2024 ADCC -66kg Bracket Preview: One Of The Best Divisions Ever

Who is leading the pack at -66kg heading into the ADCC World Championships? Check out our full divisional preview here.

Aug 8, 2024 by Joe Gilpin

2024 ADCC -66kg Bracket Preview: One Of The Best Divisions Ever

Without exaggeration, the talent pool for this -66kg division at ADCC 2024 is as deep as it has ever been. Every name is a championship-caliber grappler who had to rise above a field of hungry contenders just to make it here.

There is a lot of the same field from 2022, with all four place-winners returning, and a strong new mix of fresh faces who are eager for their shot at glory. No men's division scrambles more, moves faster, and attacks more often than this -66kg bracket and if you want to circle only one division that can guarantee fireworks from the start it should be this one.

All rankings are according to FloGrappling's Official No-Gi Rankings, at the weight of 145lbs unless otherwise noted.

Division Favorites

#2 Diogo Reis

The 'Baby Shark' returns to the tournament where he first stamped himself as a globally elite grappler, as he looks to defend his 2022 World Championship. He won last time using great back takes, strong wrestling that you can read more about here, and tactical mastery that outperforms his age. Especially under these rules, Baby Shark is going to be hard to beat.
In this field, he's defeated Gabriel Sousa, Fabricio Andrey, Keith Krikorian, Ash Williams, and Diego Pato. He did, however, lose to Pato at a recent WNO in a match he had to bow out of with a knee injury. Since then he's fought in another WNO & at BJJ Stars and looked good but against a lower level of competition than what he is likely to see here. That knee injury - and the rivalry with Pato - will be a major factor here.
Reis is likely to have the one seed, and will be getting his teammate Kaua Gabriel drawn into his quarterfinal if they both advance. If you want to read more about the Pato-Baby Shark rivalry, you can read here.

#1 Diego Pato Oliveira

Diego Pato has raised his stock since his bronze medal performance in 2022 and now is one of the World's top pound-for-pound grapplers. He wins world titles in the gi, in no-gi for IBJJF, he is a double champion in WNO, and does it all with a vicious style. Pato is a fearsome leg locker who literally breaks limbs - despite his calm, cool personality he has some of that same aura as Rousamir Palhares once did with regards to his leg locking danger.
In the last year he's submitted Diogo Reis, Fabricio Andrey, and Dante Leon, and at the last ADCC he Z-locked Kennedy Maciel and put him out for over a year. His guard retention, his false reap, and his K guard all combine into a lethal system under the guidance of the Mendes Brothers.
What's going to be a red flag is his wrestling. If these long matches turn into wrestling contests, he isn't as proven as guys like Sousa, Reis, Maciel, and Olivarez. He may be skilled there, but we haven't seen it. The gameplan for the field is likely going to be limiting engagements and forcing him back up to the feet.

Contenders

#4 Kennedy Maciel

Kennedy Maciel may be the most overlooked threat for gold in this division. He has been on an incredible run since returning from injury, winning 3 out of the 4 majors in the gi with some great, clutch performances. He also blazed his way through Trials, which was remarkable because he was very likely to get an invite. He's dialed in and Kennedy really looks as good as ever, especially now that the former ADCC silver medalist is working regularly with Mikey Musumeci.
Kennedy has always been super talented and very successful in competition but he's turned a corner recently and seems to be having more fun with less pressure on himself. He brings a very high level of wrestling, he's very strong and athletic, and he is super experienced. Kennedy is a threat to win this bracket on his best day.

#5 Gabriel Sousa

Gabriel returns to try to claim his gold medal that was so close in 2022, but to do that will require an even greater effort considering the field is even better in 2024. Gabriel has good wrestling, good top pressure and passing, and tons of championship experience. He navigated his way to silver in 2022, losing a close one to Diogo Reis, and has every tool to turn that result around.
Gabriel has had some shaky performances that he will need to recover from, including submission losses to Musumeci and Kennedy. He also has not been very active in 2024, splitting 2 matches with a win and a loss. With his profile much higher than it was in 2022 because of his medal, the knives will be out for Gabriel early so he should be expecting a long road back to the finals.

