2017 ADCC World Championships

ADCC: Tournament History Proves Gateway To UFC

ADCC: Tournament History Proves Gateway To UFC

Competing at ADCC has become a rite of passage for grapplers looking to move onto mixed martial arts.

Sep 15, 2017 by FloGrappling
ADCC: Tournament History Proves Gateway To UFC
Written by Riccardo Ammendolia and Duane Finley

The world of jiu-jitsu is a realm where the top of the food chain consists of an elite group of competitors who are consistently jockeying for the most prestigious titles in the sport. And of that collective, winning gold at ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) World Championships is the top of the proverbial mountain.

null
For the past two decades players from across the globe have entered the tournament looking to test themselves against the best competition on the planet. And with that, it should come as no surprise many of those athletes have gone on to have forge successful careers in mixed martial arts in the years to come. By all measures ADCC serves as a proving ground where the credentials earned are carried by the athletes who claim them as respected badges of honor across combat sports.

Anytime Abu Dhabi experience is mentioned in a MMA bout it this tournament being referenced. Some of the biggest names in combat sports have taken honors in this coveted tournament, and it's a trend that doesn't seem likely to end anytime soon. The next round of the invite only tournament hits FloGrappling on Sept. 23-24, and very well could produce the next great grappling talent to crossover into MMA.

From former UFC welterweight kings Georges St-Pierre and Matt Hughes, to championship hopefuls like Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza and Demian Maia, some of the biggest names to ever step foot inside the cage have also done battle on the ADCC mats . Stars of past and present alike have rolled the dice at ADCC, and if history has taught us anything it's that the future will be front and center in this year's ADCC tournament.

​Here is a look at how some of the best names in BJJ and MMA have fared over the past two decades:

ADCC 1998

-77 KG Champion Renzo Gracie, 3rd Place Fabiano Iha, 4th Place John Lewis
-88 KG Champion Rodrigo Gracie
-99KG Champion Mario Sperry, 4th Place Renato Verissimo
99 KG + Ricco Rodrigues champion
Openweight Champion Mario Sperry, 2nd Place Ricardo Morais, 4th Place Joe "The Ghetto Man" Charles

Other MMA Fighters who competed: Matt Hume, Frank Trigg, Carlos Newton, Tobi Imada, Oleg Taktarov

Complete bracket and results: http://adcombat.com/adcc-1998-results/

​Relive this opening round bout between Renzo Gracie and Frank Trigg -- Trigg thought he won the decision!


ADCC 1999

-77KG 2nd Place Caol Uno, 3rd Place Hayato Sakurai
-99KG Champion Jeff Monson, 3rd Place Ricardo Almeida
+99KG Champion Mark Kerr,
Openweight Division: Roberto Traven Champion, Hayato Sakurai 2nd Place, Ricco Rodrigues 3rd Place
Super Fight: Mario Sperry vs Enson Inoue. Mario wins by decision

Other MMA Fighters who competed: Andre Pedeneiras, Amaury Bitetti, Egan Inoue, Ivan Salverry, Ricardo Liborio, Jerry Bohlander, Murilo Bustamante, Vernon White, Daiju Takase, Carlos Barreto, Tre Telligman

Complete bracket and results: http://adcombat.com/adcc-1999-results/

null

You're viewing that correctly -- a 40-minute match! Monson took out 5x Jiu-Jitsu World Champ, Saulo Ribeiro to win ADCC's this year.

ADCC 2000

-77KG Renzo Gracie Champion
-88 KG Jorge Patino 4th Place
-99KG Champion Ricardo Arona, 2nd Jeff Monson, 3rd Tito Ortiz, 4th Matt hughes
+ 99KG Champion Mark Kerr, 2nd Rico Rodrigues
Openweight Champion Mark Kerr, 2nd Sean Alvarez, 3rd Place Ricardo Almeida,
SuperFight: Mario Sperry defeats Roberto Traven

Other Notable MMA Fighters: Alexandre Pequeno Nogueira, Dennis Halman, Rumina Sato, Dave Menne, Jerry Bohlander, Tito Ortiz, Travis Lutter, Rodrigo Nogueira, Josh Barnett

Complete bracket and results: http://adcombat.com/adcc-2000-results/

null


What a bracket! Hughes beats Horn, Monson beats Hughes, Tito beats Van Arsdale then beats Matt Hughes for 3rd!

ADCC 2001

-77KG 2nd Place Matt Serra, 3rd Place Leonardo Santos
-88 KG Champion Sanae Kikuta,
-99KG Champion Ricardo Arona, 2nd Place Ricardo Almeida, 3rd Place Alexandre Cacareco
+ 99KG Champion Mark Robinson, 2nd Place Jeff Monson, 3rd Marcio Cruz, 4th Place Ricco Rodrigues
Openweight Champion Ricardo Arona, 3rd Place Vitor Belfort, 4th Place Ricardo Almeida
Superfight: Mark Kerr defeats Mario Sperry

Other notable MMA Fighters: Fredson Paixao, Takanori Gomi, Genki Sudo, Evan Tanner, Nino Schembri, Akhiro Gono, TK Kosaka, Chael Sonnen, Vitor Belfort

Complete bracket and results: http://adcombat.com/adcc-2001-results/

​Hell of a tournament for Serra. He would defeat Gomi first round and go on to take 2nd to 3x Jiu-Jitsu World Champion, Marcio Feitosa.


