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TGSO ABSOLUTE PIT CHALLENGE

No Weight Classes. No Points. No Excuses. One Winner.

The TGSO Absolute Pit Challenge is TGSO’s premier submission-only competition, exclusively for Brown and Black Belt athletes.

Men’s and Women’s Absolute divisions are held separately. During the Pit Challenge, all other tournament mats pause, putting the spotlight entirely on the athletes stepping into the TGSO Pit.

The objective is simple:

Hunt the submission.

 

ELIGIBILITY & COMPETITION FORMAT

  • Open to Brown and Black Belt competitors only.

  • Men’s and Women’s Absolute divisions are held separately.

  • This is an absolute division with no weight classes.

  • The same legal techniques permitted for Brown and Black Belts in the regular TGSO tournament are permitted in the Pit Challenge.

  • There are no points or advantages.

  • Regulation matches are 10 minutes.

  • The Final is 12 minutes.

  • All TGSO competition rules, referee authority, safety standards, and Code of Conduct policies remain in effect throughout the Pit Challenge.

SUBMIT TO ADVANCE

The TGSO Absolute Pit Challenge is designed to reward athletes who actively pursue the finish.

Opening Rounds & Quarterfinals

A submission is required to advance.

If regulation time expires without a submission, both competitors are eliminated from the Pit Challenge.

There is:

No overtime.
No referee decision.
No advancement without a submission.

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Semifinals

Semifinal matches have a 10-minute regulation period.

If regulation expires without a submission, the match will proceed to EBI overtime to determine which competitor advances to the Final.

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Final

The championship match has a 12-minute regulation period. If neither competitor secures a submission during regulation, the match will proceed to EBI overtime to determine the champion. However, reaching overtime in the Final affects the champion’s cash payout as explained below.

SUBMIT TO ADVANCE. SUBMIT IN THE FINAL TO CLAIM THE FULL PURSE.

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REGISTRATION & CASH PRIZE ELIGIBILITY

Registration for the TGSO Absolute Pit Challenge is $100 per competitor.

A minimum of 8 registered competitors in an individual Absolute division is required for that division to qualify for a cash prize.

The 8-competitor requirement applies separately to the Men’s and Women’s Absolute divisions.

When a division reaches at least 8 registered competitors and a qualifying champion is crowned:

100% of that division’s Pit Challenge entry fees go toward the athlete prize pool.

TGSO will then contribute an additional:

$500

Sponsor contributions may increase the purse even further.

 

 WINNER-TAKE-ALL PURSE

When a qualifying champion wins the Final by submission during regulation, the champion receives the entire applicable winner-take-all purse.

  • 8 Competitors

$800 — Competitor entry fees
+ $500 — TGSO contribution
+ 100% of applicable sponsor prize contributions

$1,300+ WINNER-TAKE-ALL

  • 10 Competitors

$1,000 — Competitor entry fees
+ $500 — TGSO contribution
+ 100% of applicable sponsor prize contributions

$1,500+ WINNER-TAKE-ALL

  • 20 Competitors

$2,000 — Competitor entry fees
+ $500 — TGSO contribution
+ 100% of applicable sponsor prize contributions

$2,500+ WINNER-TAKE-ALL

There is no fixed maximum purse.

For every additional competitor who registers, another $100 is added to the applicable prize pool, along with any applicable sponsor contributions.

MORE COMPETITORS. BIGGER PURSE.

 

IF FEWER THAN 8 COMPETITORS REGISTER

If fewer than 8 competitors register for an individual Men’s or Women’s Absolute division, the Pit Challenge may still take place; however, no winner’s cash purse will be awarded for that division at that tournament.

Instead:

  • 100% of the Pit Challenge entry fees collected for that division will roll over to the corresponding Pit Challenge prize pool at the next scheduled TGSO tournament.

  • 100% of applicable sponsor prize contributions will also roll over to the next scheduled TGSO tournament.

  • TGSO’s additional $500 contribution does not roll over.

TGSO contributes its additional $500 only when a qualifying cash-prize champion is crowned at that event.

