Quick answer: Adele Fornarino is an Australian BJJ black belt, coach, 2024 ADCC double champion, and one of the leading modern women’s no-gi grapplers.
Last updated: 2026-06-18
Adele Fornarino quick facts
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Australian |
| Rank | BJJ black belt under David Hart |
| Team/academy | Dominance MMA and Atos Jiu-Jitsu connections in public references |
| Known for | 2024 ADCC weight-class and absolute titles, no-gi success, and fast submission attacks |
| Recent context | Public 2025 coverage reported Fornarino winning featherweight gold at IBJJF No-Gi Worlds |
Career snapshot
| Year | Milestone | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Won an IBJJF juvenile world title after beginning jiu-jitsu in Melbourne as a child. | The result was an early sign that her development could translate beyond Australia’s domestic circuit. |
| 2022 | Won the IBJJF World No-Gi title at brown belt and the ADCC Oceania and Asia Trials. | The two results established her as an elite no-gi prospect before black belt. |
| 2022 | Received her black belt from longtime coach David Hart in December. | The promotion moved her directly into professional and adult black-belt fields. |
| 2024 | Won both the under-55kg and absolute divisions at ADCC. | She became the first Australian ADCC champion and the first woman to win that event’s open class. |
| 2025 | Won the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship at black belt. | The title confirmed her success across different no-gi rules and tournament structures. |
Why Adele Fornarino matters in grappling
Adele Fornarino changed the ceiling for Australian submission grappling. Her 2024 ADCC weight-and-absolute double made her the first Australian champion at the event, and her high submission rate gives the achievement a technical identity built around leg attacks, armbars, and rapid transitions rather than cautious bracket management.
Fornarino is most dangerous when she turns a defensive reaction into a second attack before her opponent can reset. Her straight ankle locks and heel exposure threaten the lower body, but opponents who pull the leg free can give her space to climb toward an armbar or come on top. She also uses compact movement well against larger athletes: staying connected at the knee line, controlling the far hip, and attacking along an angle reduces the amount of force needed to move an opponent’s whole frame.
Her absolute success should be read through that efficiency. Fornarino does not need to move a larger opponent all at once; she isolates a knee, shoulder, or posted arm and forces the rest of the body to follow the compromised structure.
Adele Fornarino’s grappling style
Adele Fornarino’s style is best understood through the positions and habits that repeatedly show up in high-level matches. For a grappling fan, this is the part of the profile that turns a name and record into something useful to watch, compare, and learn from.
- Fast leg attacks and aggressive submission entries.
- No-gi pacing built around initiative and early danger.
- Experience against elite women’s grapplers across ADCC, WNO, CJI, and UFC Fight Pass Invitational contexts.
- A modern style that makes her a natural comparison point with Ffion Davies, Helena Crevar, and Elisabeth Clay.
What to study in Adele Fornarino’s game
| Match | What to watch | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Adele Fornarino vs. Bianca Basilio, 2024 ADCC under-55kg final | Watch Fornarino create lower-body exposure without losing the ability to follow the hips when Basilio turns. | The final shows her leg-attack composure against an experienced ADCC champion. |
| Adele Fornarino vs. Amanda Leve, 2024 ADCC absolute final | Study how she stays compact and attacks angles against a larger opponent rather than meeting force head-on. | It explains why her absolute title was more than a novelty result. |
| Adele Fornarino’s 2025 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds run | Track the transition between leg entanglements, guard elevation, and top position under IBJJF scoring. | The run shows how her submission-first style adapts when points and legal-technique rules differ from ADCC. |
Training takeaways
Build leg attacks with an exit route. Fornarino’s best sequences preserve the option to sweep, chase an arm, or follow the hips when the initial finish disappears.
Smaller athletes can study how she stays attached to one side of a larger opponent instead of trying to control the entire body at once.
How Adele Fornarino compares with related grapplers
Adele Fornarino pairs naturally with Ffion Davies, Helena Crevar, Elisabeth Clay, Tammi Musumeci, and Brianna Ste-Marie because those names create useful context around teams, divisions, rule sets, and technical choices. Comparing them helps readers see whether an athlete is winning with pressure, guard retention, passing, wrestling, leg attacks, back control, or a blend of several areas.
Related grapplers and pages
Adele Fornarino connects naturally to Ffion Davies, Helena Crevar, Elisabeth Clay, Tammi Musumeci, and Brianna Ste-Marie. These profiles and guides are useful if you want to compare eras, teams, rule sets, or stylistic matchups across BJJ and submission grappling.
- /profiles/ffion-davies-grappler-profile/
- /grappling/helena-crevar-her-training-secrets-revealed/
- /profiles/elisabeth-clay-grappler-profile/
- /brazilian-jiu-jitsu/ibjjf-no-gi-rules/
- Browse all BJJ fighter profiles
Sources and further reading
- Adele Fornarino biography, achievements, and match record.
- Adele Fornarino entity reference.
- 2025 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds coverage.
FAQ
What is Adele Fornarino known for?
Adele Fornarino is known for winning both her weight class and the absolute division at the 2024 ADCC World Championship.
Is Adele Fornarino Australian?
Yes. Public references describe Adele Fornarino as an Australian BJJ black belt and grappler.
What is Adele Fornarino’s grappling style?
Fornarino is known for aggressive no-gi attacks, leg locks, and fast submission threats.
