The Youngest & Oldest Competitors Coming To ADCC 2024 World Championships
The Youngest & Oldest Competitors Coming To ADCC 2024 World Championships
The roster for the 2024 ADCC World Championships has athletes spanning more than 25 years in age. Here are the youngest & oldest going to the T-Mobile Arena
Just one week away from the 2024 ADCC World Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada, athletes worldwide are entering the final phases of their preparation to fight on the biggest stage in grappling. With less than a majority of fighters making their first appearance, a handful of grapplers competing this year have spent the better part of the last decade competing worldwide to be crowned ADCC champion.
A proving ground for the grappling elite, spectators can observe the changing of the guard in real-time as legends emerge every two years. Last year, Kade Ruotolo made history, becoming the youngest ADCC Champion in history at 19 years old by defeating fellow teenage competitor Mica Galvao in the finals. Two years later, a new wave of young competitors seek glory while veterans of ADCCs past to defend and strengthen their place in grappling history. With an age gap of 25 years between the tournament’s youngest and oldest competitors, this is truly a generational tournament.
The men's -66kg and women's -55kg divisions represent the youngest talent with an average age of 26 years old, while the oldest division is the men's -77kg division at an average age of 30. The youngest competitor at the 2024 ADCC World Championships will be 17-year old Helena Crevar in the women's -65kg division representing New Wave Jiu-Jitsu, followed by 17-year old Achilles Rocha, 18-year old Dorian Olivarez and returning silver medalist Mica Galvao (20). The oldest competitor is Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu. The eman age of competitors is 28.35 years, and the median age is 28. Crevar and Olivarez can both break the record for the youngest champion should either win gold.
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Dorian Olivarez, 18
Olivarez is the youngest male athlete competing at this year's ADCC World Championships, and the sky is the limit for him. At 17 years old, he won the 2023 ADCC East Coast trials with a 43% submission rate. That spring, he followed up his accomplishment by winning the U20 144lb wrestling national championships over no.1 ranked Pierson Manville, an ASU commit.
Still a purple belt, Olivarez won the No-Gi Pan Championships in 2022 while placing second at the 2021 and 2022 No-Gi World Championships in both his weight class and the absolute division. Most recently, Olivarez went undefeated with a 100% submission rate at AIGA Brazil while representing Team Kasai this past March. Should Olivarez win his division, he would break Kade Ruotolo's record and become the youngest ADCC Champion in history.
Ash Williams, 32
A mainstay on the European grappling scene, the veteran Williams returns to Las Vegas this year after suffering a first-round loss to eventual champion Diogo Reis in 2022. Once the youngest Welshman to receive a black belt, Williams has fought on the pro scene since 2015.
The 2021 ADCC European Trials champion, Williams fell via referee's decision in the semi-finals of both European Trials this year, losing to fellow ADCC competitors Owen Jones and Gairbeg Ibragimov, respectively. Having battled several of his fellow -66kg division qualifiers, Williams can score vengeance on many if he fights his way to gold. During his campaigns in 2023 and 2024 thus far, Williams has compiled a 15-3 record.
Mica Galvao, 20
At age 20, Galvao is already one of the most credentialed grapplers at ADCC 2024. A runner-up at the 2022 ADCC World Championships, Galvao is back again with his eyes on gold. Undefeated since last year when he fell to heavyweight Fellipe Andrew at BJJ Stars 10 in April 2023, Galvao is riding the tailwinds of an IBJJF Grand Slam in the gi and victories over Jay Rodriguez, PJ Barch, Kody Steele, and Kenta Iwamoto at WNO.
Never afraid of a challenge, to return home to Brazil with gold, Galvao must battle through a deep 77kg division featuring two former ADCC champions and several medalists, such as Davi Ramos, Dante Leon, JT Torres, Garry Tonon and Vagner Rocha.
