What if you could buy a medal from one of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s biggest tournaments without ever stepping onto the mats?

As strange as it sounds, medals connected to major BJJ competitions regularly appear for sale online, creating a bizarre secondary market for some of the sport’s most recognizable trophies.

Search through Brazilian marketplaces and you can find medals associated with events such as the Brasileiro, Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Rio Fall International Open and even the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

Some listings have asking prices ranging from approximately $43 all the way up to $354, depending on the tournament and medal.

And then there is another side to the market: apparently brand-new replica or fake medals being offered for as little as around $12.

That raises an interesting question:

Why would somebody buy a BJJ medal they never actually won?

You Can Buy The Medal, But Not The Result

A competition medal normally represents much more than a piece of metal hanging from a ribbon.

For the athlete who actually earned it, that medal represents the training camp, weight cut, tournament day, division, bracket, opponents, coaches and teammates who were there.

Once the medal ends up on an online marketplace, however, almost all of that context disappears.

You’re simply buying the physical object.

And when it comes to major IBJJF tournaments, pretending you actually won it would be pretty difficult.

The IBJJF maintains extensive historical competition results online. Tournament results, divisions and athlete names can often be traced long after an event has taken place.

So somebody could theoretically buy an IBJJF Worlds or Pan medal and put it on the shelf.

But claiming to have actually won that tournament is another story.

It doesn’t take much research to check whether someone’s name actually appears in the results from that year.

In other words:

You can buy the medal. You can’t buy your name into the results.

eBay Gets Even Weirder

And medals are only the beginning.

A look through eBay reveals an entire secondary market for BJJ and grappling memorabilia.

Old IBJJF tournament T-shirts regularly appear for sale, including shirts connected to events such as the Pan Championship and various IBJJF Opens.

Even more interesting are actual grappling championship belts.

Used NAGA championship belts have appeared for sale for well over $100, with belts from previous tournaments being marketed as collectible grappling memorabilia.

Other championship-style belts associated with grappling tournaments can also occasionally be found online, including older Grappling Quest memorabilia.

Then things start getting really strange.

Search deeply enough through online marketplaces and you’ll even encounter used Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu belts, including black belts deliberately photographed with all the fading, wear and tear normally associated with years of training.

For someone unfamiliar with Jiu-Jitsu culture, it might simply look like an old piece of fabric.

For a grappler, though, a heavily worn black belt carries an entirely different meaning.

Which makes the idea of buying someone else’s worn belt particularly bizarre.

Sports Memorabilia Or Something Different?

Of course, there is nothing inherently unusual about athletes selling old competition memorabilia.

Collectors have bought championship rings, jerseys, trophies, fight gloves and other pieces of sporting history for decades.

A medal belonging to a famous BJJ competitor could legitimately become an interesting collectible.

The distinction comes when the object is separated from the achievement itself.

A medal can change owners.

A championship belt can change owners.

An old tournament shirt can change owners.

Even a worn-out BJJ black belt can apparently change owners.

But the competition record remains attached to the person who actually stepped onto the mats and earned it.

And Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu happens to make that particularly easy to verify.

Major organizations such as the IBJJF have accumulated years of searchable tournament records. Photos, brackets and competition footage provide an additional historical trail.

So while the physical trophies of Jiu-Jitsu are increasingly becoming collectible objects that can be bought and sold online, the accomplishment behind them remains considerably harder to purchase.

You might be able to buy an IBJJF medal online.

You still have to win the tournament if you want the result that goes with it.

Sloth Jiu-Jitsu: The Ultimate Guide for Calmly Beating Bigger, Younger Opponents

💥 What if slowing down was the fastest way to win? 💭 Tired of Getting Smashed by Younger, Stronger Grapplers? It’s not your age. It’s your strategy. If you’re a passionate grappler over 35 who’s sick of getting outpaced, outmuscled, or out-cardio’d by opponents half your age — this 120 page e-book was made for you. 🔓 Unlock the Power of Sloth Jiu-Jitsu:

Build Sustainable Strength—Without Wrecking Your Joints, Energy, or Jiu-Jitsu

Tired of waking up sore and burnt out after lifting? Sloth Strength is a proven blueprint for grapplers over 35 who want to get stronger—without the pain, burnout, or injuries.

Developed from 25 years on the mats, this no-burnout approach is made specifically for BJJ athletes in their 30s, 40s, and beyond.