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Josh Barnett Slams IBJJF Officiating & Describes It As “Poorly Trained”

From BJJ Eastern Europe

September 20, 2026

Former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett critiqued IBJJF officiating standards – describing the organization’s judging as inconsistent, poorly trained, and susceptible to favoritism. Barnett compared jiu-jitsu’s organizational maturity unfavorably to wrestling, arguing the sport simply hasn’t gone through enough structural iteration to develop reliable officiating: Back in the day at an IBJJF, you wouldn’t get […]

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