With ADCC approaching quickly, we are releasing a new divisional breakdown every day. Today, we focus on another of the new women's weight classes, -65kg (143lbs). We have some athletes coming up from -60, some coming down from heavier classes, and it's all mixed together for a really interesting bracket featuring the best in the world.

This bracket is full of bruising, physical athletes who are going to be aiming to impose themselves on the field with strong wrestling and positional dominance. One notable exception will be 17-year old Helena Crevar who uses a lethal submission arsenal to win in contests beyond her years.

Division Favorites

#3 Bia Mesquita

• 'Queen' Bea is back for another ADCC - and if she's able to win gold here it may be her most impressive yet. She is the 2017 ADCC Champion at -60kg and one of the most accomplished black belt competitors ever, but now she has largely stepped away from competitive jiu-jitsu to focus on her burgeoning MMA career (unsurprisingly she is still undefeated in the cage). Bia placed third in 2022, losing to rival Ffion Davies before bouncing back.
  Bia is very solid everywhere but is really just atypically good at winning close matches. That's as much physical and technical as it is mental - she's just that experienced and tough that she can win in a variety of ways. Given her recent MMA focus, I would expect a heavy wrestling approach from Bia.

#2 Brianna Ste-Marie

• Brianna Ste-Marie has come so close in so many major tournaments but that World gold medal continues to evade the Canadian star. She's got a very submission-oriented style, noted for her use of the closed guard, but is solid everywhere. She took silver last ADCC at -60kg, beating Basilio in the semifinals, and silver at this year's IBJJF Worlds. If she wins, she will become Canada's first ADCC gold medalist.
  Brianna has had some injury issues over the last year so we have to be hopeful she is fully healthy coming into the tournament. If she is, she will be tough for anyone to beat.

#5 Ana Carolina Vieira

• Ana Carolina is a threat for gold and likely the most physically powerful athlete in the bracket. Vieira, the sister of ADCC Champion Rodolfo Vieira, is a five-time World Champion in the gi but hasn't had as many accolades in no-gi but that is largely because of lack of tournaments entered. That lack of no-gi experience and some recent inactivity do raise questions but Vieira looked incredible at Trials (with all wins coming by submission) and is absolutely one of the favorites to win this. Expect solid wrestling, heavy pressure, and a physicality that few of the other -65kg's can handle.

Contenders

#7 at +145lbs Amanda Leve

• If anyone can match and even exceed Vieira's physicality, it's Leve. She also brings the highest level of wrestling in the field, making her very well suited to ADCC competition. She was on an incredible run through Trials before a knee injury in the West Coast finals ended her campaign. How she has recovered from that knee injury will be critical to her chances, because at full health and a weight limit of 143lbs, Amanda is an absolute nightmare to deal with. Punishing hand fighting, powerful shots, stingy defense, and crushing top pressure - Leve has everything it takes to run through things here. Also of note, she did her Trials at +65kg so she will have to navigate the weight cut down.

#4 Helena Crevar

• The youngest competitor at this year's ADCC has a genuine chance at winning it all. Helena has become a young phenom in the sport, only 17 and already a highly ranked and successful competitor. She won West Coast Trials, beating Mo Black and showing off greatly improved wrestling. Still, the heart of her game is her lethal guard work where she transitions from leg locks to triangles and arm locks with a lot of rapidity and variety. Since she's gone to train under John Danaher at New Wave her game has blossomed and she's become a real threat to anyone. Still, at only 17 there's always a chance that the more physically mature competitors can outwrestle and control a match strategically.

Darkhorses

#10 Aurelie Le Vern

• Aurelie has been having a breakout 2024! She won Euros in the gi (in her home country of France) and then won European Trials no-gi. She was successful at every level of the sport leading to black belt and now with more experience her game has really sharpened. With that growing confidence, she is likely to only improve. Aurelie has a good closed guard, good fundamental passing, and can wrestle well enough to get on top. How she stacks up against the best is the biggest unknown in this bracket, in my opinion.

Sleepers

#7 Mo Black

• She may be a long-shot to win a gold medal but Mo Black is definitely capable of busting up the bracket with an upset or two - and on the right day perhaps even does win it all. She's got more skills in those no-gi specific areas like leg locks than many in the field and was able to use her wrestling to defeat Crevar in the East Coast Trials finals (before losing to her at West Coast). Mo Black is a dangerous draw for any of the higher seeds in this division.

How To Watch The 2024 ADCC World Championship

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Replays, highlights and news also will be available on both platforms.

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