Who's Number One is set to return to the Palmer Event Center in Austin, TX for WNO 24 on June 20.

Less than two months ahead of the 2024 ADCC World Championships, some of the brightest talents headed to ADCC in Las Vegas will stop in ATX for a final preparation check, and to prove that they are at the top of their game on the WNO mats.

Get your tickets here for WNO 24 in Austin, TX on June 20

WNO 24 will feature two title bouts: a matchup between reigning featherweight champion Diego 'Pato' Oliveira and challenger Fabricio 'Hokage' Andrey; and a matchup for the now-vacant middleweight belt, where Jacob Couch will face Francisco Lo.

And in the main event, New Wave top prospect Luke Griffith will face his biggest challenge yet, the four-time IBJJF World Champion Victor Hugo.

Luke Griffith and Victor Hugo will square off in a battle of Austin giants in main event

Even among heavyweights, Luke Griffith and Victor Hugo are impressively large. But what's more impressive is how nimble, athletic and technical they are.

Both are coming into their match off of milestone victories. Hugo defeated Nick Rodriguez at WNO 22; and Griffith defeated Roosevelt Sousa via heel hook at WNO 21, capping off a year in which the New Wave brown belt went 40-1 with 40 submissions. Earlier this week, Griffith also submitted two-time ADCC champ Kaynan Duarte at UFC FPI 7, a huge mark for the young star.

Both Hugo and Griffith are headed to ADCC later this summer, where they may collide again. But we'll get an early preview, when more than 500 lbs of athlete hits the mat at WNO 24.

Diego Pato will return for his first title defense against Fabricio Andrey

WNO Champ-Champ Diego Pato is back in the featherweight division, fresh off of his submission victory at WNO 22 where he claimed the lightweight title. At WNO 24, Pato (4-1) will look to defend his 145-lb strap against IBJJF world champ and two-time ADCC Trials winner Fabricio Andrey, who has had a firey start to the year in the featherweight category.

Pato and Andrey are two of the most explosive and dynamic featherweights in the sport. Pato's guard is one of the best in jiu-jitsu, and he's proven himself a constant danger with his leg lock attacks. But Hokage's fast-twitch game, complete with explosive wrestling, intricate wrestling, and triangle threats from everywhere will put him to the test.

Jacob Couch will look to avenge a loss vs Francisco Lo with middleweight belt on the line

WNO's most seasoned athlete, Jacob Couch will return to the mats once more, this time for a title shot in the middleweight division. Couch, who's 5-3 on WNO, is coming off of a stellar submission win against IBJJF no-gi world champion Sebastian Rodriguez at WNO 22, where he called for a title shot. His opponent, the 1-0 Francisco Lo, is a prime opponent to answer the call.

Lo defeated Couch via heel hook at the IBJJF No-Gi Pan Championships last year on his way to gold, slowing Couch's momentum. But Couch bounced back at ADCC East Coast Trials later that month, submitting seven of his seven opponents to earn his ADCC debut.

Lo is an explosive athlete with the capacity and intention to throw himself at any submission opportunity, making him dangerous in scrambles, neutral positions, and even bad positions. 

With the WNO middleweight strap on the line, this match is likely to be a firefight. 

Tainan Dalpra looks to continue no-gi campaign vs Jay Rodriguez

Tainan Dalpra has had an impressive start to his no-gi experiment, submitting Troy Russell in his debut, then picking up an important win over the formidable Oliver Taza.

But Jay Rodriguez may be his toughest test to date. The ADCC veteran is scrappy and has an unorthodox style that could challenge the technician in Dalpra. Rodriguez has picked up a reputation as an unsubmitable cardio machine with impressive wrestling. And Dalpra has been showing off some of his own wrestling skills. Can Dalpra deal with Jay Rod's wrestling? Can Jay Rod handle the the immense pressure that Dalpra likes to exert? Will we see a buggy choke attempt?

This matchup is full of interesting questions.

Ana Rodrigues to make her WNO debut against submission hunter Adele Fornarino

Adele Fornarino made her WNO debut earlier this year on short notice, and for her efforts, she picked up just 23 seconds of mat time, walking away with one of the fastest submissions ever on the WNO mats.

This time, the ADCC veteran will be the welcoming committee for multiple-time IBJJF world champion Ana Rodrigues, who is making her debut after winning ADCC Trials earlier this year to punch her ticket to ADCC 2024.

In fact, both women in this matchup won Trials this year, and will be sharing the mats in the -55kg division at ADCC. It's an excellent opportunity for a preview of ARod's aggressive, hard-nosed passing style, and how it will match up against Fornarino's dangerous guard, complete with triangle threats, vicious Mir locks, and a litany of leg locks.

Elijah Dorsey & Jozef Chen to put 1-0 records on the line

Both Elijah Dorsey and Jozef Chen had breakout performances in their ADCC Trials campaigns this season.

Dorsey went 7-0 at the North American Trials in October 2023 — defeating several ADCC veterans — while just one month earlier, Chen had a similar run, taking out his fair share of ADCC vets.

Both men impressed equally in their WNO debuts. Chen won by Z-lock in November 2022, while Dorsey hit a thunderlock in November 2023.

Now they'll collide at WNO 24, as two of the top prospects in the 170 lb division will have a chance to show down before they take the mats in the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in August at ADCC 2024.

Cole  Abate & Ethan Crelinsten set to battle for title contention at lightweight

Cole Abate has been clawing at the WNO lightweight division ever since his WNO breakout at WNO Championships, when, as a blue belt, he defeated black belt Geo Martinez and went to decision with eventual finalist Gabriel Sousa.

Since then, he's picked up an additional win over Damien Anderson. He spent a year away from the WNO mats in 2023, but is back to take on former title contender Ethan Crelinsten in his return.

On the same night that Abate defeated Anderson, Crelinsten earned a milestone victory over IBJJF world champ Fabricio Andrey, submitting the Hokage from the back.

That win earned him a title shot for the lightweight belt. Crelinsten is back on the hunt for the top of the lightweight division, currently wide open with two-division champ Diego Pato at the helm.

This one should be a frantic start to the card, with two scrappy, creative athletes bringing the energy to this loaded card at WNO 24.

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