How to Qualify
You Have to Win It.
Every competitor has the opportunity to qualify to compete free of charge at Sub-Only Worlds. To earn your spot, you must win 1st place in your respective age category, belt level, and weight class at any Good Fight tournament during 2026.
Alternatively, if your team wins the Team Championship award at any Good Fight tournament in 2026, your entire team earns a free entry to Sub-Only Worlds.
This qualification is valid for the 2026 Sub-Only Worlds only.
Alternatively, if your team wins the Team Championship award at any Good Fight tournament in 2026, your entire team earns a free entry to Sub-Only Worlds.
This qualification is valid for the 2026 Sub-Only Worlds only.
Please note: The Kids Novice division does NOT qualify for Sub-Only Worlds. It is a non-competitive division where participants receive participation medals -- not place-winning medals.
Open Registration
Anyone Can Compete.
Registration for Sub-Only Worlds is open to all competitors -- not just those who qualified. Register the same way you would for any Good Fight tournament.
Qualified competitors compete free of charge. Non-qualified competitors register and pay online like any other event. Either way, the same standard applies on the mat -- submit or go home.
Qualified competitors compete free of charge. Non-qualified competitors register and pay online like any other event. Either way, the same standard applies on the mat -- submit or go home.
⚠ Winning by Default
No Competitor Qualifies by Default.
If you register for a Good Fight tournament and no one else in your age category, belt level, or weight class enters -- that does not put you on the podium or qualify you for Sub-Only Worlds. You didn't win anything. To qualify, you must win something.
In this situation, the competitor will be combined into a younger age category or the next heaviest weight class. This is determined on a case-by-case basis.
Resolution Example
A 36-year-old blue belt is combined into the Adult (16--29 yr) age category and wins 1st place. That competitor qualifies for Sub-Only Worlds and will compete in the Executive (30--39 yr) age category at Worlds -- because they beat the odds in a younger bracket, and Worlds will have a proper bracket for their age group.
For Women
It is common for women's weight classes to be combined. This will be handled on a tournament-to-tournament basis using the same principles above.
Kids & Teens
Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced Divisions Available.
All kids and teens competitors who have placed 1st at a Good Fight tournament have earned a spot to compete free of charge at Sub-Only Worlds.
Weight classes at Worlds follow the same structure as regular Good Fight tournaments. Kids will be placed into brackets with competitors closest to their age and weight.
Weight classes at Worlds follow the same structure as regular Good Fight tournaments. Kids will be placed into brackets with competitors closest to their age and weight.
- Maximum age difference: 2 years
- Maximum weight difference: 10 lbs
Age & Belt Promotion
You Compete at Who You Are at Worlds.
When you earn your free Worlds entry by winning Gold, you compete at the age and division you are at the time of Sub-Only Worlds -- not the age or belt you were when you qualified.
⚠ Important -- Teens Turning 16
If your child turned 16 this calendar year, Good Fight now identifies them as an adult. If you cannot update their Smoothcomp profile correctly, email support@smoothcomp.com for assistance.
Example 1 -- Age Change
A 15-year-old qualifies in the Teens division and then turns 16. At Sub-Only Worlds, they compete in the Adult division.
Example 2 -- Belt Promotion
A Blue Belt wins Gold and gets promoted to Purple Belt during the same year. At Sub-Only Worlds, they compete as a Purple Belt.
Weigh-Ins
Saturday Weigh-Ins Only.
There are no night-before weigh-ins. All competitors must weigh in on Saturday. Weigh-in times are posted on the Sub-Only Worlds event page.
View the full weigh-in schedule and tournament schedule on the Sub-Only Worlds event page →
Want Your Entire Team to Compete for Free?
Learn how your team can earn a free entry to Sub-Only Worlds by winning the Team Championship award.