Rivalry · 6 recorded meetings

Adam Wardziński vs Felipe Pena

Head-to-head record

Adam

Felipe

Adam

Felipe

2017 → 2018, oldest first

Did you know?

Across 6 recorded meetings, Pena went 6-0 against Wardzinski with no draws.
Two of the 6 meetings ended by submission and the other 4 were decided on points.
Pena finished Wardzinski once with a bow and arrow choke in a 2018 title match and once with a gi choke from back in the 2017 Abu Dhabi final.
The gi choke from back is Pena's most recorded finish with 22 wins by that method.
Among their common opponents, both hold winning records against Helton Jose Junior, with Wardzinski at 4-1 and Pena at 2-0.

The rivalry

This is a one-sided rivalry on paper. Felipe Pena and Adam Wardzinski met 6 times on record, and Pena won all 6. Four of those meetings went to points and two ended in submission, so this was not a case of Wardzinski hanging close and dropping split decisions. The bulk of the series ran across 2017 and 2018, at events like the 2017 Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship and the 2018 IBJJF World Championship.

The styles tell part of the story. Wardzinski is a Checkmat medium heavyweight built around butterfly guard and traditional sweeping mechanics. Pena, out of Atos HQ, is a well-rounded heavyweight whose most recorded finish is the Gi Choke From Back with 22 wins by that method. When Pena did finish Wardzinski, he did it from dominant positions: a Bow And Arrow in a 2018 title match and a gi choke from back in the 2017 Abu Dhabi final.

Both are elite by any measure. Pena carries an 84% win rate over 182 recorded matches, Wardzinski a 77% win rate over 227. Their submission rates of wins sit close together at 46% for Pena and 47% for Wardzinski. The gap in this specific matchup was not about overall quality, it was about how their games matched up.