The first day of ADCC 2024 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, brought a wave of unexpected results and high-octane action, leaving fans buzzing with excitement and anticipation for what’s to come. As the premier no-gi grappling event kicked off, the mat witnessed several big-name competitors facing early exits, underscoring the unpredictable nature of the tournament.

Early Exits and Major Upsets

The opening rounds were nothing short of dramatic, with some of the sport’s most prominent figures being sent packing. Garry Tonon, known for his aggressive and submission-hunting style, was caught in an armbar, ending his ADCC campaign earlier than expected. Similarly, Dante Leon fell short on points to the rising star Elijah Dorsey, while Gabriel Sousa was ousted in a thrilling match that concluded with an armbar. Josh Hinger, a veteran in the grappling world, succumbed to a heel hook by Chris Wojcik, and Jacob Couch was forced to tap to a rear-naked choke (RNC) applied by Felipe Costa. The surprises continued as Henrique Ceconi was eliminated by a RNC from Javier Zaruski.

Nicholas Meregali’s Shocking Exit

One of the most talked-about moments of the day was the unexpected exit of Nicholas Meregali in the -99kg quarterfinals. Meregali, who many had pegged as a favorite to claim gold, suffered a separated shoulder during his match against Michael Pixley. The injury severely hampered Meregali’s performance, leading to his submission via D’arce choke, marking a significant upset in the tournament. Meanwhile, Rafael Lovato Jr. displayed his veteran prowess by tapping Patrick Gaudio with a guillotine to advance to the semifinals.

Standouts in the Lighter Divisions

In the -66kg division, Owen Jones made a statement by submitting Gairbeg Ibragimov with a slick Aoki lock, securing his spot in the semifinals. Diego “Pato” Oliveira also shone in this division, catching Ethan Crelinsten in a kneebar after a tightly contested battle. These performances set the stage for what promises to be an electrifying continuation of the tournament.

Superfight Drama: Gordon Ryan vs. Felipe Pena

The day’s action was capped off by a highly anticipated superfight between Gordon Ryan and Felipe Pena. Despite the buildup, the match itself was a tactical affair, with both competitors showing immense respect for each other’s skills. The bout started slowly, with the first five minutes spent standing, exchanging grips and collar ties. It wasn’t until Ryan secured a single leg takedown that the match hit the ground, where he settled into half guard, with Pena threatening a leg lock.

In the overtime period, a scramble nearly saw Pena take Ryan’s back, but Ryan reversed the position, earning the only two points of the match and securing a narrow victory. This win ties their head-to-head record at 2-2, further intensifying their rivalry.

The ADCC vs. CJI Rivalry

Beyond the individual matchups, the underlying tension between ADCC and the newly established Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) was palpable. In an unexpected move, ADCC made the entire +99kg opening round available for free online, a decision likely aimed at countering the CJI’s growing popularity. However, the day wasn’t without its controversies, as fans voiced their frustrations over FloGrappling’s decision to run ads during crucial moments of the matches, detracting from the viewing experience. With the finals and the absolute division on the horizon, viewers are hopeful that these issues will be addressed.

Looking Ahead

Day 1 of ADCC 2024 has already delivered more than its fair share of excitement and surprises. As the tournament progresses, the stakes will only get higher, with the remaining competitors vying for the coveted ADCC titles. With the finals and the second superfight between Gordon Ryan and Yuri Simoes just around the corner, fans can expect even more thrilling action as the world’s best grapplers continue their quest for glory.

Men’s -66kg Division

In the opening round of the Men’s -66kg division, Ethan Crelinsten secured a 3-0 victory on points over Ethan Thomas. Diego Pato dominated Ash Williams with a 6-0 points win, while Gairbeg Ibragimov also advanced with a 3-0 points victory against Dorian Olivares. Owen Jones delivered a strong performance, submitting Gabriel Sousa with an armbar at 10:45. Josh Cisneros edged out Kaua Gabriel, winning by referee’s decision, and Fabricio Andrey claimed a 3-0 points win against Deandre Corbe. Kennedy Maciel defeated Keith Krikorian, also by 3-0 on points, and Diogo Reis wrapped up the round with a D’arce choke submission of Huaiqing Xu at 3:38.

In the quarterfinals, Diego Pato continued his impressive run by submitting Ethan Crelinsten with a kneebar at 9:40. Josh Cisneros advanced by winning on penalties against Kennedy Maciel, while Diogo Reis secured his spot in the semifinals with a referee’s decision over Fabricio Andrey. Owen Jones quickly submitted Gairbeg Ibragimov with an Aoki lock just 36 seconds into their match.

Men’s -77kg Division

Elijah Dorsey started strong in the Men’s -77kg division, earning a 2-0 points victory over Dante Leon. JT Torres secured a guillotine submission against Alexandre de Jesus at 11:58, and Jonnatas Gracie overwhelmed Max Hanson with a 9-0 points win. Vagner Rocha defeated Jeremy Skinner with a 3-0 points win, while Mateusz Szczecinski submitted Garry Tonon with an armbar at 12:38. PJ Barch won on points (3-0) against Fabio Caloi, and Oliver Taza swiftly submitted Davi Ramos with a kneebar just 55 seconds into their match. Mica Galvao rounded off the round with a rear-naked choke submission of Luiz Paulo at 6:54.