#6 Dorian Olivarez

Dorian is a big enigma in the bracket because of his style and his level of experience. Not many had heard of this high school kid before ADCC East Coast Trials but he went and won the tournament, beating guys like Ethan Crelinsten and Dominic Mejia to qualify for Worlds. Since then, though, we haven't seen him in grappling. Instead he was busy winning a folkstyle wrestling national title - and is the only person ever ranked by both FloGrappling and FloWrestling concurrently.
With Dorian you can expect pace, grit, pressure, and outstanding wrestling. His top game is very solid and he is constantly moving but he also tends to disengage often - something that will need to be managed to avoid ADCC's aggressive negatives. Still, it's hard to see anyone scoring on Dorian or holding him down for any extended time.
In a lot of ways he is in the same place, with a similar style, to Baby Shark in 2022. If he can replicate that success remains to be seen. What does likely raise his odds is that he did his camp with New Wave Jiu-Jitsu (who all speak very highly of his chances to win gold).

#3 Fabricio Andrey

'The Hokage' is one of the most fan-friendly, action-oriented athletes in the division and the tournament, constantly finding new and exciting ways to win. His finals match at South American Trials was electric, and his semifinals flying armbar may be the submission of the year. Fabricio is a threat to beat anyone, including heavier opponents - in the last year he's defeated defending -88kg champion Giancarlo Bodoni!
Fabricio has great wrestling (especially the wrist snap and ankle pick), great throws, and maybe the best loose passing in the world. When his game is working, he is dominating the best guys. However, combine that with his strength and speed, and he can fade in long matches. That is the concern here ADCC - can he manage the pace in these grueling contests?

Darkhorses

#7 Ethan Crelinsten

Ethan continues to be right there with the best guys in the world but has yet to break through. ADCC 2024 may be his moment. He is a great all-around grappler at this point, with heavy top pressure and finishes from the back being the most recent hallmarks of his style. He's very experienced, with this being his third trip to Worlds, but now he has to find his way deeper into the bracket.
A good draw will be important for Ethan's chances. If he can avoid scramble heavy matches that will drain his gas tank, his odds improve a lot. He ran into that round one last ADCC and ended up being submitted in a shootout by Cisneros. He does have a lot of good momentum right now though, having beaten West Coast Trials winner Deandre Corbe at the last WNO.

#11 at 155lbs Josh Cisneros

Returning fourth-place finisher Josh Cisneros is making his return after a long road back that included multiple injury setbacks. He beat Ethan and Sam McNally (after his upset of 1-seed Tonon) last ADCC to finish fourth but with knee injuries becoming a factor for him he has struggled to stay consistently on the competition mats. Still, he made a return to F2W recently and looked great, submitted Atos's Joao Mendes with a rear naked choke.
Josh's path to victory is simple, use his wrestling, speed, and scrambling to score and find the back. If he's as athletically able as he was in 2022 then he can still beat anyone here, but that health is a big question mark.

Sleepers

#13 Gairbeg Ibragimov

We called Dorian a big question mark but Gairbeg is the biggest question mark in this bracket. The Russian grappler won the European Trials this year in a mild upset, showing off that trademark Dagestani wrestling as he beat known elite black belts like Ash Williams. That's not some random result either - Gairbeg beat Fabricio Andrey last year in AIGA to clinch the qualifying round victory for Universal Fighters over Team Modolfo. He's on this level.
What surprises opponents most about Ibragimov is that he isn't just a wrestler - for example against Williams he was able to invert to the back from guard. This guy is going to be a bad draw for a top name on day one, and may just score the upset.

#8 Deandre Corbe

After being close for a long time, Corbe finally announced himself as a player on the elite level by winning West Coast Trials. He ran a tough gauntlet, including beating Keith Krikorian, and finally showed off the full range of his skills to their utmost. He has great wrestling, strong guard work with leg entanglements as a focus, he is a good tactician, and attacks with a wide variety that keeps opponent's guessing.
For Deandre to do well here, it will take opening up and being as aggressive as possible. In close matches he can play things very close and methodical, and for as good as he is at that it can leave matches to decisions or late flurries. I think the more that he opens up, the better Corbe will fair at ADCC.