US ADCC Trials: DeBlass Wins Gold, 15 yr Old Nicky Ryan Places 3rd

Nov 20, 2016BJJEEBJJ News, Featured

The 2016 North American ADCC Trials will guarantee the winners of each division to compete in the 2017 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championships, to be held in Helsinki, Finland in September 2017.

Some of the big names that participated were Justin Rader, Jimmy Friedrich, Mansher Khera or Elliott Kelly. Two of the big headliners, Garry Tonon and Gordon Ryan had to pull out due to injury.

The event was organised by Tom DeBlass, who amazingly also won his division and earned himself a ticket to the ADCC world championships.

You can watch the event on Flograppling.

DeBlass stated on his Facebook:

We did it. Today I won the ADCC trials for the third time. I’m so incredibly thankful. I had the honor of promoting these trials and also decided to compete in hopes of winning my third North American title, well thanks to God I did. Huge thank you to Mark from UGA for all his help, my OCBJJ students for their help, and ADCC and Marko for giving me this honor. Thank you to my wrestling Coach MattPletcher, we are improving weekly brother. Thanks to my wife for putting up with me. Thanks to Professor Ricardo, Garry Tonon, and Gordon Ryan for the amazing coaching. Congratulations to all of the competitor’s for showing such a high level of Jiu-Jitsu today. I couldn’t be more thankful. To my babies Isabelle and Thomas, this was for you.

Another standout was Gordon Ryan’s younger brother Nicky Ryan who competed with the adults despite being just 15 years of age. This was not the first time that he competed in adults divisions but this was the highest level competition yet. Nicky tore through his first opponents catching a few submissions on the way. In the semi final he met the very experienced Jason Hayden, who defeated the teenager by armbar.

Marcelo Garcia’s student Mansher Khera’s won his division without conceding a single point.

Below are the Winners of the ADCC US Trials 2016, and the results of the finals.

The first group to represent North America at the 2017 ADCC World Championships in Finland will be:

-66kg: Justin Rader (Lovato)
-77kg: Mansher Singh Khera (Marcelo Garcia)
-88kg: James Brasco (Moncaio Brothers)
-99kg: Eliot Kelly (Yemaso)
+99kg: Tom DeBlass (Ricardo Almeida)