IBJJF No-Gi Rules: Rashguard Colors and Ranked Rashguards Explained
Not sure if your rashguard will pass the uniform check? Here's what the IBJJF no gi rules say about colors, ranked rashguards, shorts and spats.
You've signed up for your first tournament, and now you're staring at a drawer full of rashguards. Which one won't get you sent back at the uniform check? The IBJJF no gi rules on clothing are short, but they're strict, and the color part trips up a lot of people.
Here's the quick version first, then the details.
Short answer: Under the IBJJF no gi rules, your rashguard must be skin-tight, made of elastic material and long enough to cover your torso. It has to be black, white, or black and white, with at least 10% of your belt color. It can also be fully in your belt color. Shorts can't have pockets, zippers or metal parts.
One honest note before we start. Rules get updated, so always check the current IBJJF rulebook and the event page before you compete. Think of this post as a friendly walkthrough, not the official word.
What the IBJJF no gi rules say about rashguards
The IBJJF uniform page covers three things for your top: fit, coverage and color. Get those right and you're most of the way there.
- Fit: the shirt must be elastic and skin-tight. Loose T-shirts, tank tops and baggy training tops are out.
- Coverage: it has to be long enough to cover your torso. A cropped top that rides up won't cut it.
- Color: black, white, or black and white, with at least 10% of your rank color. A shirt fully in your rank color is fine too.
What about sleeves? The uniform page doesn't set a separate sleeve-length rule for no gi, and plenty of people compete in short sleeves. If you're unsure, check the current rulebook rather than guessing.
The 10% belt color rule
This is the part of the IBJJF no gi rules that people miss most. Your rashguard has to show your belt color, so a blue belt needs blue on the shirt and a purple belt needs purple. The idea is simple: the referee and your opponent can see your rank at a glance.
So a plain black rashguard with a tiny logo isn't automatically safe for a blue belt. If the blue is just a small badge, it may not reach 10%. A black shirt with blue sleeves or side panels is the classic way to solve it.
White belts and black belts
White belts have it easy, because white is your rank color. An all-white rashguard, or a black-and-white design with plenty of white, is the usual pick.
Black belts can wear black, since that's their rank color. The rules also tolerate a small red area for black belts, as long as it doesn't hide the rank color.
Designs most likely to cause trouble
Based on the IBJJF no gi rules as written, these are the shirts we'd leave at home on competition day:
- Full-print designs where most of the shirt is red, green, camo or neon.
- A rashguard in the wrong belt color, like a blue belt in a purple ranked top.
- Anything loose, cropped or not made of stretch fabric.
Your everyday training rashguard can be as loud as you like. Save the wild prints for the academy and bring a rule-friendly top to the event.
Ranked rashguards: what they are and why people wear them
A ranked rashguard is a top designed around your belt color. Most are black or white with panels, sleeves or stripes in the color of your rank. There's usually one version per belt, from white to black.
They're popular for two reasons. First, the color scheme is built with competition in mind. Second, lots of academies like seeing ranks in no gi class, so you know who you're rolling with.
Here's the catch: "ranked rashguard" isn't an official IBJJF term. What counts under the IBJJF no gi rules is the actual color balance of the shirt you're wearing. Before you buy one for a tournament, look at how much of it is black, white or your belt color, and how much is something else.
If you train at 10th Planet in Slovenia, our ranked belt rashguards come in every rank from white to black belt. Planning to compete in one? Hold the design up against the color rule above first. And if you're still figuring out where you are on the ladder, our guide to the BJJ belt system explains ranks and stripes.
Shorts, spats and the rest of your kit
The IBJJF no gi rules cover your bottom half too, and they differ a little for men and women. Here's how the uniform page lays it out.
| Item | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Main bottoms | Board shorts | Shorts, spats (compression pants) and/or compression shorts |
| Colors | Black, white, black and white, and/or rank color | Black, white, or black and white |
| Length (shorts) | At least halfway down the thigh, no longer than the knee | At least halfway down the thigh, no longer than the knee |
| Not allowed | Pockets (unless stitched shut), buttons, exposed drawstrings, zippers, plastic or metal parts | Buttons, zippers, or plastic or metal parts |
| Underneath | Skin-tight compression shorts in an approved color | Not applicable |
A few practical tips. Tuck your drawstring inside the waistband so it isn't exposed. Check that your shorts don't have a zipped key pocket hiding somewhere. And if you like an extra layer, plain black compression shorts or spats keep things simple on the color front.
How to pass the uniform check without stress
Nobody wants to be the person sprinting to the merch stand ten minutes before their match. A little prep saves you that.
- Read the rulebook a week out. Check the current IBJJF rulebook and the event page, since details can change.
- Lay out your kit. Check the rashguard color, the shorts length and every pocket.
- Pack a backup top. A rashguard in your belt color, or a black or white one with plenty of it, is a good spare.
- Check the fit. Your top should stay tucked and cover your torso when you move.
- Know which rules apply. The IBJJF no gi rules only apply at IBJJF events. Other organizations and local tournaments set their own.
Good hygiene matters too. Short nails, clean kit and no open cuts make life easier for everyone, including the person checking uniforms.
Quick answers
Can I wear a short sleeve rashguard at an IBJJF no gi event?
The uniform page asks for a skin-tight shirt long enough to cover your torso, and doesn't set a separate sleeve rule. Many competitors wear short sleeves. The IBJJF no gi rules can change, so check the current rulebook if you want to be sure.
Can a blue belt wear a plain black rashguard?
Only if at least 10% of it is blue. A plain black shirt with a small blue logo may fall short. Black belts are the exception, since black is their rank color.
Does my rashguard have to be an official IBJJF product?
The uniform page sets rules on fit and color. It doesn't say the shirt has to come from a particular brand.
Are the IBJJF no gi rules the same at every tournament?
No. They apply to IBJJF events. Other organizations write their own uniform rules, so read the event page every time.
Wrapping up
The IBJJF no gi rules boil down to this: tight shirt, torso covered, black or white with your belt color, and shorts with no pockets, zippers or metal. Check the current rulebook before you compete, pack a backup and you'll breeze through the uniform check.
Need a fresh top for training or the next event? Browse our BJJ and MMA rashguards, and use the rashguard size guide to nail the fit.
Sources
Gear up for the mats.
Rashguards, shorts and spats built for hard rounds. Sublimated, so the print never cracks or peels.
