Quick answer: ADCC uses two different weight-class systems. The ADCC World Championship and its Trials run five men’s divisions — 65.9 kg (145.2 lbs), 76.9 kg (169.5 lbs), 87.9 kg (193.7 lbs), 98.9 kg (218 lbs), and +99 kg — and three women’s divisions at 55 kg, 65 kg, and +65 kg, plus the famous Absolute division with no weight limit. Every other ADCC event — nationals, opens, and regional championships — uses a different, longer ladder: eight men’s divisions from 60 kg to +100 kg and six women’s divisions from 50 kg to +70 kg, split across Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Professional skill tiers. All limits are maximums, and there is no gi to account for — ADCC is no-gi submission grappling. The next World Championship runs September 12–13, 2026 in Kraków, Poland. Always confirm divisions on the registration page for your specific event.
Last updated: July 18, 2026. This guide covers the official ADCC weight classes for 2026 — World Championship, Trials, opens, masters, and teams — with limits in kilograms and pounds taken from the official ADCC weight-class tables. It is a planning guide, not a replacement for the official ADCC rules or your event’s registration page.
ADCC 2026: the Worlds go to Kraków
Before the charts, the context: the 2026 ADCC World Championship runs September 12–13, 2026 at Tauron Arena in Kraków — the first Worlds ever held in Poland, and the first European edition in nine years. ADCC has visited Europe before (Barcelona 2009, Nottingham 2011, Espoo 2017), but every championship since — Anaheim 2019, Las Vegas 2022 and 2024 — has been American. For Europe’s booming grappling scene, Kraków is a homecoming.
The brackets will be filled the usual way: returning champions, ADCC Trials winners, and specially invited athletes, competing on the five-division Worlds ladder below. If you’re competing at a local ADCC event before then, note that you’ll be on the different opens ladder further down this page.
ADCC World Championship weight classes 2026
The World Championship and the Trials that qualify athletes into it use the classic five-division men’s ladder and three-division women’s ladder. Both are open only to competitors 16 and over. The pounds values below are ADCC’s official published conversions.
| Division | Men (Worlds & Trials) | Women (Worlds & Trials) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | −65.9 kg (145.2 lbs) | −55 kg (121.2 lbs) |
| 2 | −76.9 kg (169.5 lbs) | −65 kg (143.3 lbs) |
| 3 | −87.9 kg (193.7 lbs) | +65 kg (over 143.3 lbs) |
| 4 | −98.9 kg (218.0 lbs) | — |
| 5 | +99 kg (over 220.5 lbs) | — |
| Absolute (Open) | No weight limit | No weight limit |
Worlds divisions vs regular ADCC events — they are not the same
This is the detail most weight-class charts miss: the five-division ladder above applies only to the World Championship and Trials. ADCC nationals, opens, and all other championships use a completely different table — eight men’s divisions and six women’s divisions, in rounder 5-kilo steps. An athlete who competes at −77 kg on the Worlds ladder registers at −76 kg or −83 kg at an ADCC Open, because 76.9 kg does not exist there.
ADCC Open and national weight classes 2026
All non-Worlds adult and masters divisions use this ladder, repeated across four experience tiers — Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Professional — and masters age brackets (Masters 1–3 for men). Pounds are our conversions, rounded to one decimal; ADCC publishes these divisions in kilograms only.
| Division | Men (adults & masters) | Women (adults & masters) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | −60 kg (132.3 lbs) | −50 kg (110.2 lbs) |
| 2 | −65 kg (143.3 lbs) | −55 kg (121.3 lbs) |
| 3 | −70 kg (154.3 lbs) | −60 kg (132.3 lbs) |
| 4 | −76 kg (167.6 lbs) | −65 kg (143.3 lbs) |
| 5 | −83 kg (183.0 lbs) | −70 kg (154.3 lbs) |
| 6 | −91 kg (200.6 lbs) | +70 kg (over 154.3 lbs) |
| 7 | −100 kg (220.5 lbs) | — |
| 8 | +100 kg (over 220.5 lbs) | — |
Kids and juvenile brackets exist at these events too, stepping down by age group (for example, teen boys run −45 kg through −80 kg, with younger brackets lighter still). The full grid is large — dozens of age-and-weight combinations — so use the official ADCC weight-class tables and match your child’s age bracket and tier before registering.
