The North American Grappling Association (NAGA) is an organization started in 1995 that holds Submission Grappling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments throughout North America and Europe. NAGA is the largest submission grappling association in the world with over 200,000 participants world-wide, including some of the top submission grapplers and MMA fighters in the world. NAGA grappling tournaments consist of gi and no-gi divisions. No-Gi competitors compete under rules drafted by NAGA. Gi competitors compete under standardized Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu rules. NAGA also promotes MMA events which they term Reality Fighting.
Skill Levels
2018 North American Grappling Association (NAGA) - Christian Antonio - Toughest NAGA tournament after being back from their high wrestling season the weekend before. Had only one training BJJ session, and competed in teens expert division. Christian settled for...
Competitors in NAGA competitions are broken into weight divisions and skill levels. Skill levels are further divided into a two categories, Adults/Masters/Directors/Executives, and Children/Teens.
Adults/Masters/Directors/Executives
- Novice (6 months total grappling experience)
- Beginner (6 months to 2 years total grappling experience)
- Intermediate (2 years to 5 years total grappling experience. BJJ blue belts are Intermediate)
- Expert (5 years + total grappling experience. BJJ purple, brown, black belts are Expert)
Children & Teens
- Novice (6 months & under total grappling experience. Children are not allowed to do submissions)
- Beginner (6 months to 1 year total grappling experience)
- Intermediate (1 year to 2 years total grappling experience)
- Advance (2 years to 3 years total grappling experience)
- Expert (3 years + total grappling experience)
Total grappling experience includes but is not limited to; wrestling experience, BJJ experience, judo experience, sambo experience, JKD experience, etc. Any training that consists of grappling is counted towards your total experience.
Weight Divisions
Men's & Master's No-Gi & Gi, White Belts & Blue Belt Divisions
Men's Gi Purple; Brown & Black Belt Divisions
Master's Expert No-Gi & Gi Divisions (ages 30 yrs & above)
Men's Director's (40 yrs +) & Executive (50 yrs +) Divisions
- These divisions are created at the event based on the skill levels and weights of those registered for that tournament.
Women's Gi & No-Gi Grappling Divisions
Children's No-Gi & Gi Grappling Divisions (13 years of age & under)
Teen's NO-GI & GI Grappling Divisions (14 to 15) and (16 to 17) years of age
Reality Fighting
NAGA's MMA division, Reality Fighting, holds mixed martial arts events in New Jersey and Massachusetts. The rules that govern each match are set by each state's athletic commission. Reality Fighting previous champions include BJJ Black Belt and UFC veteran Gabriel Gonzaga, and current Reality Fighting Light-Heavyweight Champion and The Ultimate Fighter television show The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir veteran Mike Stewart. Notable fighters who fought in Reality Fighting: Frankie Edgar, Joe Lauzon, Kenny Florian, Tim Sylvia, Jorge Rivera, Kurt Pellegrino, Jim Miller, Dan Miller, Rob Font, Joe Proctor, Matt Bessette, Josh Diekman, Josh Grispi. Notable grappling champions Anthony Porcelli, Joe Forentino and Angelo Riveria Sr.
References
External links
- Official website for the North American Grappling Association