Vagner Rocha, 42
A longtime veteran of the ADCC World Championships, Rocha first fought at ADCC in 2011 and earned his first medal, bronze, in 2017. Now ready for his sixth visit to the biggest stage in grappling after a bronze finish in the 2022 -88kg division, Vagner is joined this year by his daughter, Jasmine — the youngest competitor in the women's -55kg division, and his son, Achilles — the youngest competitor at -88kg.
In addition to his two bronze medals, Rocha took silver in the -77kg division in 2019, where he fell to JT Torres in the finals. Down a weight class from ADCC 2022, Rocha returns to the -77kg division as he looks to reach the podium for the fourth time in the last four ADCC World Championships.
Achilles Rocha, 17
Joining his sister and father on the ADCC Mats, Achilles Rocha is the youngest fighter in the 88kg division at 17-years old, debuting at ADCC at the same time as his sister, Jasmine. Rising quickly on the no-gi scene, Rocha has put together impressive performances at the IBJJF No Gi World Championships and on Who’s Number One.
Competing at both North American and both South American trials, the young Rocha’s performances across the four tournaments earned him an invite to the ADCC World Championships where he will be eager to prove he belongs.
Josh Hinger, 42
Returning to the ADCC World Championships for the third time, 2019 bronze medalist Josh Hinger brings a hard-nosed wrestling style to the mix as he vies for a coveted ADCC gold medal. After edging out teammate Tye Rutolo in the opening round of the -88kg division in 2022, Hinger fell to teammate Lucas Barbosa in the quarterfinals.
The Atos representative has scaled back from competition recently, with ADCC 2022 hosting his most recent professional-level bouts. Wielding a dangerous guillotine and firm in his hand fighting, Hinger looms as a threat for whoever stands across him in the T-Mobile Center this year.
-99kg - Average Age: 30
Marcin Maciulewicz, 24
A rookie black belt, the Polish Punisher will make his first appearance at the ADCC World Championships this fall. After winning gold in his weight division and silver at the 2023 brown belt IBJJF No-Gi World Championships, Maciulewicz smashed through his bracket at the second European trials with a 50% submission rate. Maciulewicz enters the fold at ADCC 2024 as a wildcard due to his lack of experience against elite competition. A solid performance from the Pole could skyrocket his stock in the grappling world.
Rafael Lovato Jr., 42
One of the most decorated grapplers of all time, there are few titles Rafael Lovato Jr. has not conquered, but among them is an ADCC gold medal. Now competing at his seventh ADCC World Championship, Lovato Jr. has seen generations come and go and continues to stand the test of time. Making his debut at ADCC in 2007, he first earned his lone medal in 2013 when he reached the finals of the -88kg division. Falling short to Kaynan Duarte in the semi-finals of ADCC 2022, Lovato had impressive victories over Perttu Terpponnen and Vinicius Trator. At the 2022 ADCC Championships, Lovato Jr. fell to Nicholas Meregali in the bronze medal match, finishing fourth for the fourth time in his career at ADCC.
Roberto "Cyborg" Abreu, 43
The oldest competitor at ADCC 2024, Cyborg hardly needs an introduction as he joins Lovato Jr. in returning for his seventh ADCC World Championships. Fighting at each edition since 2009, Cyborg has won an absolute division gold medal, a silver medal, and three bronze medals.
In 2022, Cyborg placed 4th in the absolute division with victories over Elder Cruz and Victor Hugo before withdrawing from the bronze medal bout. Down from +99kg to -99kg this year, Cyborg has a chance to avenge recent losses to Nicholas Meregali and Henrique Ceconi, whom he fought at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 4 and ADXC 3, respectively.
Daniel Manasoiu, 22
Representing New Wave, "Big Dan" Manasoiu nearly qualified for the 2022 ADCC World Championships, with a win at the 2022 ADCC European Trials. After falling at the first ADCC European Trials in 2023, Manasiou punched his ticket to the 2024 ADCC World Championships by submitting his way through the 2023 ADCC East Coast Trials, including a win over fellow ADCC qualifier Damon Ramos.
A Who's Next competitor, Big Dan has rapidly risen to the heavyweight division's top level, coupling his 6'7" and 300+ lb. frame with a fine-tuned arsenal of deadly attacks to win multiple tournaments and superfights.
