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Jiu-Jitsu News — July 12, 2026: Szczecinski Wins Polaris 38 as ADCC Heads to Poland

Jiu-Jitsu News Roundup · Sunday, July 12, 2026

The grappling world had a loaded weekend, from a stacked Grand Prix in the UK to fresh news on the road to ADCC. Here is what mat rats need to know today.

Polaris 38: Szczecinski takes the Welterweight Grand Prix

Polaris 38 went down Saturday, and the headline belongs to Mateusz Szczecinski, who won a stacked welterweight Grand Prix that had been billed as PJ Barch's to lose. On the same card, Sarah Galvão captured gold in a standout performance. The whole event streamed on FloGrappling, which has the full recap and replays.

ADCC 2026: the road to Poland

For the first time in its history, the ADCC World Championship heads to Kraków, Poland on September 12–13, 2026, with FloGrappling serving as the exclusive worldwide media partner. Invitation news continues to roll in: pound-for-pound standouts Dante Leon and Helena Crevar have accepted (with Crevar moving up to +65kg), and Finland's Santeri Lillius is in at -88kg. Notably, Rafael Lovato Jr. — a recent guest on our own podcast — has declined his invite to focus on upcoming pro matches.

What's next on the calendar

  • Karate Combat 62 (July 24): ADCC silver medalists Jay Rodriguez and Vagner Rocha meet in grappling, marking Rodriguez's first match in over a year.
  • BJJ Stars 19 (July 31): UFC names Patricky Pitbull and Renato Moicano square off in a grappling superfight, live on FloGrappling — on a card that also features a Masters Absolute Grand Prix with names like Gregor Gracie and Jaime Canuto.
  • IBJJF Master Worlds: the biggest tournament of the year for adult competitors 30+ is just around the corner — if you're a masters athlete, now is game-sharpening season.

Get on the mats: the grassroots scene

The pros aren't the only ones competing. SmoothComp's calendar is packed with local and regional events where anyone can test their game, including United Grappling in Las Vegas (July 18), the 2026 Los Angeles Jiu-Jitsu Open, Grappling Industries San Diego, and the Summer Open 2026. Whatever your belt or age, there's a bracket with your name on it.

The mindset takeaway

Polaris 38 was a reminder that the favorite doesn't always win — the prepared, present competitor does. And while the ADCC stars chase gold in Kraków, the real story of jiu-jitsu is the white belt signing up for their first SmoothComp local. You'll be somewhere in a year either way; you might as well be the person who kept showing up.

Sources

Train smart, compete often, and keep the right mindset. Catch The Jiu Jitsu Mindset on YouTube and Spotify.

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