ADCC teams divisions
ADCC’s teams competition (16+, up to five competitors per team) uses just two divisions per sex: men at −83 kg (183 lbs) and +83 kg, women at −60 kg (132.3 lbs) and +60 kg.
ADCC vs IBJJF weight classes
The two biggest rulesets in grappling slice weight very differently. IBJJF runs nine men’s divisions in the gi (Rooster through Ultra Heavy) with limits that include the uniform, plus separate no-gi limits. ADCC’s Worlds ladder has just five men’s divisions, no uniform to weigh, and gaps of roughly 11 kg between classes — which is why ADCC brackets routinely feature bigger size differences than IBJJF brackets. If you compete in both, don’t assume your IBJJF division maps cleanly onto an ADCC one: an IBJJF Middleweight (82.3 kg gi limit) lands mid-bracket at ADCC −87.9 kg. Full IBJJF numbers: our IBJJF weight classes guide.
How long are ADCC matches?
Match length depends on the event level, per the official ADCC rules. At the World Championship, qualifying-round matches run 10 minutes with a 5-minute overtime if drawn, and finals (including Absolute finals) run 20 minutes with a 10-minute overtime. At Trials, nationals, and opens, qualifying matches are 6 minutes (+3 overtime) and finals are 8 minutes (+4 overtime). ADCC’s scoring itself is phase-based — points only count in the second half of the match. The full points table, penalties, and legal-technique list are in our ADCC rules guide, with cross-ruleset context in the BJJ rules and scoring guide.
What about the Absolute division?
The Absolute is ADCC’s signature bracket: no weight limit, open to standouts across divisions, and historically where the sport’s biggest names — from Marcelo Garcia to Gordon Ryan — built legend status by beating much larger opponents. At the Worlds it runs alongside the weight classes with its own 20-minute final format. Entry is by invitation and performance, not open registration.
Common mistakes
- Using the Worlds ladder for an open: regular ADCC events use the 8-division (men) / 6-division (women) table, not the famous five.
- Assuming IBJJF divisions carry over: ADCC classes are wider and no-gi; your IBJJF division name means nothing here.
- Ignoring the skill tier: opens split every weight class into Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Professional — register honestly or expect a mismatch.
- Trusting third-party charts: even ADCC’s own published pound-conversions contain the odd typo; the kilogram limits are the authoritative numbers.
Bottom line
ADCC weight classes come in two systems: five men’s and three women’s divisions (plus Absolute) at the World Championship and Trials, and a broader 5-kilo-step ladder at every other ADCC event, split by skill tier and age. All limits are kilogram maximums with no gi involved. Plan from the charts above, then confirm on your event’s registration page.
FAQ
What are the ADCC weight classes?
At the World Championship and Trials: 65.9 kg, 76.9 kg, 87.9 kg, 98.9 kg, and +99 kg for men; 55 kg, 65 kg, and +65 kg for women; plus an Absolute division with no weight limit. Other ADCC events use an eight-division men’s ladder (60 kg to +100 kg) and six-division women’s ladder (50 kg to +70 kg).
Are ADCC and IBJJF weight classes the same?
No. IBJJF uses nine narrower men’s divisions with gi and no-gi variants; ADCC’s Worlds ladder uses five wider divisions, always no-gi. The division names and limits do not map onto each other.
Does ADCC have an absolute division?
Yes — the Absolute is ADCC’s most famous bracket, with no weight limit. At the Worlds it is entered by invitation and performance rather than open registration.
How long are ADCC matches?
World Championship: 10-minute qualifying matches (+5 overtime) and 20-minute finals (+10 overtime). Trials and opens: 6-minute qualifying matches (+3) and 8-minute finals (+4).
When is ADCC 2026?
The 2026 ADCC World Championship is September 12–13, 2026 at Tauron Arena in Kraków, Poland.
