NAGA San Diego Team Champions — that’s how 10th Planet finished an incredible day of competition on September 12, 2026, capturing both the Kids Team Championship and Adult Overall Team Championship.
For 10th Planet Poway, however, the story was about much more than two trophies.
We showed up with a huge Poway squad, including nearly 20 young competitors from our rapidly growing Kids Jiu Jitsu Program, along with members of our adult competition team.
Some athletes competed under 10th Planet Poway, while others were registered under 10th Planet Freaks or 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu. At the end of the day, we were all contributing points toward the same larger 10th Planet team.
We share the points.
We share the trophies.
And on Saturday, 10th Planet walked away with both of them.
Becoming NAGA San Diego Team Champions in both kids and adults was an awesome accomplishment. For us in Poway, it was also a chance to see just how quickly our academy is growing—and how much of the work happening inside the gym is translating to competition.
Our kids wrestled.
They scrambled.
They attacked.
They won a lot of matches and brought home a pile of medals.
Our adults put important points on the board too.
Most importantly, our team showed up for one another.
It was a great day to be part of 10th Planet.
Nearly 20 Kids From Poway Hit the Mats
One of the things we’re most proud of right now is the growth of our Kids Jiu Jitsu Program.
At NAGA San Diego, that growth was impossible to miss.
We brought nearly 20 kids from Poway to compete.
Maya, Foster, Murphy, Kona, Roman, Cordell, James, Oliver, Connor, Christian, Kayden, Jenmille, Cordelius, Jackson, Caleb, Ben, Charlotte, and more all stepped onto the competition mats representing our team.
That’s a serious kids squad.
And these kids didn’t just show up.
They came prepared.
They’ve been working hard leading into this tournament, and our coaches have watched their confidence, technique, wrestling, and overall understanding of Jiu Jitsu improve dramatically.
At NAGA, they got an opportunity to put all of it to the test.
There were gold medals, submissions, takedowns, tough scrambles, close matches, big wins, and plenty of lessons we’ll bring back into the gym.
Some of our kids are already becoming experienced competitors.
Others are still learning what tournament Jiu Jitsu feels like.
That’s part of what made the day so exciting.
We weren’t watching one or two standout competitors carry the group.
We were watching a team develop.
Becoming NAGA San Diego Team Champions was a great reward for a group of young athletes who have been putting in the work together every week.
The Wrestling Is Working
If there was one thing our coaches noticed throughout the tournament, it was this:
The wrestling work is paying off.
We’ve been putting a major emphasis on wrestling leading up to NAGA.
Not simply memorizing a double-leg or learning how to score two points.
We’re trying to teach our students how to actually wrestle.
That means stance, hand fighting, balance, pressure, level changes, finishing takedowns, scrambling, getting back to the feet, staying on top, and—most importantly—connecting all of those skills directly into Jiu Jitsu.
At NAGA San Diego, we saw it happening.
Our kids looked increasingly comfortable initiating exchanges instead of waiting for their opponents to dictate the match.
They were fighting through takedowns, reacting during scrambles, and understanding that the exchange doesn’t stop when somebody hits the floor.
That’s exactly what we’ve been working toward.
Modern No-Gi Jiu Jitsu continues to become increasingly wrestling-heavy. Being dangerous from guard will always matter, but the ability to determine where a match takes place gives a grappler another level of control.
That’s why our Poway Wrestling Program has become such an important part of developing complete grapplers.
The improvement we saw on Saturday played a major role in helping the larger 10th Planet team become NAGA San Diego Team Champions.
More importantly, it told us something about the direction of our program:
The plan is working.
A Coaching Staff Invested in the Kids
None of this happens without coaches who care about developing the next generation.
Colby Bartholmey, Kevin Berbrich, Joshua Jackson, and Anthony have been putting in serious work with our kids.
Tournament day is only the part everyone sees.
The real coaching happens during all those regular afternoons inside the academy.
Correcting technique.
Drilling takedowns.
Fixing mistakes.
Helping kids understand positions.
Pushing them through difficult rounds.
Teaching them when to attack and when to slow down.
And sometimes simply helping a young student believe they’re capable of more than they think they are.
Then tournament day arrives.
Suddenly there’s a referee in the middle, another academy across the mat, parents watching, teammates yelling, and an opponent trying as hard as possible to win.
That’s when you find out which lessons stuck.
At NAGA San Diego, a lot of them stuck.
Our coaches spent the day moving from mat to mat, cornering our competitors through match after match and helping guide the kids to a bunch of gold medals.
Seeing the results is rewarding.
Seeing the development behind those results is even better.
You can learn more about the team behind our programs on the 10th Planet Poway Instructors page.
Building a Kids Powerhouse From the Ground Up
The Kids Team Championship means a lot to us.
But what excites us even more is what it represents.
A competition team doesn’t suddenly appear.
It grows one student at a time.
A beginner walks through the door.