In the quarterfinals, Elijah Dorsey continued his success with a 4-0 points win over Vagner Rocha. Vagner Rocha secured a narrow points victory (2-0) against Jonnatas Gracie. PJ Barch advanced to the next round via referee’s decision after a hard-fought match against Mateusz Szczecinski, and Mica Galvao won on points (2-0) against Oliver Taza.

Men’s -88kg Division

Charles Negromonte began the Men’s -88kg division by submitting Izaak Michell with a kneebar at the 12-minute mark. Jay Rodriguez secured a rear-naked choke victory over Achilles Rocha at 6:20, and Chris Wojcik defeated Josh Hinger with an inside heel hook at 5:21. Felipe Costa advanced after submitting Jacob Couch with a rear-naked choke at 13:33. Elder Cruz won by referee’s decision against Taylor Pearman, and Ryan Aitken earned an outside heel hook submission over Pedro Marinho just 1:05 into their match. Gabriel Almeida dominated Santeri Lilius, winning 6-0 on points, while Giancarlo Bodoni submitted Andre Porfirio with a rear-naked choke at 3:59.

In the quarterfinals, Chris Wojcik advanced with a referee’s decision victory over Charles Negromonte. Jay Rodriguez secured a convincing 6-0 points win over Ryan Aitken. Felipe Costa moved on with a 2-0 points win against Elder Cruz, and Giancarlo Bodoni dominated Gabriel Almeida with an 8-0 points victory.

Men’s -99kg Division

In the Men’s -99kg division opening round, Javier Zaruski submitted Henrique Ceconi with a rear-naked choke at 7:52. Rafael Lovato Jr. won on points (3-0) against Eli Braz, and Michael Pixley advanced after submitting Vinicius Ferreira with a D’arce choke at 13:33. Patrick Gaudio defeated Alex Grandy with a 3-0 points win, and Nicholas Meregali quickly submitted Marcin Maciulewicz with a kimura at 3:05. Kaynan Duarte secured an arm lock submission against Daniel Schuardt at 7:32, while Roberto Abreu defeated Daishi Goto on points (5-0). Declan Moody advanced by winning on penalties against Paul Ardila.

In the quarterfinals, Roberto Abreu edged out Javier Zaruski with a 2-0 points victory. Rafael Lovato Jr. submitted Patrick Gaudio with a guillotine at 5:01. Kaynan Duarte advanced with a guillotine submission against Declan Moody at 3:38, and Michael Pixley secured his spot in the next round by submitting Nicholas Meregali with a D’arce choke at 6:32.

Men’s +99kg Division

In the Men’s +99kg opening round, Haisam Rida advanced after winning by referee’s decision against Victor Honorio. Dan Manasoiu secured a 6-0 points victory over Mark Macqueen, and Roosevelt Sousa earned a 6-0 points win against Vince Pezzuto. Josh Saunders defeated Mike Perez with a 3-0 points win, while Luke Griffith submitted Mansur Makhmakhanov with a rear-naked choke at 1:51. John Hansen won by referee’s decision against Heikki Jussila, and Damon Ramos advanced by penalties after a match against Vinny Magalhaes. Felipe Pena secured his place in the quarterfinals with an armbar submission over Brandon Reed at 8:21.

In the quarterfinals, Dan Manasoiu submitted Haisam Rida with an arm triangle choke at 3:19. Luke Griffith earned a quick rear-naked choke submission over Roosevelt Sousa at 1:45, while Josh Saunders also secured a rear-naked choke submission, defeating Damon Ramos at 1:50. Felipe Pena continued his dominance with a rear-naked choke submission victory over John Hansen at 4:06.

Women’s -55kg Division

In the Women’s -55kg division, Adele Fornarino advanced by winning a referee’s decision against Mayssa Bastos. Ana Rodriguez also progressed after a referee’s decision over Alex Enriquez. Jasmine Rocha defeated Margot Ciccarelli with a 3-0 points win, and Bia Basilio won her match against Brenda Larissa with a 3-0 points victory.

Women’s -65kg Division

Brianna Ste-Marie moved on to the next round in the Women’s -65kg division after a referee’s decision win against Morgan Black. Helena Crevar secured a heel hook submission against Aurelie Le Vern at 2:39, while Ana Carolina Vieira advanced by referee’s decision against Amanda Leve. Bia Mesquita submitted Sula-Mae Loewenthal with a rear-naked choke at 7:03.

Women’s +65kg Division

In the Women’s +65kg division, Kendall Reusing submitted Maria Ruffato with a rear-naked choke at 6:37. Nathiely de Jesus advanced with a 2-0 points victory against Elizabeth Mitrovic. Rafaela Guedes won her match against Nia Blackman with a 3-0 points victory, and Amy Campo secured her place in the next round with an arm triangle choke submission over Nikki-Lloyd Griffiths at 8:52.