On Thursday, October 8, 2026, the UFC BJJ 12 card brings eight grappling matches to the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, with two belts on the line and a former UFC title challenger in the middle of the lineup. The first match starts at 8pm ET / 5pm PT, and every bout streams only on UFC Fight Pass.
At the top, 20-year-old Cassia Moura meets two-time ADCC world champion Adele Fornarino to decide the first-ever UFC BJJ women’s flyweight champion. One step below, Renato Canuto and Ethan Crelinsten fight for the vacant lightweight title.
The full UFC BJJ 12 card at a glance
Here is the UFC BJJ 12 card in running order, from the main event down to the opener, per the official UFC BJJ 12 match-by-match preview.
| Match | Division | Stakes |
|---|---|---|
| Cassia Moura vs Adele Fornarino | Women’s flyweight | Inaugural title |
| Renato Canuto vs Ethan Crelinsten | Lightweight | Vacant title |
| Gilbert Burns vs Gabriel Almeida | Middleweight | Burns’ second UFC BJJ match |
| Danielle Kelly vs Thaynara Victoria | Women’s strawweight | Kelly chases a second straight win |
| Landon Elmore vs Max Livingston | Lightweight | Both coming off losses |
| Kade Anastasios vs Ataide Rafael | Welterweight (170 lb) | Two debutants |
| Kyle O’Hare vs Raphael Ferreira | Featherweight | O’Hare’s UFC debut |
| John Chandler vs Raphael Gomez | Lightweight | Opening match |
Moura vs Fornarino: youth against a decorated finisher
Moura already holds the UFC BJJ bantamweight belt, and her run through the promotion has been steady. She beat Fflion Davies at UFC BJJ 6 and Sabrina Gondim at UFC BJJ 8, then booked her spot in this final by armbarring Bre Stikk in the opening round of their flyweight grand prix semifinal at UFC BJJ 10. For a closer look at that attack, see two high-percentage armbars from side control.
Fornarino arrived in UFC BJJ this year and has not needed the judges yet. She tapped Alexandria Enriquez with a first-round kneebar, then finished Carol Brunacio with a straight ankle lock. Add her two ADCC world titles from 2024 and the headliner of the UFC BJJ 12 card turns into a clean stylistic question: can Moura keep her legs safe long enough to work her upper-body attacks?
Keys for Moura: win the grips, avoid the leg entanglements behind both Fornarino finishes, and force scrambles that expose an arm. Keys for Fornarino: drag the match to the legs fast and make Moura defend before she can settle into her own game.
Canuto vs Crelinsten for the vacant lightweight belt
This is Canuto’s second try at a UFC BJJ championship. His first came at welterweight, where Andrew Tackett beat him. He has won two decisions since and now drops to lightweight for the open title. Crelinsten has only one UFC BJJ appearance on his record, but it was emphatic: a first-round rear-naked choke of Danilo Moreira at UFC BJJ 8.
Pace decides this one. Canuto has shown he can grind out rounds, while Crelinsten’s lone outing ended early. A long match favors Canuto’s experience; a scramble to the back favors Crelinsten.
Gilbert Burns and the rest of the UFC BJJ 12 card
Burns vs Almeida. The former UFC welterweight title challenger, known to MMA fans from bouts like Burns vs Malott in Winnipeg, won his first UFC BJJ outing in June, beating Horlando Monteiro at UFC BJJ 9. He now faces fellow Brazilian Gabriel Almeida, a jiu-jitsu world champion out of Long Beach, California, who last competed at the Meta APEX in 2024 and is making his debut in the Bowl.
Kelly vs Victoria. Danielle Kelly beat Ana Lima in August and wants a second win in a row. Thaynara Victoria trains alongside Moura and has collected IBJJF world titles at several belt levels, so this is far from a gimme for Kelly.
Elmore vs Livingston. Landon Elmore is back for a fourth UFC BJJ match. He won his debut, then dropped two decisions. Max Livingston was submitted in the second round at UFC BJJ 8, so both men need a win on the UFC BJJ 12 card.
Anastasios vs Rafael. Two newcomers, both IBJJF no-gi world champions, meet at 170 pounds. Rafael also brings Abu Dhabi Grand Slam experience.
O’Hare vs Ferreira. Kyle O’Hare, a former amateur MMA fighter whose path to the pros was cut short, finally competes under the UFC banner. Raphael Ferreira returns after John Chandler caught him in a triangle with two seconds left at UFC BJJ 9.
Chandler vs Gomez. That buzzer-beating triangle was Chandler’s debut. He opens the UFC BJJ 12 card against Raphael Gomez, who is new to the promotion.
How the rules shape these matches
Scoring here works differently from a typical points-for-positions tournament. Under the official UFC BJJ rules and scoring, regulation bouts are three five-minute rounds with a one-minute break between them, and judges score every round on the 10-point must system used in MMA.
Judges rank criteria in a fixed order. Submission attempts that force real defense count most, then takedowns, guard passes and sweeps that move toward a finish, then time spent controlling the position and pace. A few rules matter for the UFC BJJ 12 card in particular:
- No strikes of any kind.
- No grabbing clothing, your own included, which keeps the action closer to no-gi.
- Pulling guard is illegal unless you start working right away.
- Slams are banned except to escape a fully locked submission.
That order rewards finishers like Fornarino and Crelinsten. For a decision winner like Canuto, stalling in a good spot will not bank rounds.
Frequently asked questions about UFC BJJ 12
What time does UFC BJJ 12 start?
The event starts at 8pm ET, which is 5pm PT, on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
Where can I watch UFC BJJ 12?
UFC BJJ 12 streams exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.
How long are UFC BJJ matches?
Regulation UFC BJJ bouts are three rounds of five minutes each, with one minute of rest between rounds. The official rules page does not list a different length for title bouts.
Why the main event is the match to circle
Burns brings the name recognition, but the UFC BJJ 12 card lives or dies on Moura vs Fornarino. A 20-year-old champion chasing a second belt against a leg locker who has finished everyone in front of her is about as clear a style clash as grappling offers. Watch the first exchange of grips: whoever decides where the match happens will probably decide who leaves with the flyweight belt.