Brazil occupies a special place in combat sports history. Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the vale tudo tradition helped shape modern MMA, and Brazil also has large Muay Thai, kickboxing and boxing communities. KBN Brazil connects Brazilian athletes to a verified world ranking.
The branch
KBN Brazil is based in São Paulo and runs its page at worldkbn.com/brazil. It verifies applications from Brazilian athletes, prepares Brazilian events for sanctioning and maintains its board, clubs and contacts. KBN World HQ issues Fighter IDs, licences and certificates and publishes rankings.
The six stages, and who handles each
| Stage | What happens | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Intake & completeness | Six attachments checked; missing items requested | KBN Brazil |
| 2 Verification | Identity, events and results checked with organisers | KBN Brazil |
| 3 Result decisions | Each bout approved or rejected with a reason | KBN Brazil / KBN World HQ |
| 4 Point calculation | Engine calculates points from verified bouts | Automatic |
| 5 Fighter ID & licence | Fighter ID BR series and licence issued | KBN World HQ only |
| 6 Publication & certificate | Ranking published; certificate issued | KBN World HQ only |
Submissions count in MMA
Brazil's grappling culture makes this rule particularly relevant: in MMA, a win by submission earns the same +5 finishing bonus as a KO or TKO, for 30 base points instead of 25. The bonus applies only in MMA, because in striking sports a submission is not a legal finish. Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions themselves are not one of the ranking's priority disciplines; other martial arts require Technical Committee approval.
Evidence tips
- Upload Portuguese-language result sheets and federation letters in the original, with an English description.
- Record the submission type and time exactly as the official result shows.
- Many regional events publish results on social media; add a contact who can confirm them.
Your tables
Brazilian athletes appear in the Brazil national table, the South American continental table and the world table. South America currently has one KBN branch, so continental tables will grow as more countries join.
For academies and organisers in Brazil
Many Brazilian academies run MMA and Muay Thai teams side by side. Keep each athlete's bouts under the correct discipline, with the official ruleset, and record submissions precisely. Organisers can work with KBN Brazil to prepare regional events for sanctioning.
Getting started
- Gather evidence for the last 24 months.
- Check the Brazil events tab.
- Apply online; KBN Brazil reviews applications from Brazilian athletes.
Myths and facts for athletes from Brazil
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| KBN Brazil issues licences | Only KBN World HQ issues Fighter IDs and licences |
| A fee to the branch can speed up points | Points can never be purchased; no fee affects results |
| Only bouts in Brazil count | Bouts at any event with a KBN level count, if verified |
| My continental table depends on where I fight | It follows my country: South America |
| Old national titles still count | Results older than 24 months stay on the record but score zero |
A worked example for a Brazil athlete
| Bout | Level | Result | Time value | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National championship final, 4 months ago | ×1.0 | Champion, decision | 100% | 125 |
| International Open, 9 months ago | ×1.5 | Loss | 100% | 7.5 |
| Continental Championship, 14 months ago | ×2.0 | KO win | 50% | 30 |
| Total | 162.5 |
The same total counts in the national table for Brazil, the South America table and the world table of the athlete's division.
What happens after you are ranked
Once KBN World HQ publishes your ranking, your profile shows your national rank in Brazil, your continental rank and your world rank, with a bout-by-bout points breakdown and a 12-month points chart. Your licence and certificate are available in your fighter portal and carry QR codes that resolve on the verify page. Keep submitting new verified results: they replace older results as those halve at 12 months and expire at 24 months.
Working with your branch
Your branch is your first contact for questions about your application, document requests and event sanctioning in Brazil. Its page lists the board and contact details. For decisions made by KBN World HQ, such as event levels, licences and publication, the branch can forward questions with a recommendation, and the complaints and appeals procedure applies if you disagree with a decision.
Frequently asked questions
QDoes a submission win in MMA earn more points?
Yes: +5 on top of the win, the same as a KO or TKO. That makes a submission win 30 base points.
QAre jiu-jitsu tournaments ranked?
Not as a priority discipline. Other martial arts need Technical Committee approval; MMA, Kickboxing, Boxing and Muay Thai are ranked now.
QWhich continental table am I in?
South America.
QI am Brazilian and train in the UAE. Which branch handles my application?
KBN Brazil, if Brazil is the country on your KBN profile.
Figures in this article are computed from the KBN register at the time of reading. View, like and share counters on this demo site are sample values.