They start learning.
They make friends.
They become more confident.
Eventually, maybe they decide to try a tournament.
Then another.
Soon they’re one of the experienced kids helping a first-time competitor get ready for their own first match.
That’s how a culture develops.
And when you suddenly look around a tournament venue and see nearly 20 kids from your academy waiting for matches, you realize how much things have changed.
10th Planet Poway is growing fast.
We’re developing a deep group of young grapplers who train together, compete together, support one another, and genuinely want to see their teammates succeed.
Not every one of those kids needs to become a serious competitor.
That’s not the point.
But for the ones who want to compete, we want to build a program capable of preparing them to step onto any mat believing they belong there.
Helping the team become NAGA San Diego Team Champions was another big step in that direction.
David Gets His Rematch
The kids weren’t the only ones putting points on the board.
Our adults had a great day as well, and one of our favorite performances came from David Antonio.
David looked outstanding throughout the tournament.
But one match in particular meant a little more.
At the previous IBJJF San Diego Open, David faced one of the best blue belts in his division and came up short.
That’s competition.
Sometimes you win.
Sometimes an opponent exposes something you need to improve.
The important part is what happens next.
David went back to work.
At NAGA, he got the opportunity to face that opponent again.
This time, David got the win.
Those are some of the most rewarding moments for a coach.
Not because losing one match needs to become personal, but because competition gives you honest feedback. You identify what went wrong, make adjustments, put in the work, and hope you eventually get another opportunity to test those improvements.
David got that opportunity.
And he delivered.
We couldn’t be prouder of the progress he’s making.
It’s another example of the competitive development happening inside our No-Gi Jiu Jitsu Program.
Submissions, Scraps and a First-Tournament Cardio Lesson
David wasn’t the only adult putting points on the board.
The adult squad had its own role to play in becoming NAGA San Diego Team Champions, with strong performances throughout the lineup.
Kyle put in work and battled through his matches while contributing to the team’s overall effort.
Aaron went on a submission run, finishing his way through the bracket and into the finals.
Sajjon added another highlight with a slick armbar.
Our wrestling coach Tyson Knierim got out of the coaching role for a little while and jumped onto the mats himself, getting into a few good scraps and putting his own wrestling to use.
Then we had Adrian.
For his first Jiu Jitsu tournament, Adrian apparently decided one division wasn’t enough.
So he entered two.
That turned into somewhere around six matches, including a stretch that felt like they came back-to-back-to-back-to-back.
That’s one way to learn about tournament cardio.
Quickly.
Adrian got a crash course in managing adrenaline, recovering between matches, competing while exhausted, and discovering that a few minutes on a tournament mat can somehow feel considerably longer than a few minutes inside the academy.
That’s exactly what a first competition is supposed to do.
You leave knowing things about your Jiu Jitsu—and your gas tank—that are difficult to discover anywhere else.
Then you go back to the gym and get better.
Every Point Mattered
The great thing about a team championship is that there isn’t one person responsible for winning it.
David’s matches mattered.
Aaron’s submissions mattered.
Sajjon’s armbar mattered.
Kyle’s battles mattered.
Tyson’s scraps mattered.
Adrian surviving his tournament marathon mattered.
And all across the venue, our kids were doing the same thing.
One match at a time.
One medal at a time.
One point at a time.
Becoming NAGA San Diego Team Champions required contributions throughout the lineup, and that’s exactly what the team received.
Athletes representing different branches of the 10th Planet family competed under 10th Planet Poway, 10th Planet Freaks, and 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu, with those performances contributing toward the larger team effort.
At the end of the tournament, that effort produced two championships:
Kids Team Champions.
Adult Overall Team Champions.
That’s what being part of a team is supposed to feel like.
For anyone interested in the tournament itself, NAGA hosts grappling events around the country, while tournament registration, brackets, and match information are managed through Smoothcomp.
Poway Showed Up
The trophies belong to the larger 10th Planet team.
We’re proud to share them with everyone who competed, coached, and contributed points toward those championships.
At the same time, we’re extremely proud of the presence 10th Planet Poway had at this tournament.
Poway showed up.
We brought a big squad.
Our Kids Program showed how quickly it’s growing.
Our wrestling showed measurable improvement.
Our competitors won matches and medals.
Our adults delivered important points.
Our coaches spent the entire day running from mat to mat.
And our teammates supported each other through all of it.
That’s what makes this tournament feel bigger than simply adding another trophy to the academy.
We’re watching a competition culture grow in real time.
And this isn’t happening in isolation.
Our adult competition team has already been putting together a great run, including recently bringing another IBJJF San Diego Adult & Masters No-Gi Team Championship back to Poway.
Now our kids are beginning to build their own reputation.
That’s exciting.
The Trophies Are Feedback
Winning is fun.
We’re competitors. We’re not going to pretend otherwise.
If we enter a tournament, we want to win.
