The Brazilian Confederation (CBLP) has introduced a new safety rule for its competitions following the August 22nd BJJ injury that left Willian Hiroyuki Masuda, known as “Kabuto”, with fractured C5 and C6 vertebrae and hospitalized.
In an official statement signed by President Paulo Costa de Jesus, the CBLP confirmed that starting September 1, 2026, athletes will be prohibited from remaining in an inverted position with the head or cervical region serving as the primary point of ground support while under an opponent’s control, pressure, or weight.
The rule was developed following consultation with the CBLP Masters Council, which includes Vice-President Francisco Carlos Pinto Sá alongside Red and Coral Belt Masters.
Under the new protocol, referees must immediately stop a match if an athlete is found in this position, with both competitors reset and the bout resumed without penalty to either side.
CBLP stated the following:
This measure is exclusively preventive, aiming to prevent pressure, projection, or body weight from being applied to the athlete’s head or cervical spine.
They added that an athlete’s safety “must take precedence over the continuation of the position”.
The timing adds weight to the announcement.
Masuda fractured his C5 and C6 vertebrae during a match on August 22nd and remains hospitalized, while the circumstances surrounding the injury continue to be examined by the Paraná Civil Police.
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