ADCC Worlds 2026 Results: New Champions Crowned in Kraków as Kennedy Maciel Makes History
The 2026 ADCC World Championships took place on September 12–13 at Tauron Arena in Kraków, Poland, with the event streamed on FloGrappling.
New champions were crowned across five men’s divisions, three women’s divisions, as well as the men’s Absolute division. Among the biggest stories of the weekend was Kennedy Maciel, who followed in the footsteps of his father, Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles, to become part of the first father-son duo to win ADCC gold.
Event Information
Dates: September 12–13, 2026
Location: Kraków, Poland
Streaming: FloGrappling
Results
Men’s 66 kg
Champion: Kennedy Maciel
Runner-up: Gavin Corbe
Third: Diego “Pato” Oliveira
Final: Kennedy Maciel def. Gavin Corbe — Triangle Choke
Men’s 77 kg
Champion: Magomed Dzharbaev
Runner-up: PJ Barch
Third: Mateusz Szczecinski
Final: Magomed Dzharbaev def. PJ Barch — Referee Decision
Men’s 88 kg
Champion: Pawel Jaworski
Runner-up: Marlon Tajik
Third: Jozef Chen
Final: Pawel Jaworski def. Marlon Tajik — Points (0 to -1)
Men’s 99 kg
Champion: Luke Griffith
Runner-up: Kaynan Duarte
Third: Daniel Schuardt
Final: Luke Griffith def. Kaynan Duarte — Rear-Naked Choke
Men’s +99 kg
Champion: Victor Hugo
Runner-up: Josh Saunders
Third: Mark MacQueen
Final: Victor Hugo def. Josh Saunders — Shoulder Lock
Women’s 55 kg
Champion: Jasmine Rocha
Runner-up: Anna Rodrigues
Third: Ana Mayordomo
Final: Jasmine Rocha def. Anna Rodrigues — Rear-Naked Choke
Women’s 65 kg
Champion: Ana Vieira
Runner-up: Sarah Galvao
Third: Joslyn Molina
Final: Ana Vieira def. Sarah Galvao — Rear-Naked Choke
Women’s +65 kg
Champion: Helena Crevar
Runner-up: Anabel Lopez
Third: Paige Ivette
Final: Helena Crevar def. Anabel Lopez — Rear-Naked Choke
Division-by-Division Takeaways
Men’s 66 kg: Kennedy Maciel Finally Reaches the Top
Two-time defending champion Diogo “Baby Shark” Reis, who won the division in 2022 and 2024, did not compete at this year’s event.
In his absence, Kennedy Maciel finally captured the ADCC title that had eluded him throughout his career, submitting Gavin Corbe with a triangle choke in the final.
Maciel had come close to the top of the podium several times before, making this victory particularly significant. It also carried historical weight: his father, Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles, is a three-time ADCC champion, making them the first father and son to both capture ADCC gold.
Men’s 77 kg: Magomed Dzharbaev Takes Gold
Magomed Dzharbaev emerged as the 77 kg champion, defeating PJ Barch by referee decision in the final.
Alongside his high-level jiu-jitsu, Dzharbaev brings a strong wrestling base and the relentless approach often associated with Dagestani grapplers. That combination proved extremely difficult for his opponents to deal with throughout the tournament.
Men’s 88 kg: Pawel Jaworski Wins on Home Soil
Poland’s Pawel Jaworski captured the 88 kg title, defeating Marlon Tajik in the final by a score of 0 to -1. Jozef Chen finished third.
The Simple Man Podcast’s post-event discussion also highlighted that Jaworski comes from the same gym environment as fellow Polish standout Mateusz Szczecinski, prompting discussion about the strength of Poland’s current grappling scene and training culture.
Men’s 99 kg: Luke Griffith Submits Kaynan Duarte
Luke Griffith captured the 99 kg championship in impressive fashion, submitting multiple-time ADCC champion Kaynan Duarte with a rear-naked choke in the final.
Another major talking point in the division was third-place finisher Daniel Schuardt. Schuardt won both his opening-round and quarterfinal matches using an unusual lower-body submission known as the “Mussolini Lock,” which attacks the shin, making it one of the tournament’s most talked-about techniques.
Men’s +99 kg: Victor Hugo Takes the Heavyweight Crown
Victor Hugo won the +99 kg division, finishing Australia’s Josh Saunders with a shoulder lock in the final.
Hugo’s submission victory added another major title to his résumé and capped off his run through the heavyweight bracket.
Women’s 55 kg: Jasmine Rocha Leads a Big Weekend for the Rocha Family
Jasmine Rocha captured the women’s 55 kg title, defeating Anna Rodrigues by rear-naked choke in the final.
Jasmine competed alongside her father Vagner Rocha and younger brother Achilles Rocha, making the tournament a memorable weekend for the entire family. Achilles also made a deep run in the men’s 99 kg division, finishing fourth, while Vagner competed in what was announced as the final tournament of his career.
Women’s 65 kg: Ana Vieira Gets Her Revenge
At 65 kg, Ana Vieira defeated Sarah Galvao by rear-naked choke to claim the title.
The result carried an additional storyline from their previous meeting at CJI 2. Galvao had dominated two rounds in that encounter, making it feel like a potential changing-of-the-guard moment. Their ADCC rematch told a different story, with Vieira turning the tables and taking the victory.
Women’s +65 kg: Helena Crevar Dominates
Helena Crevar delivered one of the tournament’s most dominant performances, winning the +65 kg division while submitting every opponent she faced.
She finished her run by submitting Anabel Lopez with a rear-naked choke in the final, completing a perfect submission record on her way to ADCC gold.
Japanese Athletes’ Results
Japan was represented by Ryoma Anraku (BAMF) in the men’s 66 kg division and Kanae Ikeda (IGLOO) in the women’s 55 kg division. Anraku defeated Owen Jones by referee decision after overtime in the opening round, becoming the first Japanese athlete to win a match at the ADCC World Championships since 2013. In the second round, he faced eventual runner-up Gavin Corbe and was submitted by heel hook. Ikeda drew 2024 bronze medalist Jasmine Rocha in her opening match and was submitted by rear-naked choke after Rocha took her back. Although both Japanese competitors were eliminated on the opening day, their presence itself marked progress after Japan had no representatives at the previous ADCC Worlds, while Anraku’s first-round victory provided a notable milestone for the country’s growing grappling scene.
A New Generation of ADCC Champions
ADCC 2026 produced a number of major storylines: Kennedy Maciel finally capturing gold and making history alongside his father, new champions such as Magomed Dzharbaev and Pawel Jaworski breaking through, Luke Griffith submitting one of the most accomplished competitors of the previous generation, and Helena Crevar completing a flawless submission run.
At the same time, established names such as Victor Hugo and Ana Vieira showed that experience remains a major factor at the highest level.
With eight divisional champions crowned across the men’s and women’s brackets, Kraków provided another snapshot of how quickly the competitive landscape of elite submission grappling continues to evolve.
