When Ilia Topuria headlined UFC Freedom 250 against Justin Gaethje, he did it as a striker with knockout power and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. He is not the exception. Here is why the grappling base keeps showing up at the top of the UFC.
Reviewed by BJJ Gyms · Updated 2026-06-18
Sources: MMA Mania UFC Freedom 250 preview; UFC BJJ 'Meet the Champions.'
Ilia Topuria is known as a finisher on the feet, and when he headlined UFC Freedom 250 against Justin Gaethje on June 14, 2026, most of the buildup was about his hands. Yet Topuria is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with a grappling pedigree. That combination, lethal striking sitting on top of a deep grappling base, is not a coincidence. It is the blueprint for the modern UFC champion.
Look down the list of champions and the pattern repeats. The fighters who reach the top almost always have a grappling foundation, even the ones the highlight reels frame as pure strikers.
Jiu-jitsu does not just win fights by submission. It wins by controlling where the fight happens. A fighter with strong grappling decides whether the bout stays standing or hits the mat, and that single power, dictating the location of the fight, shapes everything else. A striker who cannot be taken down gets to strike. A striker who can threaten takedowns keeps opponents honest. The grappling base is the foundation the striking is built on.
This is why coaches preach that jiu-jitsu is the chassis of mixed martial arts. You can bolt powerful striking onto a grappling base, but it is far harder to build the reverse.
The clearest sign of how central jiu-jitsu has become is that the UFC built an entire submission-grappling promotion around it. UFC BJJ now crowns champions across multiple weight classes, with Mikey Musumeci holding a belt and Mason Fowler atop the light heavyweight division after a first-round finish at UFC BJJ 9. A striking-first organization investing in a pure grappling product tells you exactly how foundational the skill is to the sport it sits inside.
Here is the part that surprises people: the jiu-jitsu that anchors a UFC champion's career is the same discipline taught, slowly and safely, to brand-new students at gyms in every city. You will not spar with a champion on day one, but the positions, escapes, and control concepts you learn are the same ones operating at the highest level. No-gi grappling, the style emphasized in MMA and at UFC BJJ events, is exactly what 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu was built around. Use our directory to find a gym near you and book a free trial class. You do not need to be an athlete to start; you become one by training.
Why the grappling foundation shows up over and over at the top of the sport.
BJJ Gyms is an independent directory, not a gym. We feature 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu as our recommended no-gi system. Always take a free trial and vet any academy yourself before committing.
Yes. Although he is known for his striking and headlined UFC Freedom 250 against Justin Gaethje on June 14, 2026, Topuria holds a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, a base that is common among UFC champions.
Not at all. The same grappling fundamentals that anchor pro careers are taught to complete beginners for fitness, self-defense, and fun. Most gyms offer a free trial class and no one is required to compete.
No-gi is grappling practiced in shorts and a rashguard rather than the traditional gi. It is the style emphasized in MMA and at UFC BJJ events, and it is the foundation of the 10th Planet system.