The ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship comes to Krakow, Poland on September 12-13, 2026 - the first time the sport's biggest event has been held in Eastern Europe. Kaynan Duarte defends double gold, Mica Galvao hunts another title at 21, and five deep male divisions are stacked with the best no-gi grapplers alive.
Reviewed by BJJ Gyms · Updated 2026-07-27
ADCC 2026 comes to Krakow in September. Kaynan Duarte defends double gold, Mica Galvao defends middleweight, and all three women's divisions feature champions hungry to repeat.
The Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Fighting World Championship - ADCC for short - is the invitation-only no-gi submission grappling championship held every two years. Athletes qualify through regional trials, and only the best grapplers in the world receive invitations. The format is no-gi only, with a scoring system that deemphasizes points early in matches to incentivize submission attempts. The result is a competition that produces more genuine submission grappling per minute than any other major event on the calendar.
ADCC is where the sport's defining moments happen. Gordon Ryan's dominant runs. Buchecha's multiple titles. Marcelo Garcia's legendary performances. The 2024 edition added new chapters with Kaynan Duarte's double-gold performance and Mica Galvao's emergence as the most gifted competitor of his generation at an age when most grapplers are still figuring out their A-game.
The 2026 edition comes to Tauron Arena in Krakow, Poland on September 12-13 - the first time the Championship has been held in Eastern Europe. FloSports holds exclusive streaming rights. For anyone who has been watching competitive grappling, or anyone just getting into BJJ and trying to understand what elite no-gi looks like, ADCC 2026 is the event to watch.
Kaynan Duarte enters ADCC 2026 as the defending 99kg champion and as many pundits' pick for the sport's pound-for-pound best. His 2024 ADCC performance - gold in the 99kg division and gold in the open division - was the kind of dominant two-day run that defines careers. Duarte combines elite wrestling with advanced submission entries and a suffocating top pressure game that makes it extremely difficult for opponents to move effectively under him.
Defending double gold at ADCC is one of the hardest things in the sport. The competition has deepened in every cycle, regional trials are increasingly competitive, and opponents have had two years to study Kaynan's game and prepare specifically for him. The question for Krakow is not whether Duarte is still the best - most experts think he is - but whether the 99kg and open brackets in 2026 have produced challengers capable of making the answer uncertain.
For BJJ gym members watching ADCC, Duarte's game is a masterclass in wrestling-integrated grappling. His shots are not dramatic - they are functional, efficient, and consistent. His top control does not rely on speed; it relies on weight distribution, hip pressure, and a relentless commitment to small positional gains. These are things that translate directly to the mat in your local gym, which is part of what makes watching ADCC valuable beyond pure entertainment.
Mica Galvao is 21 years old. He won the ADCC middleweight division in 2024. He is widely described, by coaches, commentators, and opponents, as the most talented grappler of his generation. Those three facts taken together tell you everything you need to know about why Galvao entering Krakow as the middleweight favorite is not an exaggeration - it is a reasonable assessment of the current state of competitive no-gi grappling.
Galvao's game combines extremely high-level leg lock proficiency with an active upper-body attack chain and legitimate wrestling that makes him difficult to take down or to scramble against. At 21, the ceiling of his development is genuinely unknown, which is part of what makes watching him compete compelling. He is not simply a prodigy who got lucky in 2024 - he has continued to improve and compete at the highest level consistently.
The middleweight division in Krakow will have deep competition, as it always does at ADCC. Whether any competitor can formulate a game plan that neutralizes Galvao's attacking system and creates their own offensive opportunities is the question the competition will answer. But entering as the favorite at 21, in the sport's most prestigious event, is a position that speaks for itself.
ADCC's women's competition has grown significantly in depth over successive editions, and Krakow features three weight classes - each with a defending world champion returning to compete. Adele Fornarino holds the 55kg title; Ana Carolina Vieira defends at 65kg; Rafaela Guedes anchors the +65kg bracket. These are world-class competitors in their own right. Rafaela Guedes in particular has become one of the most recognizable names in submission grappling, with a dominant style built on top control and a relentless pace.
The women's brackets at ADCC are worth watching on their own merits, not simply as a lead-in to the men's competition. The technical level in each division is high, the submission rates are comparable to the men's brackets, and the tactical variety - different body types, different base games, different submission preferences - makes the matches distinctly interesting across the field.
For female athletes training BJJ who want a model for what world-class no-gi grappling looks like for women specifically, ADCC is the most direct reference point available. Watching how top-level women's grapplers use their wrestling base, manage leg entanglements, and control top position provides specific and applicable technical reference that watching men's matches does not always provide in the same way.
You do not need years of experience to get value from watching the best submission grapplers in the world. Here is why ADCC is worth your Saturday in September.
BJJ Gyms is an independent directory, not a gym. We feature 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu as our recommended no-gi system. Always take a free trial and vet any academy yourself before committing.
ADCC 2026 will be streamed exclusively on FloSports (flograppling.com). FloSports requires a subscription, though FloGrappling sometimes makes portions of major events available for free viewing. Check flograppling.com closer to the event date for streaming details and pricing.
ADCC is no-gi only, meaning competitors wear shorts and rash guards, not traditional BJJ gi uniforms. There are no lapel or collar grips. The scoring system penalizes stalling and rewards submission attempts more aggressively than standard IBJJF points competition. The result is a more wrestling and submission-focused style of competition.
Start by finding a gym near you and attending a beginner class or a free trial. Most BJJ gyms offer introductory programs specifically for new students. You do not need any prior experience - everyone starts from zero. The Find a Gym directory at BJJ Gyms can help you locate options in your area, including 10th Planet gyms for no-gi training.
ADCC World Championships are held every two years. The 2024 edition was the most recent; Krakow 2026 is the next. Regional ADCC Open events and trials are held more frequently throughout the year, and these are often easier to attend in person.