KASAI Elite Grappling Championships returns to New York on Saturday, April 14, for another one-night event that will showcase some of jiu-jitsu’s most decorated names. 

Taking place at Greenpoint Terminal Warehouse in Brooklyn, the event will feature an eight-man no-gi tournament at 185lb (83.9kg) to crown the KASAI Pro inaugural world middleweight champion and will stream LIVE on FloGrappling.

The event follows the promotion's breakout December show, which featured a lightweight pro no-gi tournament and superfights between Gordon Ryan and Yuri Simoes and Craig Jones and Murilo Santana. 

Celso Vinicius attacks Enrico Cocco with a guillotine choke at KASAI Pro in Dec, 2017. Photo: Luca Atalla

Tournament competitors will compete in six-minute bouts across two round-robin brackets. All matches will use the IBJJF points system, no advantages will be awarded, and all submissions are legal. The winners of each bracket will advance to compete in the final championship match. 

“We are thrilled to return to Brooklyn for KASAI Pro 2,” KASAI President Rolles Gracie said. “We think that the Greenpoint Terminal Warehouse is the perfect place to continue to grab the attention of the global jiu-jitsu community.” 

Another chance for a “wildcard”

Among the eight contenders vying for gold will be the winner of KASAI’s amateur qualifying event, which will be held on Saturday, March 3, at the Renzo Gracie Fight Academy in Brooklyn, New York. 

The winner will advance to the eight-man KASAI Pro World Middleweight Championship, much as Junny Ocasio did in October 2017. A purple belt representing Unity Jiu-Jitsu, Ocasio had a total of three matches against elite competitors Celso Vinicius, Enrico Cocco, and Gianni Grippo, earning draws in every match. 

Interested parties can sign up for KASAI Pro 2’s amateur qualifier via KASAI’s website. 

“KASAI Pro 2 is already shaping up to be a big event,” KASAI CEO Richard Byrne said. “We are working hard to ensure the night features some of grappling’s best names and nonstop action.”   

KASAI Pro 2 will also include high-caliber superfights and a quality undercard.

Watch it LIVE or On Demand ONLY on FloGrappling