Table of Contents
The UFC BJJ welterweight champion extended his unbeaten run to 7 and made it clear that he wants to test his grappling against UFC stars Sean Brady and Paddy Pimblett.
Tackett Makes Another Statement at UFC BJJ 10
Andrew Tackett continued his remarkable run in UFC BJJ with another dominant performance at UFC BJJ 10 in Las Vegas on August 20.
The 23 year old submitted Jonnatas Gracie in the first round to successfully defend his UFC BJJ welterweight championship for the fourth consecutive time. The victory also extended Tackett’s unbeaten UFC BJJ record to 7 and further strengthened his position as one of the promotion’s leading stars.
Gracie initially looked to attack Tackett’s legs, but the champion responded intelligently. Tackett defended the early threat before taking Gracie’s back and transitioning into a devastating submission that forced the Brazilian to tap.
The result gave Tackett another quick finish and continued a title run that began when he became the inaugural UFC BJJ welterweight champion in 2025. He has now defended the belt four times, establishing himself as the division’s most successful champion to date.
Tackett Turns His Attention to UFC Fighters
Tackett did not wait long to reveal what he wants next.
During his post fight interview, the champion called out several elite grapplers, including Jozef Chen, Mica Galvao and Kade Ruotolo. He then shifted his attention toward two UFC fighters who have developed strong reputations for their grappling.
“First MMA fighter I want to call out is Sean Brady,” Tackett said, identifying Brady as the UFC fighter he believes has the strongest grappling.
He then mentioned Paddy Pimblett, who has built a reputation for finishing opponents with submissions during his UFC career.
“Now, another call out that I want is Paddy Pimblett,” Tackett said. “That man goes off with the submissions.”
Tackett then issued a direct challenge to the Liverpool fighter.
“Paddy, if you think you can beat me, which I guarantee you can’t, come step into the UFC BJJ ring.”
The callout immediately creates an interesting crossover possibility because Pimblett has legitimate Brazilian jiu jitsu credentials of his own. The UFC lists Pimblett as a second degree black belt in BJJ, and he has recorded several submission victories during his professional MMA career.
Tackett Has Already Built a Strong UFC BJJ Resume
Tackett’s confidence comes from a resume that has developed quickly.
He captured the inaugural UFC BJJ welterweight title and has remained unbeaten since joining the promotion. His fourth title defense against Gracie marked another successful test against a respected grappler.
His UFC BJJ run has also included victories over established names such as Renato Canuto, Elijah Dorsey and Vagner Rocha.
Before entering UFC BJJ, Tackett built his reputation through major Brazilian jiu jitsu competitions and faced some of the best grapplers in the sport. One of his most notable contests came against Kade Ruotolo at the Craig Jones Invitational in 2024, where Ruotolo won by split decision.
That experience remains relevant because Tackett has already competed against elite opposition outside UFC BJJ. His call for another major challenge therefore fits with the direction of his career.
Moura and Fornarino Set Up Major UFC BJJ Final
UFC BJJ 10 also produced another major storyline in the women’s flyweight division.
Cassia Moura and Adele Fornarino both secured first round submission victories in their respective semifinal bouts. Moura submitted Bre Stikk with an armbar, while Fornarino defeated Carol Brunacio with a straight ankle lock. The results set up a meeting between two of the strongest grapplers in the division for the inaugural UFC BJJ women’s flyweight championship.
Moura already holds the UFC BJJ women’s bantamweight championship, meaning a victory over Fornarino would give her the opportunity to become a two division champion.
Fornarino brings an equally impressive resume. She is an ADCC double gold medalist and has established herself as one of the leading submission specialists in women’s grappling.
UFC BJJ Continues to Build Its Own Identity
The tenth UFC BJJ event showed how quickly the promotion is developing its roster and championship structure.
UFC BJJ 10 featured multiple title fights, a women’s flyweight tournament and established grappling names competing under the promotion’s rules. The event also continued the UFC’s push to create a dedicated platform for Brazilian jiu jitsu rather than treating grappling as an occasional addition to its MMA schedule.
For Tackett, however, the focus now appears to be on finding the biggest possible challenges.
He has already established himself as the dominant welterweight champion in UFC BJJ. Now he wants to test that status against some of MMA’s best grapplers.
Whether Paddy Pimblett accepts the challenge remains to be seen. For the moment, Tackett has made his position clear. He wants the UFC fighter inside the UFC BJJ ring.
UFC BJJ 10 Results
- Andrew Tackett def. Jonnatas Gracie by first round rear naked choke to retain the UFC BJJ welterweight championship
- Brianna Ste Marie def. Rebeca Lima by second round head and arm choke to win the UFC BJJ women’s featherweight championship
- Cassia Moura def. Bre Stikk by first round armbar
- Adele Fornarino def. Carol Brunacio by first round straight ankle lock
- William Tackett def. Fedor Nikolov by second round heel hook
- Jalen Fonacier def. Mourece Ramirez by unanimous decision
- Vagner Rocha def. Andy Varela by third round crescent choke
- Danielle Kelly def. Ana Lima by unanimous decision
Your home for Korean MMA news, UFC updates and fighter features. Follow HanPunch.
About The Author
Join the Conversation