UFC BJJ: Road to the Title – Episode 7 Recap

Injuries, instant replacements, and the first finals ticket punched

The semifinal stage delivered drama before the cage door even shut. An injury forced a last-second bracket shakeup, two teammates fought for family pride, and by the end of the night the first lightweight finalist was crowned.

📺 Watch here: UFC BJJ: Road to the Title | Episode 7

Welterweight Showdown

Andrew Tacket vs. Jason Nolf

A torn-up elbow sidelined Elijah Carlton, handing Jason Nolf a second life and a date with number-one seed Andrew Tacket. Both men brought wrestling heat from the start, snapping collars and trading level changes. Midway through round one Tacket slipped behind off a scramble, patiently setting the hooks and tightening a rear-naked choke for the tap.

Tacket now rides two straight submissions into the welterweight final. Nolf owned the tactical miscue post-match, vowing he would lean even harder on his wrestling if they ever meet again.

Lightweight Semifinal

Danilo Morera vs. Kyvann Gonzalez

A friendly rivalry turned fierce when Musumeci teammates squared off. The lanky Brazilian Morera opened with pressure passing and multiple back takes; the shorter New Jersey native Gonzalez answered with inversions and leg entanglements that had the crowd on edge.

• Round 1: Morera dominated position, nearly finishing a rear-naked choke.
• Round 2: Gonzalez rallied with off-balance sweeps and a deep leg-lock entry, yet Morera’s knee-cut pressure stole the momentum back.
• Round 3: Another frantic leg battle gave Gonzalez hope, but Morera escaped, passed, and locked a tight d’arce at the horn.

Judges awarded Morera a unanimous decision. The Brazilian raised his infant son after the bout, promising to become the first UFC BJJ lightweight champion for his family.

Gonzalez summed up the week with a smile: “One of the best weeks of my life. I tried as hard as I could.”

Injury Heartbreak and Sportsmanship

Carlton’s exit stung. Visibly emotional, he iced his arm while congratulating Nolf on the opportunity. “Not everybody gets two chances,” Nolf said, embracing the wounded welterweight. The scene underscored the series’ balance of ruthless stakes and shared respect.

Semifinals Still to Come

Episode 8 will decide the final slots for UFC BJJ 1.

• Welterweight: Team Gabriel’s trash-talking 2-seed Andy Varela meets Team Musumeci’s 3-seed Davis Assari in a collision of cardio and leg-lock traps.
• Lightweight: Team Musumeci training partners Isaac Doederlein and Carlos Enrique square off for the last ticket to the championship round.

One more night, two more wars, and the finals bracket will be set. Do not blink.