But trophies are also information.
They tell us whether the things we’re emphasizing in practice are holding up against people who don’t train with us every day.
At NAGA, we learned a lot.
Our wrestling emphasis is working.
Our kids are getting more comfortable under pressure.
Our competition group is getting deeper.
Our coaches are developing students who can make decisions for themselves once the match starts.
And the overall level inside the academy continues to rise.
There are still plenty of things to improve.
There always will be.
That’s the point.
We celebrate the wins, learn from every match, and then get back to work.
But for one Saturday in San Diego, we’re going to enjoy this one.
NAGA San Diego Team Champions.
Kids and adults.
A huge Poway squad.
A lot of medals.
A lot of lessons.
And another sign that 10th Planet Poway is becoming a powerhouse competition team.
We’re growing fast.
And we’re just getting started.
Want Your Child to Be Part of 10th Planet Poway?
Here’s something worth remembering about all of the kids you saw competing for us at NAGA:
Every one of them started as a beginner.
Our Kids Jiu Jitsu Program isn’t only for competitors.
We use No-Gi Jiu Jitsu and wrestling to help kids develop confidence, discipline, resilience, teamwork, problem-solving skills, and the ability to remain composed when things get difficult.
Some kids eventually fall in love with tournaments.
Others simply love training.
Both are welcome.
For families looking for Kids Jiu Jitsu in Poway or San Diego, 10th Planet Poway offers age-appropriate training for kids from complete beginners through experienced competitors.
Adults can explore our No-Gi Jiu Jitsu Program and Wrestling Program.
Ready to see what we’re building?
View our 10th Planet Poway class schedule, meet our coaching staff, or contact 10th Planet Poway to get started.
We’ll see you on the mats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the NAGA San Diego Team Champions in 2026?
The NAGA San Diego Team Champions in both the Kids and Adult Overall team competitions were 10th Planet. Athletes competing under 10th Planet Poway, 10th Planet Freaks, and the larger 10th Planet team contributed toward the championships.
How many kids did 10th Planet Poway bring to NAGA San Diego?
10th Planet Poway brought nearly 20 kids from its growing youth program, making it one of the academy’s strongest youth competition turnouts to date.
Why does 10th Planet Poway emphasize wrestling?
Wrestling gives grapplers the ability to influence where a match takes place while developing takedowns, balance, hand fighting, scrambling, top control, and the ability to connect standing exchanges directly into Jiu Jitsu.
Students interested in developing those skills can learn more about our Poway Wrestling Program.
Does my child need competition experience to join?
No. Kids can begin with zero Jiu Jitsu or wrestling experience. Competition is available for students who want to test themselves, but students do not have to compete to be part of the program.
Learn more about Kids Jiu Jitsu at 10th Planet Poway.
Does 10th Planet Poway offer adult Jiu Jitsu?
Yes. 10th Planet Poway is a 100% No-Gi academy offering Jiu Jitsu, Wrestling, and Muay Thai for adults ranging from complete beginners to experienced competitors.
Visit our No-Gi Jiu Jitsu page or view our current class schedule to learn more.
Related Reading
- Kids Jiu Jitsu at 10th Planet Poway — Learn more about our growing youth program and how we introduce kids to No-Gi Jiu Jitsu.
- Poway Wrestling Program — See how wrestling fits into the complete grappling system we’re developing for kids and adults.
- No-Gi Jiu Jitsu at 10th Planet Poway — Learn more about our adult No-Gi program and competition-focused training.
- Meet the 10th Planet Poway Coaches — Get to know the instructors working with our kids, adults, and competition athletes.
- Gi vs. No-Gi Jiu Jitsu: What’s the Difference? — Learn about the differences between Gi and No-Gi training and why 10th Planet Poway specializes in No-Gi.
- What Is Grappling in MMA? — Explore how wrestling, Jiu Jitsu, submissions, and positional control come together in modern grappling.
- 10th Planet Poway Blog — Follow our latest tournament results, seminars, academy news, and Jiu Jitsu articles.
Tournament Resources
- NAGA — North American Grappling Association — Learn more about NAGA tournaments, divisions, rules, and upcoming events.
- 2026 NAGA San Diego Smoothcomp Brackets — View tournament brackets and match information.
About 10th Planet Poway
Located in Poway, California, 10th Planet Poway is a 100% No-Gi academy offering Jiu Jitsu, Wrestling, Muay Thai, Kids Jiu Jitsu, and Kids Muay Thai.
Since opening in 2018, our academy has grown into a team of beginners, families, recreational grapplers, and high-level competitors training together under one roof.
Our goal is simple: provide world-class instruction in an environment where students can work hard, improve, support their teammates, and enjoy the process.
Learn more about 10th Planet Poway and the 10th Planet system, or contact us to start training.
Whether you’re stepping onto the mats for the first time or preparing for your next tournament, there’s a place for you at 10th Planet Poway.