The competitor and sponsor funds remain dedicated to the athletes and become part of the next qualifying Pit Challenge purse.

 

IF NO ONE ADVANCES FROM THE FIRST ROUND

Because a submission is required to advance during the opening rounds, there is a rare possibility that an entire division could end without anyone advancing.

If no competitor in an entire Absolute division secures a submission during the first round, no champion will be crowned, and the winner’s purse will not be awarded at that tournament.

In that situation:

  • 100% of the competitor entry fees allocated to that prize pool will roll over to the corresponding Pit Challenge at the next scheduled TGSO tournament.

  • 100% of applicable sponsor prize contributions will roll over with the purse.

  • TGSO’s additional $500 will not be added, because a qualifying cash-prize champion was not crowned.

The purse exists to reward submission grappling.

 

 FINAL OVERTIME & CHARITY CONTRIBUTION

A champion can still be determined through EBI overtime in the Final, but the full purse is reserved for a champion who earns the victory by submission during regulation.

If the 12-minute Final reaches EBI overtime, the eventual champion will receive 60% OF THE APPLICABLE PURSE, the remaining 40% will be donated in the champion’s name to a charity of their choice.

Example:

If the applicable prize purse is $2,500 and the Final is decided in overtime:

$1,500 (60%) — Awarded to the champion

$1,000 (40%) — Donated in the champion’s name to their chosen charity

The champion still earns the title of TGSO Absolute Pit Challenge Champion, while a portion of the purse creates an impact beyond the competition.

FINISH IN REGULATION. CLAIM THE FULL PURSE.

 

 PERFORMANCE AWARDS

Winning the bracket isn’t the only performance TGSO wants to recognize.

Additional awards are available to athletes who embody the aggressive, submission-focused spirit of the Pit Challenge.

  • $250 — FASTEST SUBMISSION

The competitor who records the fastest submission of the TGSO Absolute Pit Challenge will receive $250.

  • $250 — MOST EXCITING MATCH OF THE NIGHT

The two athletes selected for the Most Exciting Match of the Night will split a $250 award.

Each athlete receives $125, and both competitors receive FREE ENTRY TO THE NEXT TGSO TOURNAMENT.

The award recognizes a match that demonstrates exciting exchanges, technical grappling, submission attempts, competitive spirit, and the action the TGSO Pit Challenge was created to showcase.

 

 SPONSORS & ATHLETE CONTRIBUTIONS

Sponsors may contribute additional funds to the Men’s and/or Women’s Absolute prize pools according to their applicable TGSO sponsorship tier.

Most importantly:

100% OF SPONSOR PRIZE CONTRIBUTIONS GO TOWARD THE ATHLETES.

TGSO does not retain any portion of sponsor funds specifically contributed to the Pit Challenge athlete prize pool.

Applicable sponsor contributions are added on top of competitor entry fees and, when a qualifying champion is crowned, TGSO’s $500 contribution.

If a division does not qualify for a monetary prize, applicable sponsor prize contributions roll over with the competitor-funded purse to the next scheduled TGSO tournament.

Participating sponsors will receive recognition according to their sponsorship tier, including a business shout-out during the prize/check presentation.

 

 THE PIT — LIVE

The TGSO Absolute Pit Challenge is a featured portion of the tournament and will be streamed on YouTube.

This gives athletes, sponsors, friends, family, and members of the grappling community an opportunity to experience the Pit Challenge beyond the live venue.

During the Pit Challenge:

ALL OTHER TOURNAMENT MATS PAUSE.

The attention of the venue turns to the Pit and the Brown and Black Belt athletes competing for the championship.

 

THE TGSO PIT

One Pit. One Champion.

Brown & Black Belts.

Men’s & Women’s Absolutes.

No weight classes.

10-minute regulation matches.

12-minute Final.

No points.

No advantages.

No referee decisions during regulation.

Submit to advance.

Submit in the Final to claim the full purse.

NO POINTS. NO EXCUSES.

STAY TRUE TO YOUR GAME.

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