: a 12-week battle that replaces the earlier 5-day marathon tournament model. This evolution marks a turning point for the sport - introducing long-term athlete development, team rivalries, fan engagement, and media spectacle, all within a true league system.

“This was always the big vision,” said PGF founder Brandon McCaghren. “Jiu-Jitsu is the fastest-growing combat sport in the world. The athletes are ready. The fans are ready. And now—we’re building the league format they’ve all been waiting for.”

PGF “Full League” Era Now Mirrors Other Top Sports Leagues

The PGF’s new Full League Era mirrors the extended season and playoff to Championship cycle of the world’s most popular sports leagues such as the Premier League, the NBA and the NFL. Migrating professional Jiu-Jitsu into a familiar format will increase the value to all participants in the sport, athletes, fans, rights holders, the PGF and the sport at large.

About the PGF

The Professional Grappling Federation (PGF) was created to revolutionize Jiu-Jitsu competition and bring real career opportunities to athletes in the fastest-growing combat sport on Earth. With an emphasis on fast-moving action, team-based formats, franchise ownership, and high-quality streaming content, the PGF has become one of the most influential brands in modern grappling. Information on PGF events, seasons, athletes, and additional content can be found at www.pgf.world or the league’s social channels.

PGF Founders and Board of Advisors:

  • Brandon McCaghren – PGF Commissioner. A 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu black belt and Hall of Fame inductee, Brandon is one of the sport’s most respected voices, serving as an on-air analyst and commentator for UFC Fight Pass, Combat Jiu-Jitsu (CJJ), Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) and ADCC.

  • Keelan Lawyer – Founder of Subconscious Studios, BJJ black belt, and visionary filmmaker who redefined how Jiu-Jitsu is shot, edited, and delivered to the world. His cinematic style and real - time storytelling helped set a new standard for how grappling is streamed and experienced.

  • Zoltan Bathory – One of the most recognized ambassadors of Jiu-Jitsu in mainstream culture. A black belt in both BJJ and Judo, Zoltan is a serial entrepreneur with multiple global brands under his leadership - and also moonlights as the founder and guitarist of the multi-platinum, global arena headlining band Five Finger Death Punch.

  • Heather Grace Gracie - A key figure from the royal family of martial arts, Heather has grown up immersed in the world of Jiu-Jitsu. She is the owner of Gracie Worldwide, a fight management agency, and a serial entrepreneur with deep connections in athlete development and combat sports business.

PGF Board of Advisors:

The PGF is honored to be guided by a distinguished Board of Advisors, made up of some of the most respected and influential figures in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and combat sports. Their legacy, championship pedigree, and business acumen shape PGF’s mission to build the future of professional grappling.

  • Royce Gracie – UFC Hall of Famer and global ambassador of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. A pioneer who introduced BJJ to the world stage and forever changed combat sports and the entire Martial Arts landscape. 

  • Carlos Machado – 8th-degree coral belt, co-founder of RCJ Machado Jiu Jitsu, and renowned instructor to thousands of students worldwide. Carlos is a key figure in the spread of Jiu-Jitsu throughout North America.

  • Jean Jacques Machado – 8th-degree coral belt, ADCC World Champion, and 2024 ADCC Hall of Fame inductee. Known for his technical genius and for overcoming physical adversity, Jean Jacques is one of the most respected minds in the art.

  • Renzo Gracie – 7th-degree coral belt and one of the most iconic figures in the history of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. A legendary competitor in PRIDE, UFC, and ADCC, Renzo has fought and coached at the highest levels for decades. As the founder of Renzo Gracie Academy NYC, he has produced some of the most dominant athletes in modern grappling and MMA, and remains one of the sport’s most beloved ambassadors.

  • Pedro Sauer – 8th-degree coral belt under Rickson Gracie, revered for his precision, pedagogy, and leadership. Pedro has played a foundational role in spreading BJJ in the United States with a reputation for technical excellence and integrity.

  • Mica Cipili (Amílcar Cipili) – 6th-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Rickson Gracie, Mica is one of the most accomplished and influential instructors in the United States. He holds one of the highest competitive title counts among his peers and was instrumental in the early global spread of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu as the former head instructor of Rickson’s Los Angeles academy.

  • Eddie Bravo – Founder of 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu and the Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI), Eddie is one of the most innovative minds in the history of the sport. Known for revolutionizing no-gi grappling and developing systems like the rubber guard and lockdown, his impact on modern submission grappling is undeniable.

