The short answer is yes, there are belts in some No-Gi BJJ systems or styles. A prime example is Eddie Bravo’s 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu, a non traditional BJJ system practiced without the Gi. 10th Planet ranks it’s practitioners with the standard colored belt system used in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that goes from white to black. Even though they favor colored rashguards to denote the different levels, some academies will use physical belts in promotions, specially when awarding a black belt.

Another prominent BJJ Professor known early on for awarding No-Gi BJJ belts is Chris Brennan. Brennan fought and won in the first Lightweight bout in the UFC. He has stated that the last time he trained in the Gi was as a blue belt. Since then he has solely concentrated in No-Gi both as a competitor and coach.

It’s important to mention awarding belts in No-Gi BJJ is not the norm. Most academies offer both Gi and No-Gi training, and they promote their students only with the gi, and even though there is an increasing number of schools and camps that work exclusively without the gi, awarding belts in No-Gi BJJ is still frowned upon by many of the older and more traditional jiu-jitsu practitioners.

Most BJJ federations don’t recognize or endorse No-Gi belts yet, however this is starting to change. The WSWF (World Submission Wrestling Federation) recognizes No-Gi BJJ belts, not as a new or separate martial art but simply as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with the No-Gi distinction. The WSWF works with certified BJJ black belts of a traditional lineage (that goes back to Mitsuyo Maeda) who believe in the advantages of utilizing the belt system for No-Gi BJJ, like differentiating the levels of expertise both in training and in competition, rewarding the hard work and dedication that No-Gi BJJ students put in, and instilling the martial arts ethos in its practitioners. This also allows for a more seamless transition for wrestlers who are looking to cross-train in jiu-jitusu, and it promotes the growth of the sport by welcoming new practitioners who were previously put off by the Gi requirement. After all we are all different.

In conclusion, while there is still some controversy surrounding the awarding of belts in No-Gi BJJ, many practitioners believe that it is a valuable addition to the sport. With the increased popularity of No-Gi BJJ competitions, it is likely that more federations will begin to recognize No-Gi BJJ belts in the near future.