ADCC is less than a month away and the elite of the elite will take the mats to fight for the right to call themselves best in the world. For fans of grappling, the greatest technicians on Earth will be taking the mats - including the best of the best when it comes to guard passing. 

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It's hard to be a great no-gi guard passer, with how slippery positions like side control or mount can be to hold down long-term. If you want to know who some of the best that rise above the rest when it comes to passing and controlling from dominant positions, we have ten grapplers we want to highlight.

1. Gordon Ryan, ADCC Super Fight

The #1 pound-for-pound grappler is also likely the best guard passer in jiu-jitsu, with his ability to combine different passing systems giving him a heads up on his contemporaries. While he first began as a guard puller and leg locker, Gordon's first big transformation was his development of his "attack the guard' style that relies on dominating top half guard, an interplay between high steps & split squats, and a willingness to drop into leg entanglements or kimuras.

Gordon's passing over the last few years has focused more on 'camping' positions that force opponents to expend energy to defend. It remains to be seen if he can impose this on Yuri or Felipe in the super fights this year when he attempts to make history.

2. Fabricio Andrey, -66kg

As far as aesthetically pleasing, effective guard passing - Hokage may be the best out there. His loose passing especially is really incredible, combining torreandos, high steps, leg pins, and more to pressure side-to-side and into dominant pins. He is also a master of float passing, using his balance to hip switch and leg pummel past the guard.

3. Izaak Michell, -88kg

Izaak is another grappler who has really mastered that side-to-side pressure that is very popular at the elite levels lately - forcing opponents to constantly frame and commit defense one way before switching over to the other side or up to north-south. If you run back his match against Jacob Couch - who has a very tricky and dangerous guard - you'll see him really dominating those exchanges with his pace, aggressiveness, and ability to break grips as he pressures the guard. This skill, combined with his wrestling, makes him a real threat at -88kg.

4. Kaynan Duarte, -99kg

The two-time ADCC champion is a menace under ADCC rules, having won gold at the last two Worlds. He's a pressure grappler from top, using the knee slide and the top half guard to pin people down and work for mount. The best example of Kaynan's no-gi passing came at the last ADCC when he worked to mount several times against Craig Jones, racking up the points he needed to win.

5. Amy Campo, +65kg

Amy is looking to repeat her gold medal performance from 2022 and if she wants to do that she will need another tournament where she can impose her pressure from top. Amy brings a heavy knee cut pass that shuts down guards and forces her into strong pinning positions. If Amy can get on top of any woman in her bracket, she can pass their guard.

6. JT Torres, -77kg

JT has one of the best classic knee cut passing systems we've seen in a long time. He maintains position and pressure well, he can transition to different hip switches and smash passes, and has used it to a lot of success in ADCC. For him to recapture that old form that saw him take gold twice, he will need to be the top position terror that he was in those runs.

7. Diogo Reis, -66kg

The Baby Shark is a scary opponent under ADCC rules; good wrestling, tough to score on, and a really good guard passer. The Melqui Galvao black belt will look to defend his 2022 title but to do so he will need to show off more of that top game - especially with guard players like Pato in the mix.

8. Declan Moody, -99kg

Declan might be a surprising inclusion here on this list but after his Trials run and recent match with Felipe Costa on WNO, I think it's warranted - this dude can pass guard. Declan used a combination of hip switches and half guard passing to force Felipe to turtle over and over until he finally took his back and finished. It was an eye opening performance to Declan's top game prowess.

9. Bia Mesquita, -65kg

The Queen Bia is back to try and reclaim her throne after time away focusing on MMA. She is a former ADCC champion and one of jiu-jitsu's most prolific champions ever but has a crop of fresh young challengers who want their glory. For Bia to get it done again, she will need to impose her legendary guard passing pressure.

10. Dante Leon, -77kg

Dante has a solid overall game but the overpowered PSF grappler really uses his brute force to its upmost in the top position, particularly the knee cut position. He stages himself there well, hunting submissions and passes, and really dictates tempo for long stretches - even against elite guards. Dante will be looking to finally get over the hump for gold in 2024 and to do it he will need that aspect of his game firing on all cylinders.

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