The 2026 ADCC World Championships wrapped up at Tauron Arena Kraków in Poland with historic performances, breakout champions and a record showing from Europe’s submission grapplers.
South America led the continental medal count with nine, followed closely by Europe with eight. North America earned six medals, while Oceania and Africa each claimed two.
The tournament also delivered plenty of finishes. Of the 103 matches contested outside the absolute division, 50 ended by submission, a 48.5-percent finishing rate. Back-control chokes led the way with 19 finishes, while straight ankle locks and triangles accounted for six apiece.
However, the biggest stories came from the athletes who left Kraków with ADCC gold.
Helena Crevar Makes ADCC History
Team Kingsway’s Helena Crevar became the youngest female ADCC world champion in history at just 19 years old.
Crevar was perfect throughout the women’s over-65-kilogram tournament, submitting Matilda Reid, Elizabeth Mitrovic and Anabel Lopez on her way to gold. The performance also made Crevar the first female ADCC champion to win every match by submission.
Kingsway added another championship when Luke Griffith submitted Kaynan Duarte with a rear-naked choke to capture the men’s 99-kilogram title.
The team also produced the youngest ADCC medalist in history. At just 14 years old, Joslyn Molina reached the women’s 65-kilogram semifinals before defeating Morgan Black for bronze.
Kingsway’s weekend wasn’t without controversy. Dorian Olivarez was disqualified following his match with Bekzat Kapashov after an altercation involving spectators as he exited the mat.
Victor Hugo Finishes Everyone
Victor Hugo took a different path to the top of the over-99-kilogram division.
Despite ADCC’s traditional emphasis on wrestling and top control, Hugo attacked primarily from his guard and submitted all four opponents he faced. He finished Ruslan Abdulaev and Mark MacQueen before submitting Josh Saunders with a shoulder lock in the final.
After finally capturing the ADCC world championship he had pursued for more than a decade, Hugo announced he was retiring from the tournament.
Europe Delivers Record Performance
Europe’s eight-medal showing included championships from Poland’s Pawel Jaworski and Russia’s Magomed Dzharbaev.
Jaworski gave the hometown crowd plenty to celebrate by capturing the men’s 88-kilogram championship. He submitted Felipe Costa and Gabriel Brod with inside heel hooks before defeating Marlon Tajik via penalty in the final.
Dzharbaev emerged as one of the tournament’s biggest breakout performers. The 32-year-old used his wrestling to navigate a loaded 77-kilogram bracket before defeating PJ Barch by decision in the championship match.
Kennedy Maciel Follows Cobrinha
Kennedy Maciel added another chapter to his family’s ADCC history by capturing the men’s 66-kilogram championship.
Maciel defeated Fabricio Andrey and Diego Oliveira by decision before submitting Gavin Corbe with a triangle armlock in the final.
His father, Rubens “Cobrinha” Maciel, won the same ADCC division in 2013, 2015 and 2017. Kennedy’s victory made the Maciels the first father-son combination to capture ADCC championships.
Felipe Pena Makes History
The biggest accomplishment of the weekend belonged to Felipe Pena.
After falling short in his weight-class semifinal and dealing with a foot injury, Pena considered ending his tournament. Instead, he returned for the absolute division.
It proved to be the right decision.
Pena defeated Eoghan O’Flanagan before submitting Ruslan Abdulaev and Roosevelt Sousa to capture the absolute championship.
With the victory, Pena became the first athlete in ADCC history to win the absolute division twice.
Between Pena’s historic accomplishment, Crevar’s record-setting performance, Hugo’s perfect submission run and Europe’s strongest showing to date, ADCC 2026 delivered no shortage of memorable moments in Kraków.
2026 ADCC World Champions
Men’s 66 kg: Kennedy Maciel (Brazil/Alliance)
Men’s 77 kg: Magomed Dzharbaev (Russia/Agate Team)
Men’s 88 kg: Pawel Jaworski (Poland/A. Gorila)
Men’s 99 kg: Luke Griffith (South Africa/Kingsway)
Men’s +99 kg: Victor Hugo (Brazil/6 Blades)
Men’s Absolute: Felipe Pena (Brazil/FP Team)
Women’s 60 kg: Jasmine Rocha (United States/VRMA)
Women’s 65 kg: Ana Carolina Vieira (Brazil/Aviv BJJ)
Women’s +65 kg: Helena Crevar (United States/Kingsway)
2026 ADCC World Championships Results
Men’s Absolute
Quarterfinal: Marlon Tajik def. Javier Zaruski by submission (straight ankle lock)
Quarterfinal: Ruslan Abdulaev def. Elijah Dorsey by submission (shoulder pressure)
Quarterfinal: Felipe Pena def. Eoghan O’Flanagan by points (3-0)
Quarterfinal: Roosevelt Sousa def. Felipe Costa by submission (calf slicer)
