Victor Hugo, the 2026 ADCC World Champion at +99kg, has signed with ONE Championship.

He will make his promotional debut on November 6 at ONE Fight Night 49 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, where he will face former IBJJF No-Gi World Champion Devhonte Johnson in an openweight submission grappling match.[1][2]

Victor Hugo Enters ONE After an All-Submission ADCC Run

Hugo won the +99kg division at the 2026 ADCC World Championships, finishing all four of his matches by submission and defeating Josh Saunders in the final.

According to ONE Championship, all four of those submissions came from guard, highlighting one of the defining features of Hugo’s game: despite competing in the heaviest division, he is highly dangerous from bottom position.[2]

The 29-year-old Brazilian holds a professional grappling record of 125 wins, 31 losses, and 2 draws, and is also a four-time IBJJF World Champion.[2]

Hugo joins Helena Crevar and Pawel Jaworski as 2026 ADCC champions currently signed to ONE Championship.[2]

He trains at Six Blades Jiu-Jitsu under Xande Ribeiro. His teammate Rafael Lovato Jr. has already competed successfully in ONE, defeating Giancarlo Bodoni at ONE 173.[2]

Hugo has also announced his retirement from ADCC competition following his 2026 title run, meaning ONE is likely to become one of the main stages for the next phase of his career.[2]

Devhonte Johnson Also Makes His ONE Debut

Devhonte “Bones” Johnson will also be making his first appearance for ONE Championship.

Johnson is a former IBJJF No-Gi World Champion and has also won titles at the Pan No-Gi and European No-Gi Championships. ONE lists his career record at 83 wins, 46 losses, and 1 draw.[2]

His game is built around wrestling, top control, and passing, with a strong front-headlock series that includes D’Arce chokes, anaconda chokes, and guillotines.[2]

Key Matchup: How Does Johnson Deal With Hugo’s Guard?

One of the main questions in this matchup is how Johnson will approach Hugo’s bottom game.

At +99kg, many matches are heavily influenced by wrestling, top pressure, and physical control. Hugo is unusual in that he can still create high-level submission threats from open guard despite his size.

His 2026 ADCC run reinforced that point, with all four victories coming by submission from guard.[2]

Johnson, by contrast, prefers to work from top position, using wrestling and passing to control exchanges before attacking from front-headlock situations.[2]

That creates a clear tactical contrast.

If Johnson engages directly with Hugo’s guard, he risks entering one of Hugo’s strongest areas. If he prioritizes standing exchanges, disengagements, or controlled passing, he may be able to limit those attacks.

Because the bout is openweight, there is no concern about a traditional divisional weight gap. The more important difference is stylistic: Hugo’s submission-heavy guard against Johnson’s top-control and passing game.

ONE Continues to Add ADCC Champions

With Hugo now signed, ONE Championship currently has several 2026 ADCC champions on its roster, including Hugo, Crevar, and Jaworski.[2]

In recent years, ONE has continued to expand its submission grappling division alongside MMA, Muay Thai, and kickboxing, signing more athletes from the highest levels of no-gi competition.

Hugo’s debut is particularly relevant because it comes immediately after a dominant ADCC run.

The main question is how his game translates from a multi-match tournament format to ONE’s single-match ruleset.

ONE Fight Night 49 takes place on November 6 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok. In the United States, the event is scheduled to stream live in prime time on Prime Video.[2]

Sources

[1] ONE just added serious heavyweight grappling firepower — FalconFight / X

[2] Victor Hugo Debuts Against Devhonte Johnson In Openweight Submission Grappling Clash At ONE Fight Night 49 — ONE Championship

[3] A NEW GRAPPLING FORCE HAS ARRIVED — ONE Championship / X

[4] Every Match From Victor Hugo's All Submissions Run At ADCC Worlds — FloGrappling

[5] ADCC Champion +99 Kilos – 4 Matches, 4 Submissions – Victor Hugo — Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics