If you own a jiu-jitsu academy, you’ve probably heard the buzz about the 2026 Jiu-Jitsu CON event. This isn’t just a tournament weekend for the competitive students at your school. It’s also a business trip disguised as a jiu-jitsu festival. And as an academy owner, you have just as much reason to be there as your athletes do.

Jiu-Jitsu CON 2026 runs September 3-5 at the Las Vegas Convention Center (Hall W1-W3), and it’s built around the IBJJF World Masters Championship, one of the sport’s biggest annual gatherings. Add in free seminars from some of the most decorated names in jiu-jitsu, a vendor floor with more than 30 exhibitors, and an official ranking ceremony, and you’ve got three days where the entire industry is gathering.

What is Jiu-Jitsu CON?

Jiu-Jitsu CON describes itself as a full celebration of the sport, not just a competition. By running alongside the IBJJF World Masters, it already draws athletes and academies from all over the world. Plus, it layers in features built for the wider jiu-jitsu community: seminars, vendor exhibitions, talks with well-known figures in the sport, and an IBJJF Masters Ranking Ceremony.

The competition side alone includes World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship, and Jiu-Jitsu CON International categories in No-Gi, Novice, Kids, and Kids No-Gi. So whatever your academy’s mix of students looks like, there’s probably a division for them.

4 Reasons Jiu-Jitsu CON is a Must-Attend Event

Here are four reasons that Jiu-Jitsu CON is beneficial for you, your students, and your business.

1. An all-star lineup of seminar presenters.

The seminar lineup for 2026 includes Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, Demian Maia, Marcelo Garcia, Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida, Royler Gracie, Rafael Lovato Jr., Murilo Bustamante and Ricardo Liborio, Robert Drysdale, and more. They’ll be covering everything from picking up a new sweep or a better grip fight to how a legend explains a concept, breaks down a mistake, or handles a room of mixed skill levels.

The 2026 Jiu-Jitsu CON seminar lineup includes an all-star list of presenters. (Photo credit: https://jiujitsucon.com/)

2. Vendor floor previewing where the industry is headed.

With more than 30 vendors setting up at Jiu-Jitsu CON 2026, you’ll find gear, apparel, nutrition products, and training tools. Whether you’re looking for a new supplier, thinking about carrying retail at your academy, or just want to know what’s trending, you’ll find it on the vendor floor.

3. A low-cost way to build culture with your team.

Turning the trip into an academy outing, even for a handful of competitors and their families, gives your students a shared memory off of your mats. Academies that travel together tend to come back with tighter bonds, which can show up later as increased school retention.

Jiu-Jitsu CON includes talks with influential figures in the sport and an official ranking ceremony. These aren’t just photo opportunities, but a chance to learn valuable information that could help to grow your jiu-jitsu academy. You’ll hear where the sport is headed from people who are actually shaping it, and to be part of the conversation.

The 2026 Jiu-Jitsu CON Agenda

Dates and location: Jiu-Jitsu CON is taking place September 3-5, 2026, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Hall W1-W3, 300 Convention Center Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89109.

Championships: Six divisions across the three days, with kids’ divisions concentrated on September 4-5, and adult gi and no-gi running most of the weekend.

Free seminars: This is one of the bigger draws of the Jiu-Jitsu CON event, with an instructor list that reads like a who’s who of the sport. Specific times for each seminar are still listed as TBD, so keep an eye on the official schedule closer to the event. Registration opens two hours ahead of each seminar, and check-ins begin 30 minutes beforehand. Every seminar has limited capacity set by the instructor on a first-come, first-served basis. You’ll need to sign a waiver at registration, and show up in the right uniform (gi or no-gi), depending on the session.

Vendor exhibitions: More than 30 vendors will be on the floor across the weekend, covering gear, apparel, nutrition, and other training products.

Other programming: An official IBJJF Masters Ranking Ceremony and a series of talks with notable figures in the jiu-jitsu community round out the schedule.

​The Wodify Team Will See You in Vegas

Three days of world-class seminars, a packed vendor floor, and a room full of the people building this sport is what makes 2026 Jiu-Jitsu CON a must-attend event.

​While you’re there, be sure to stop by the Wodify booth to meet our team, get some swag, and learn more about how Wodify can help you run and grow your academy.

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​Need help? Wodify is proud to help academy owners build and run successful businesses, and we’d love to help you, too! Book a demo with our team today to find out more.

Pro Tip: There are some simple ways to level up your sales process and get more students in your academy. Download the “Mat to Member Playbook” today!