Outside context
Independent rankings help show how Bailey's results are viewed beyond her own website.
Youth Grappling · Pound-for-Pound
Where does Bailey stand pound-for-pound?
On September 29, 2026, Bailey moved to No. 1 on Jits.gg's overall youth pound-for-pound board — boys and girls together. It is a milestone, not a finish line.
Where Bailey stands
No. 1 overall on Jits.gg's youth pound-for-pound board.
When observed on September 29, 2026, Jits.gg listed Bailey at No. 1 overall with a 8,386 rating and S-Tier designation. ADCC's separate ranking system still lists her No. 1 in US Girls Advanced Age 11–12 and No. 2 in US Girls Advanced Overall.
Those rankings sit on top of the competitive record: world titles across Gi and NoGi, an ADCC Youth Absolute championship, four straight Pan Kids championships and documented results against elite youth opponents.
Rankings move, so every position on this page is attributed and date-stamped. The championship results and direct competition below show what sits behind the snapshots.
What pound-for-pound should measure
More than a medal count.
Pound-for-pound gets interesting when size matters less. The questions become: Who has Bailey faced? What happened when she moved divisions? Can she win at open weight? Does she perform across more than one ruleset? And how strong are the championships behind the résumé?
Major championships
World championships, Pan Kids and other major events matter more than simply adding up wins.
Who she has faced
Repeated results against accomplished and highly ranked opponents show the level of competition in front of Bailey.
Weight-class context
Bailey's size, the divisions she enters and what happens when she faces larger athletes all matter in a pound-for-pound discussion.
Open-weight performance
Absolute competition removes the protection of a fixed weight class and tests how well Bailey's game travels against bigger opponents.
Ruleset breadth
Gi and NoGi success across multiple organizations shows that Bailey's results are not confined to one competitive format.
Sources
Brackets, event records and match media are available lower on the relevant result pages for readers who want to check the details.
Youth vs. Adult Competition
Competing with adults can strengthen the case. It does not define it.
A youth pound-for-pound comparison starts with athletes who are still competing in the youth landscape. Once an athlete has aged into adult competition, she is no longer being measured inside the same category.
Adult-division success can still tell us something important about a youth athlete. But who she faced and what she accomplished matters more than simply entering an adult bracket.
The same is true when Bailey moves between weight classes. Going up in weight or entering an Absolute division becomes meaningful when the result shows what she can do without a size advantage.
Youth eligibility
The athlete still needs to belong to the youth competitive population being compared.
Adult-division results
Success against adults can strengthen a youth athlete's case, but the level of those opponents matters.
Size context
Moving up in weight and succeeding at open weight helps show what Bailey can do when size is no longer neutral.
The championships behind the case
The results that changed Bailey's position.
2026 Super Grand Slam
Bailey completed the 2026 IBJJF Kids Grand Slam and then won the ADCC Youth World 40 kg championship.
Inaugural ADCC Youth Absolute Champion
After winning the 40 kg world title, Bailey entered and won the inaugural Girls 11–12 Absolute championship.
Four consecutive Pan Kids championships
Bailey won IBJJF Pan Kids in four consecutive years, from 2023 through 2026.
Two-time ADCC Youth World Champion
Bailey won ADCC Youth World titles in 2024 and 2026 as she progressed through age and weight divisions.
Who Bailey has faced
The names across the mat matter too.
Pound-for-pound is not only about trophies. Direct competition against other accomplished youth athletes helps show the level Bailey has actually had to beat.
Bailey Heinsohn & Ella Desario
Across 8 documented meetings with Ella Desario, Bailey's record is 7–1.
Bailey Heinsohn & Thea White
Bailey Heinsohn has won all 4 documented meetings with Thea White.
Bailey Heinsohn & Cali Grounds
Bailey Heinsohn has won all 3 documented meetings with Cali Grounds.
The open-weight test
Why the Absolute title matters.
At the 2026 ADCC Youth World Championships, Bailey first won the Girls 11–12 40 kg world title and then entered the inaugural Girls 11–12 Absolute division. The other three athletes in the Absolute bracket had competed at 44 kg. Bailey won the open-weight title too.
Quick Answers
How to read a youth pound-for-pound ranking.
Is there an official No. 1 youth grappler?
No single governing body awards a universal youth pound-for-pound title. Jits.gg provides an independent youth ranking, while ADCC maintains its own competition ranking system. They measure different things and should be read separately.
What makes someone a top youth grappler pound-for-pound?
Major championships, strong opponents, results across weight classes, open-weight performance and success across different rulesets all matter.
Why do weight classes matter?
Pound-for-pound comparisons are meant to reduce the effect of body size. Moving between divisions and succeeding against larger opponents helps show how well an athlete's game travels.
What supports Bailey's case right now?
Jits.gg placed Bailey No. 1 overall on the unfiltered youth pound-for-pound board in the dated snapshot above. ADCC's rankings separately placed her No. 1 in Girls Advanced Age 11–12 and No. 2 in Girls Advanced Overall. Her major championships, ADCC Youth Absolute title and direct results against elite opponents provide the competitive context around those rankings.
Where that leaves Bailey
The rankings say it. The record explains why.
Jits.gg ranked Bailey No. 1 overall on its youth pound-for-pound board. ADCC separately ranked her No. 1 in Girls Advanced Age 11–12 and No. 2 in Girls Advanced Overall. Her world titles, Pan Kids run, open-weight championship and results against elite youth competitors give those rankings competitive context.