A new event is promising to raise the stakes for jiu-jitsu athletes and the biggest names in the game are getting involved.

World Series of Grappling is offering $20,000 to division winners – but the whole event has a unique twist fans of jiu-jitsu have never seen before. 

There are only two weight divisions: up to and over 180lb. Brown and black belts are combined into one division, as are blue and purple belts. 

Brown-black belt winners get $20,000 while the runner-up gets $5,000. The third place athlete gets $2,000 and fourth place gets $1,000. 

If you want to win big, you have to be willing to put your own money on the line. There is a $500 entry fee per event for brown or black belts, but here's the kicker: fifth to 10th place athletes get $750, while 11th to 20th place earn free entry to the next WSG event. 

Jonnatas Gracie (blue) and Kaynan Duarte (white), the winners of the inaugural World Series of Grappling

The first WSG event took place in Los Angeles and saw some of SoCal's best turn up in search of the big cash prize. Atos won both brown-black belt weight classes, with brown belt Jonnatas Gracie winning the -180lb and black belt Kaynan Duarte winning the +180lb division. 

Some of the other big names who showed up included Keenan Cornelius, Vagner Rocha, Mahamed Aly, Jaime Canuto, Joao Assis, Tarsis Humphreys, Magid Hage and more. 

Mike Cipriani is the brains before WSG. The owner of Gamblers Jiu-Jitsu gym in Palm Beach FL, he wanted to give athletes a chance to win what is life-changing money for jiu-jitsu. Many grapplers struggle to exist as professional athletes, but World Series of Grappling is giving competitors the chance to compete for massive prizes on an almost monthly basis. 

And the season finale, to be held in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand, will offer a gigantic $100,000 cash prize.  

The next event returns to Los Angeles on October 7. and you'll be able to watch it live on FloGrappling. 

We've been told that ADCC and IBJJF World champions are among those who plan to compete, promising some serious star power for a unique and exciting event where there's a lot on the line. The organizers are also discussing possibility of adding women's divisions as well as no-gi divisions. 

Jonnatas Gracie chokes Francisco 'Sinistro' in the -180lb final

World Series of Grappling quick facts 

Brown/Black Belt Entry Fee: $500.00

1st place: $20,000 

2nd place: $5,000

3rd place: $2,000

4th place: $1,000

5th-10th place: $750

11th-20th place: Free entry to next WSG event

-180lb Results 

1. Jonnatas Gracie

2. Francisco Iturralde 

3. Ronaldo Junior 

4. Jaime Canuto 

+180lb Results 

1. Kaynan Duarte 

2. Gustavo Elias 

3. James Puopolo

4. Tarsis Humphreys

Blue/Purple Belt Entry Fee: $200.00

1st place: $5,000 

2nd place: $2,000

3rd place: $1,000

4th-10th place: $500

11th-20th place: Free entry to next WSG event 

Watch the first World Series of Grappling event

(Action starts at 19.30)