  • Jonathan Anastas – Former Group Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of ONE Championship, Asia’s largest global sports media property and CEO of ClashTV. Jonathan also served as CMO at LiveONE Media, and held key senior marketing roles at Atari and Activision Blizzard, cumulatively reflecting deep global expertise in gaming, media, brand building, and sports entertainment.

Contact:

marketing@pgf.world


EVERYTHING YOU LOVE ABOUT SPORTS... PLUS JIU-JITSU!

PGF’S TEAM BASED COMPETITION:

ONCE THE ATHLETES ARE DRAFTED BY THE CAPTAINS, IT'S THE PERFORMANCE OF THE TEAM AS A WHOLE THAT MATTERS THE MOST. THIS ADDS AN ELEMENT OF STRATEGY AND CAMARADERIE NOT COMMONLY FOUND IN INDIVIDUAL-FOCUSED GRAPPLING TOURNAMENTS. THIS TEAM ASPECT ALSO ADDS IMMENSE PRESSURE TO WIN, AS THE INDIVIDUAL ATHLETE’S PERFORMANCE AFFECTS THE ENTIRE TEAM’S PATH TO THE $100,000 GRAND PRIZE… SO THE STAKES ARE HIGH.

THE RULES:

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THEIR CAPTAINS, THE TEAM MEMBERS WILL FIGHT AGAINST ALL MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSING TEAMS OVER THE COURSE OF A WEEK. THE TEAM WITH THE HIGHEST COLLECTIVE SCORE WINS. PGF BOUTS FEATURE SUBMISSION-ONLY, 6-MINUTE RAPID-PACE ROUNDS. CHOKES EARN 6 POINTS; JOINT LOCKS, 3 POINTS. DRAWS ARE PENALIZED TO KEEP THE FORMAT A “GENTLEMANLY VIOLENT” SUBMISSION HUNTING FRENZY.

THE PLAYOFFS:

AFTER THE TEAM TOURNAMENT IS OVER AND ONE TEAM EMERGES VICTORIOUS, THE EIGHT OVERALL HIGHEST-SCORING ATHLETES — REGARDLESS OF WHICH TEAMS THEY WERE ON — ARE ELIGIBLE TO ENTER THE PLAYOFFS. IT’S POSSIBLE THAT THE COMPETITOR WITH THE MOST WINS OR THE HIGHEST SCORE HAS ENDED UP ON A TEAM THAT DID NOT WIN. HOWEVER, THE PLAYOFFS STILL ALLOW A CHANCE TO WIN THE PGF ABSOLUTE BELT AND THE PGF ABSOLUTE GRAND PRIZE OF $20,000..

SEASON 8 TEAM CAPTAINS ARE FOUR

JIU JITSU LEGENDS

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TEAM 1

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TEAM 2

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TEAM 3

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TEAM 4

THE PROFESSIONAL GRAPPLING FEDERATION (PGF) IS ARGUABLY ONE OF THE MOST FAST-PACED GRAPPLING TOURNAMENTS IN THE WORLD, LARGELY DUE TO ITS UNIQUE STRUCTURE AND RULESET. WITH A STRONG EMPHASIS ON SUBMISSIONS AND TEAM DYNAMICS, THE PGF INTRODUCES A DRAFT AUCTION SYSTEM THAT CREATES AN ULTRA-COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT IS BOTH STRATEGICALLY COMPLEX AND INTENSELY PHYSICAL.

THE FIRST DAY OF EVERY PGF SEASON BEGINS WITH THE FAN-FAVORITE "DRAFT AUCTION," WHERE THE FOUR TEAM CAPTAINS ATTEMPT TO ASSEMBLE THE BEST POSSIBLE TEAM FROM THE 20 PRE-QUALIFIED ELITE LEVEL GRAPPLERS. [ QUALIFY HERE ] . EACH CAPTAIN HAS AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF “PGF DOLLARS” WHICH THEY USE IN A LIVE AUCTION TO BID FOR THE FIGHTERS THEY WANT ON THEIR TEAM. THIS PROCESS INVOLVES A LOT OF STRATEGY AND CLEVER MANEUVERING, BIDDING AND OUT BIDDING EACH OTHER, OR JUST DRIVING UP THE PRICE TO RUN THE OPPOSING CAPTAINS OUT OF PGF MONEY, LEADING TO COUNTLESS LAUGHTER-FILLED MOMENTS. THESE FACTORS COMBINED MAKE PGF A UNIQUE AND EXHILARATING EXPERIENCE FOR BOTH ATHLETES AND FANS.