Vinny Magalhães, 40
Submitting two opponents via flying armbar in his 2009 ADCC debut, 2011 ADCC Champion Vinny Magalhães returns to Las Vegas hoping to return to his winning ways. A runner-up on The Ultimate Fighter, Magalhães' grappling and MMA careers overlapped, leading to fewer grappling matches as he progressed.
After falling to John Hansen via injury in the opening round at the 2022 ADCC World Championships, clocks in ten years above the average age of his division. One of a handful of fighters to defeat Gordon Ryan at black belt, Magalhães returns after two years of inactivity, hoping to be the +99kg division boogeyman.
Jasmine Rocha, 22
Joining her father for the first time as she makes her ADCC World Championships debut, the fearless Jasmine Rocha is the youngest competitor in a stacked -55kg division. An IBJJF No-Gi World silver medalist, Rocha qualified for ADCC 2024 by winning the West Coast Trials with an 80% submission rate and including wins over Tammi Musumeci, Trinity Pun, and fellow ADCC newcomer Alex Enriquez.
In addition to competing at the East Coast, West Coast, and Brazilian Trials, Rocha comes well prepared, having defeated both Amanda Bruse and Emily Fernandez via submission at WNO in 2024 and winning several gold medals at ADCC opens throughout 2023.
Margot Ciccarelli, 30
Highly credentialed in the gi, Margot Ciccarelli qualified for ADCC for the first time after an impressive 5-0 run at the European Trials this past February. Just weeks later, Ciccarelli took home double gold at the Los Angeles No-Gi Open, which included an impressive Tarikoplata finish. Most recently, Margot finished bronze at the IBJJF World Championships, followed by a gold medal at American No-Gi Nationals. While not primarily known for her no-gi chops, Ciccarelli could be a dark horse playing spoiler to anyone else in the -55kg division's gold medal hopes.
Helena Crevar, 17
Helena Crevar is one of two competitors this year with the potential to become the youngest ADCC champion in history. Impressing at both Trials tournaments, Crevar submitted her way to the ADCC West Coast Trial finals, winning a rematch of the East Coast finals against Mo Black 5-0. At 17 years old, the blue belt training out of New Wave became one of the youngest ADCC Trials winners ever.
Prior to her run at West Coast Trials, Crevar won double gold in the juvenile blue belt division at the 2023 IBJJF World Championships and defeated ADCC veteran Julia Maele at WNO. Most recently, she has impressed with wins over European Trials Champion and fellow ADCC qualifier Aurelie Le Vern and UFC fighter Maria Agapova at Karate Combat Pit Submission Series 5.
Beatriz Mesquita, 33
One of the greatest competitors in the sport's history, Bia Mesquita returns to ADCC with her eyes on a second gold medal. Competing at the ADCC World Championships on three previous occasions, Mesquita earned a gold medal in 2017, took fourth in 2019, and was the 2022 bronze medalist. In addition to her ADCC accomplishments, Mesquita has won five IBJJF No-Gi World Championships gold medals. After winning her MMA debut by rear naked choke in the first round in June, Mesquita will return to grappling for the first time since 2022.
Nia Blackman, 20
The second youngest competitor in the ADCC women's divisions, Nia Blackman, battled through a tough European Trials bracket and picked up a win over Maria Malyjasiak en route to gold. Blackman, a brown belt out of CheckMat, won double gold at the 2023 European No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Championships last fall. Now elevated to the biggest stage in grappling, Blackman can prove herself amongst the world's elite and rapidly ascend in the division.
Nikki-Lloyd-Griffiths, 33
One of the dominant figures on the Australian grappling scene, Nikki Lloyd-Griffiths won her second straight ADCC Asia & Oceania Trials to punch her ticket back to Las Vegas. Falling to Gabi Garcia in the opening round at ADCC 2022 as a rookie black belt, Lloyd-Griffith looks to improve on her previous visit as she returns to the ADCC World Championships in 2024.
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