The brackets for the ADCC 2022 World Championships have officially been revealed. Here are a few things you can look for in some of the hottest first-round matchups in ADCC’s history that showcase the past and future of women’s jiu-jitsu.

This article focuses on the -60kg division.

Bianca Basilio vs Julia Maele

Watch out for Basilio’s breakneck pace, tenacious wrestling, and signature footlocks that have served her throughout her competitive career across multiple formats–ADCC included–as the reigning champion. 

Based on her winning run at ADCC European Trials, Maele’s paths to victory could include getting underneath Basilio to sweep or enter a leg entanglement or snapping down one of Basilio’s take downs to attack from front headlock. However, against a competitor as experienced and tenured as Basilio–especially in the ADCC rule set–Maele will have to have impeccable timing and execution on her side to defeat Basilio in the first round. 

Ffion Davies vs Adele Fornarino

Davies comes into the 2022 ADCC World Championships after her most-prestigious win to date–her first black belt IBJJF World Title. A win at ADCC could cap off her best year at Black Belt and of her entire career. But before she gets a potential semifinals ADCC re-match against fellow -60kg contender, Bia Mesquita, she’ll have to overcome the tricky guard and assertive pace of Adele Fornarino. 

Fornarino won three of her four ADCC Asia and Oceania Trials matches by swift submission within the first two minutes of the match. If Fornarino can get to closed guard on Davies, watch out for her closed guard offensive suite of triangles, armbars, and submissions off the sweep to mount.

Elvira Karppinen vs Brianna Ste-Marie

The Finnish 10th Planet black belt is no stranger to ADCC, coming away with a third-place finish back in 2019 after earning a first-round win against Mackenzie Dern–but she’ll have a challenge ahead of her in the ADCC debut of Brianna Ste-Marie. 

Karppinen’s flexible guard and heel hook attempts will have to stand up against Ste-Marie’s well-rounded, old-school game, which has taken her to the top of the podiums at many a major tournament: most recently to first-place at the deepest -60kg brackets in the history of ADCC Trials. She won both ADCC North American trials in dominant fashion, with her submission game trending toward d’arce chokes and armbars.

Beatriz Mesquita vs Mayssa Bastos

For those who ever wished Mesquita and Bastos did an IBJJF Worlds Black Belt Open Class match, wish granted by the organizers of ADCC. In IBJJF formats, Mesquita typically fights at Lightweight (141.6lbs) while Mayssa fights at Roosterweight (107lbs), close to a 35-lb weight difference. While not as significant as some of the weight differences in the 60+kg divisions, when it comes to Mesquita’s pressure and control, the weight difference is meaningful, even if Bastos is widely considered the #1 female pound-for-pound grappler in the world. 

Both competitors have imposed their signature style with winning results against the highest levels of gi and no gi competition,  facing off against some of the toughest women in the world in their respective weight classes: Grace Gundrum and Jessa Khan in the case of Bastos, and Luiza Monteiro and Ffion Davies in the case of Mesquita–among others. 

Watch out for Bastos’ inverted guard game to lead her to submissions and back control entries. Keep an eye out for how Bastos’ ground-oriented game stacks up against Mesquita’s wrestling and pressure passing from top, not to mention Mesquita’s own (very dangerous) guard.