Semifinal: Roosevelt Sousa def. Marlon Tajik by submission (smother)
Semifinal: Felipe Pena def. Ruslan Abdulaev by submission (smother)
Final: Felipe Pena def. Roosevelt Sousa by submission (rear-naked choke)
Third Place: Ruslan Abdulaev def. Marlon Tajik by points (6-0)
Men’s +99 kg
Quarterfinal: Felipe Pena def. Nick Hartman by submission (rear-naked choke)
Quarterfinal: Josh Saunders def. Roosevelt Sousa by decision
Quarterfinal: Mark MacQueen def. Dan Manasoiu by points (3-0)
Quarterfinal: Victor Hugo def. Ruslan Abdulaev by submission (thunder lock)
Semifinal: Victor Hugo def. Mark MacQueen by submission (kneebar)
Semifinal: Josh Saunders def. Felipe Pena by decision
Final: Victor Hugo def. Josh Saunders by submission (shoulder lock)
Third Place: Mark MacQueen won bronze after Felipe Pena was unable to compete due to injury
Men’s 99 kg
Quarterfinal: Luke Griffith def. Steffen Banta by penalties
Quarterfinal: Kaynan Duarte def. Javier Zaruski by submission (kata-gatame)
Quarterfinal: Daniel Schuardt def. Eoghan O’Flanagan by submission (straight ankle lock)
Quarterfinal: Achilies Rocha def. Roberto Abreu by decision
Semifinal: Luke Griffith def. Achilies Rocha by penalty
Semifinal: Kaynan Duarte def. Daniel Schuardt by submission (crossface neck crank)
Final: Luke Griffith def. Kaynan Duarte by submission (rear-naked choke)
Third Place: Daniel Schuardt def. Achilies Rocha by submission (lateral kneebar)
Men’s 88 kg
Quarterfinal: Gabriel Brod def. Lukas Karnard by submission (rear-naked choke)
Quarterfinal: Marlon Tajik def. Nathan Haddad by submission (straight ankle lock)
Quarterfinal: Jozef Chen def. Chris Wojcik by points (6-0)
Quarterfinal: Pawel Jaworski def. Felipe Costa by submission (inside heel hook)
Semifinal: Marlon Tajik def. Jozef Chen by points (2-0)
Semifinal: Pawel Jaworski def. Gabriel Brod by submission (inside heel hook)
Final: Pawel Jaworski def. Marlon Tajik by penalty
Third Place: Jozef Chen def. Gabriel Brod by points (13-0)
Men’s 77 kg
Quarterfinal: PJ Barch def. Tommy Langaker by points (8-0)
Quarterfinal: Magomed Dzharbaev def. Vagner Rocha by decision
Quarterfinal: Mateusz Szczecinski def. Elijah Dorsey by penalties
Quarterfinal: Jacob Bornemann def. Dante Leon by decision
Semifinal: Magomed Dzharbaev def. Mateusz Szczecinski by points (2-0)
Semifinal: PJ Barch def. Jacob Bornemann by points (9-0)
Final: Magomed Dzharbaev def. PJ Barch by decision
Third Place: Mateusz Szczecinski def. Jacob Bornemann by penalty
Men’s 66 kg
Quarterfinal: Diego Oliveira def. Gianni Grippo by points (6-0)
Quarterfinal: Kennedy Maciel def. Fabricio Andrey by decision
Quarterfinal: Gavin Corbe def. Ryoma Anraku by submission (inside heel hook)
Quarterfinal: Dominic Mejia def. Owen Jones by points (3-0)
Semifinal: Kennedy Maciel def. Diego Oliveira by decision
Semifinal: Gavin Corbe def. Dominic Mejia by submission (inside heel hook)
Final: Kennedy Maciel def. Gavin Corbe by submission (triangle armlock)
Third Place: Diego Oliveira won bronze after Dominic Mejia was unable to compete due to injury
Women’s +65 kg
Quarterfinal: Helena Crevar def. Matilda Reid by submission (rear-naked choke)
Quarterfinal: Paige Ivette def. Yara Soares by submission (kneebar)
Quarterfinal: Anabel Lopez def. Gabrieli Pessanha by decision
Quarterfinal: Elizabeth Mitrovic def. Nia Blackman by points (7-0)
Semifinal: Anabel Lopez def. Paige Ivette by points (3-0)
Semifinal: Helena Crevar def. Elizabeth Mitrovic by submission (straight ankle lock)
Final: Helena Crevar def. Anabel Lopez by submission (short choke)
Third Place: Paige Ivette def. Elizabeth Mitrovic by submission (armbar)
Women’s 65 kg
Quarterfinal: Ana Carolina Vieira def. Nadia Frankland by points (2-0)
Quarterfinal: Sarah Galvao def. Livia Barasine by submission (triangle)
Quarterfinal: Joslyn Molina def. Injana Goodman by points (4-0)
Quarterfinal: Morgan Black def. Ane Svendsen by decision
Semifinal: Sarah Galvao def. Joslyn Molina by points (3-0)
Semifinal: Ana Carolina Vieira def. Morgan Black by points (5-2)
Final: Ana Carolina Vieira def. Sarah Galvao by submission (rear-naked choke)
Third Place: Joslyn Molina def. Morgan Black by points (6-0)
Women’s 60 kg
Quarterfinal: Mayssa Bastos def. Valerie Hamilton by submission (rear-naked choke)
Quarterfinal: Ana Mayordomo def. Sheliah Lindsey by points (3-0)
Quarterfinal: Jasmine Rocha def. Kanae Ikeda by submission (rear-naked choke)
Quarterfinal: Anna Rodrigues def. Janette Gloger by decision
Semifinal: Jasmine Rocha def. Ana Mayordomo by submission (armbar)
Semifinal: Anna Rodrigues def. Mayssa Bastos by points (2-0)
Final: Jasmine Rocha def. Anna Rodrigues by submission (rear-naked choke)
Third Place: Ana Mayordomo def. Mayssa Bastos by submission (guillotine)