The year-long qualification process for the 2022 ADCC World Championships is one of the most fascinating things in jiu-jitsu. I love watching the divisions take shape as Trials winners earn their spot at the best-known no-gi tournament in the world, and the names of those invited slowly get revealed.

If there's one thing I was reminded of at Pans is that after a long time with no major tournaments, it was really, really good to see high level matches in the gi.

The first ADCC trials is set to move ahead as planned on September 18 in Lubon, Poland. Athletes from Europe, Africa and the Middle Eastern region will be able to qualify for the ADCC World Championships in 2022 with a gold medal in this tournament.

Kaynan Duarte was the heavy favorite going into his matchup against ADCC 2019’s 88 kg champion, Matheus Diniz. It’s no real surprise; Duarte weighed in at 101 kg, giving him a substantial weight advantage over Diniz, who got on the scale at 93 kg. Moreover, Duarte was riding an 11-match win streak going into the main event at Road to ADCC, while Diniz had been on a three-match slide.

Over the last twelve months, those in the training room with the Danaher Death Squad have said that Nicky Ryan is one of the toughest athletes in the room, perhaps second only to his brother, Gordon. Squad members — and Nicky Ryan himself — have talked about the evolution of the 20-year old’s game, and the development of his guard passing and wrestling. He displayed some of these skills this year in WNO matches against guys like PJ Barch and Gabriel Almeida, but each of those victories fell short of the hype we’d been sold from Puerto Rico.

Kaynan Duarte submitted Matheus Diniz with a cloverleaf leg lock just two minutes and three seconds into the main event at FloGrappling's Road To ADCC on Saturday, July 17.

The first event of it's kind, FloGrappling's Road To ADCC is underway. ADCC champions, veterans and hopeful invitees will square off in six matches under the ADCC-finals ruleset. In the main event, the 2019 ADCC 88 kg champion, Matheus Diniz, will fight up in weight to take on the 2019 99+ kg champion, Kaynan Duarte. Duarte weighted in at 101.2 kg, which could be a significant advantage against Diniz, who weighted in at 93.4 kg. But Diniz is a master strategist in the ADCC ruleset, and has an opportunity to prove that again here.

All 12 athletes are weighed in and ready for FloGrappling’s Road To ADCC.

Roberto Jimenez came close to qualifying for ADCC on two separate occasions. He lost in a semifinal to Alec Baudling at the east coast trials in 2018, taking third; and he lost to Stanley Rosa at the 2019 west coast trials, taking fourth.

The online betting site BetDSI has released money lines for FloGrappling’s Road to ADCC.

Two reigning ADCC champions are set to square off in an ADCC-rules superfight to headline FloGrappling’s Road to ADCC on July 17.Kaynan Duarte, 2019 +99 kg champion, will take on 88 kg champ Matheus Diniz in the main event.

We asked what would happen to the ADCC superfight when word came that Gordon Ryan wasn't competing any more, but we didn't expect to get an update this quickly. Andre Galvao has confirmed his participation, the only question now is who will he face?

Whether or not you believe in “American Jiu-Jitsu” exists separate from “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu,” several individual Americans have made their marks on the world of submission grappling. If in no other way, Americans have at least impacted the history books.

The ADCC 2021 World Championships are officially delayed until 2022. 

There are 14 ADCC veterans registered for the 2020 No-Gi Pans in November.