In an insightful conversation with Viktor Doria on Connectcast Podcast, the prominent BJJ manager shared his thoughts on recent rule changes in the UFC Fight Pass Invitational (FPI) and what he considers the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s (IBJJF) greatest misstep.
Viktor Doria praised the upcoming UFC Fight Pass Invitational’s rule changes, which will implement a 3-round, 5-minute format with a 10-point must scoring system similar to MMA.
“The UFC Fight Pass will have a rule of 3 rounds, 10-9 points system similar to MMA,” Doria explained.
He believes this change will make jiu-jitsu more accessible to casual viewers by removing confusing scoring elements.
“It increases a little the subjectivity, in my opinion, because you don’t have the score, but at the same time, it removes that question of whether it was a point or not,” Doria said.
He emphasized that while hardcore fans understand complex scoring systems, the new format will be more appealing to casual viewers:
“The easier the understanding for the rules, the easier the understanding for the person who is a casual.”
Doria didn’t hold back when discussing what he sees as the IBJJF’s most significant issue: referees who are affiliated with competing teams.
“It happens a lot, for example, in the federation, because the referees of the federation are also leaders of the team. And then there is the competition by the team,” Doria pointed out.
He explained that this creates an inherent conflict of interest that undermines trust in officiating.
“As long as there is this, there will be distrust,” he stated. “It is a conflict of interest to be affiliated to an association, to an academy.”
Doria further criticized the federation’s video arbitration system, which can overturn scoring decisions well after they’ve been made, disrupting fighters’ strategies mid-match.
“It complicates the dynamic of the fight too much,” he said.
As Mica Galvao‘s former manager, Doria also spoke about the young phenom’s growing prominence in the sport. He believes Galvao is currently “the biggest athlete of Jiu-Jitsu today” and possibly “the biggest in the world.”
Doria suggested exciting matchups for Galvao‘s future, including potential bouts with Fabricio Andrey and Meregali:
“It can happen very soon… “
