ADCC

What it is: ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) Submission Fighting World Championship—the most prestigious no-gi grappling event, often called “the Olympics of grappling.” How it works: A global Trials system (regional qualifying tournaments) feeds into the World Championships, held roughly every two years. Ruleset: No-gi; long matches with an initial no-points period followed by a points period. Takedowns, control, guard passing, and dominant positions score; submissions are entirely legal (incl. heel hooks). Stalling and late guard pulls are penalized. Divisions: Multiple men’s and women’s weight classes plus an Absolute (open-weight) and occasional superfights. Why it matters: Winning the ADCC—or even qualifying—signals world-class status. Many modern grappling styles and leg-lock game trends trace their origins back to the ADCC meta.