ADCC 2003

-77KG 3rd Place Vitor Shaolin Ribeiro
-88KG 2nd Place Ronaldo Jacare, 3rd Place David Terrel, Ricardo Almeida
-99KG 3rd Place Roger Gracie
+99KG Champion Marcio Cruz, 2nd Place Fabricio Werdum, 4th Place Mike Van Arsdale,
Openweight Champion Dean Lister, 3rd Place Fabricio Werdum, 4th Place Marcio Cruz
Superfight Ricardo Arona defeats Mark Kerr by points

Other Notable MMA Fighters: George Sotiropolos, Denis Kang, Ryan Gracie, Matt Lindland, Akira Shoji, Erik Paulson, Brandon Vera, Roy Nelson, Nate Marquart

Complete bracket and results: http://adcombat.com/adcc-2003-results/

​Dean Lister would not only beat Nate Marquardt, but he would also go on to defeat Alexandre Ferreira (who had previously beaten Fabricio Werdum).


ADCC 2005

-66KG 2nd Place Rani Yahya,
-77KG 3rd Place Jake Shields, 4th Place Leonardo Santos
-88KG Ronaldo Jacare Champion, 2nd Place Demian Maia, 4th Place Dennis Hallman
-99KG Roger Gracie Champion,
+99KG Jeff Monson Champion, 2nd Place Gabriel Gonzaga, 3rd Place Fabricio Werdum, 4th Place Daniel Gracie
Openweight Champion Roger Gracie, 2nd Place Ronaldo Jacare
-60 KG Womens 3rdPlace Megumi Fuji
womens absolute 2nd place Tara La Rosa
SuperFight Dean Lister defeats Jean Jacques Machado

Other Notable MMA fighters: Alberto Crane, Gilbert Melendez, Wagney Fabiano, Urijah Faber, Chris Brennan, Shinya Aoki, George St Pierres, Diego Sanchez, Jake Shields, Matt Horwitch

Complete bracket and results: http://adcombat.com/adcc-2005-results/

null


Interesting stuff here: Jake Shields, then just a purple belt, beats Diego Sanchez and eventually Leo Santos (who earlier beat GSP) to take 3rd.

ADCC 2007

-66KG Champion Rani Yahya,
-88KG Champion Demian Maia,
-99KG 3rd Place Robert Drysdale
+99KG Champion Fabricio Werdum, 2nd Place Rolles Gracie, 3rd Place Marcio Cruz,
Openweight Robert Drysdale Champion,
Women -55KG 3rd Place Megumi Fuji
Women -60 KG 2nd Place Tara LaRosa
Superfight Roger Gracie submits John Olav Eninemo

Complete bracket and results: http://adcombat.com/adcc-2007-results/

ADCC 2009

-66KG 3rd Place Ryan Hall
-77KG Ben Askren competed and won his first match against Toni Linden but was defeated by Champion, Pablo POpovitch
-88KG 4th Place Rafael Lovato Jr
-99KG Vinny Magalhaes rd Place, 4th Place Glover Teixeira
+99KG Fabricio Werdum Champion, 3rd Place Jeff Monson
Openweight Division: Vinny Magalhes 3rd Place, Gunnar Nelson 4th Place

Complete bracket and results: http://adcombat.com/adcc-2009-results/

​Check this! Chris Weidman actually hits a fantastic headlock on one of the all-time ADCC and Jiu-Jitsu greats, Andre Galvao.


ADCC 2011

-77KG 3rd Place Kron Gracie
-88KG 2nd Place Rousimar Palhares, 4th Place Rafael Lovato Jr
-99KG Champion Dean Lister,
+ 99KG Champion Vinny Magalhaes, 2nd Place Fabricio Werdum,
Women 60+ Gabi Garcia Champion
ADCC Legends Super fight: Mario Sperry defeated Renzo Gracie by decision
Superfight: Braulio Estima defeated Ronaldo Jacare by points

Complete bracket and results: http://adcombat.com/adcc-2011-results/

null

This bracket was stacked with Monson, Glover Teixeria, Werdum & more, but it was Vinny Magalhes who took the crown.

ADCC 2013

-77KG Kron Gracie Champion,
-88KG 2nd Place Rafael Lovato Jr,
-99KG 2nd Place Dean Lister,
Women +60 KG Champion Gabi Garcia
ADCC Legends Superfight: Mario Sperry defeats Fabio Gurgel
Superfight: Andre Galvao deafeats Braulio Estima

Complete bracket and results: http://adcombat.com/adcc-2013-results/

ADCC 2015

-66KG 3rd Place Augusto Mendes,
-77KG Champion Davi Ramos, 3rd Place Gilbert Durinho Burns,
-99KG Champion Rodolfo Vieira,
+99KG 3rd Place Vinny Magalhaes
Women -60KG Champion Mackenzie Dern, 2nd Place Michelle Nicolini,
ADCC Legends Superfight: Ricardo Liborio defeats Mario Sperry
Superfight: Andre Galvao defeats Roberto Cyborg Abreu

Complete bracket and results: http://adcombat.com/adcc-2015-results/

​Rodolfo Vieira took out a slew of MMA veterans at 2015 ADCC's, including Benson Henderson in the first round of the Absolute division.


null

How to Watch the ADCC 2017 World Championships

On TV: Now available on Roku and Apple TV 4 -- download the FloSports app today.
STREAMING: Available only on FloGrappling via monthly or yearly memberships. A yearly FloPRO subscription provides access to ALL FloSports sites. SIGN UP HERE

Join The Conversation On Social
• Follow us on Twitter @FloGrappling
• Follow us on Instagram @FloGrappling
• Follow us on Facebook

FloGrappling's hottest content, delivered to your inbox
Don't miss breaking news, feature stories, event updates, and more. Sign up for the FloGrappling mailing list today.