Advantages and Referee Decisions

In IBJJF tournaments, matches may not always end in submissions or clear point differences. To account for this, referees award advantages for near submissions, near sweeps, or strong guard pass attempts. These small margins often determine the outcome of tightly contested matches.

If the match is tied on both points and advantages, referees will make a decision based on aggression, initiative, and control. Understanding this system is crucial for competitors to avoid leaving matches in the hands of subjective judgment.