Ruleset
ADCC
The most prestigious no-gi ruleset: negative points for stalling, points only in the second half, and every submission legal.
How the ruleset works
The Abu Dhabi Combat Club ruleset is built to force action. Matches split into halves: no points in the first half (submission attempts only), then takedowns, passes, and dominant positions score in the second. Guard pulling costs a negative point once scoring starts, and stalling is penalized directly.
Every submission is legal, including heel hooks and slams inside limits, which makes ADCC the proving ground for complete no-gi games. Overtime extends the match rather than switching format, and referee decisions weigh aggression heavily.
The World Championship runs every two years and is widely treated as the sport's most prestigious no-gi title.
At a glance
- Attire
- No-Gi
- Format
- No points first half, points second half
- Overtime
- Extra time, then decision
- Time limit
- 10-40 min by round/division
- Submissions
- Everything legal
What wins under ADCC rules
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Most active under ADCC rules
Alexandre Ribeiro
41 matches
Vagner Rocha
40 matches
André Galvão
34 matches
Roberto Abreu
34 matches
Oliver Taza
30 matches
Marcelo Garcia
30 matches
Felipe Pena
29 matches
Vinicius Magalhães
28 matches
Rafael Lovato Jr
27 matches
Pablo Popovitch
26 matches
Rankings across every ruleset live on the stats page and the BJJ Elo rankings.
Biggest ADCC events
2017 ADCC West Coast Trials
2018 ADCC North American Trials
2019 ADCC West Coast Trials
2022 1st ADCC South American Trial
Match records
| Fighters | Result | Opponent | Method | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pablo Ramirez | def. | Bryan Lopez | Submission | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Ángel Patricio Ulloa | def. | Gabriel Vaca Núñez | Points | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Francisco Antonio Iturralde Lara | def. | MILTON BUSTAMANTE | Submission | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Luis Gomez | def. | Miguel Paredes | Submission | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Mauricio Vasquez | def. | Nythan Ariel Mantilla Siguenza | Submission | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Javier Basurto | def. | Gary Ramirez | Decision | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Sebastian Guevara | def. | Axel Changuan Centeno | Submission | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Luis Gomez | def. | Rafael Batista | Other | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Juan Pablo Lecaros Pérez | def. | JEROHAM ARBOLEDA | Points | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Lucas Luciano Bessin Torres | def. | Nelson Guerrero | Submission | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Lucas Luciano Bessin Torres | def. | Erwin Calderón | Submission | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Adrian Sebastian Torres Almeida | def. | Daniel Marquez | Submission | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Adrian Sebastian | def. | Patricio Loor | Submission | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Hardy Rodriguez | def. | Carlos Eduardo Vidal | Points | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Xavier Ledesma | def. | Jeremy Alarcon | Points | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Francisco Ugas Aurich | def. | Salvador Essenwanger | Submission | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Ronald Javier Aguado Sauñe | def. | JUAN JAVIER ECHEVERRIA | Submission | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| MILTON BUSTAMANTE | def. | Bryan Lopez | Submission | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Miguel Paredes | def. | Gabriel Vaca Núñez | Points | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open | |
| Nythan Ariel Mantilla Siguenza | def. | Axel Changuan Centeno | Submission | 2025 ADCC Ecuador Open |
