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
Most active under ADCC rules
Vagner Rocha
33 matches
Oliver Taza
29 matches
Keith Krikorian
24 matches
André Galvão
23 matches
Jonathan Satava
22 matches
Felipe Pena
21 matches
Marcelo Garcia
21 matches
Paul Ardila-Ibarra
20 matches
Paul Barch
20 matches
Roberto Jimenez
19 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 ADCC 1st South American Trial
2007 ADCC World Championship
2024 ADCC World Championship
2011 ADCC World Championship
Match records
| Fighters | Result | Opponent | Method | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Snyder | def. | Matthew Velez | Submission | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Dominic Blanco | def. | Jackson Busier | Points | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Dominic Salcedo | def. | Giovanni Perillo | Points | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Giovanni Vargas | def. | Renan Bastos Garcia | Dq | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Walter Gomez | def. | Jorge Chavez | Submission | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Guilherme Fernandes | def. | Alex West | Dq | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Hayden Buckner | def. | Alexander Zapantis | Submission | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Victor Delibero | def. | Lucas Smith | Submission | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Gabriel Tejada | def. | Billy Baxter | Points | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Pedro Nakano | def. | Connor Holverson | Points | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Anthony O’Dell | def. | Christian Bonilla | Points | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Jackson Busier | def. | Joseph Snyder | Points | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Aaron Smith | def. | Dominic Blanco | Submission | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Julien Moreno | def. | Dominic Salcedo | Points | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Logan Hicks | def. | Walter Gomez | Submission | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Sadiq Muhammad | def. | Hian De Carvalho | Points | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Hayden Buckner | def. | Mason Klein | Points | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Demetri Pappas | def. | Esteban Cherigo | Submission | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Jacob Johnston | def. | Gabriel Tejada | Submission | 2025 ADCC Miami Open | |
| Anthony O’Dell | def. | Isai Rios Fernandez | Decision | 2025 ADCC Miami Open |
