ADCC 2026 Roster Finally Set—Gordon Ryan Out, Three Champions Skip Krakow | No-Gi Weekly July 28–Aug 2
Welcome to No-Gi Weekly—your roundup of the most important no-gi grappling news, results, and gear drops from July 28 through August 2, 2026. This week: ADCC’s bracket is finally set (and the absences are as newsworthy as the names), Polaris 38 produced a stunning one-night Grand Prix run, FloGrappling and ONE Championship shook the media landscape, and Chase Hooper gave a masterclass in submission hunting from the back.
1. ADCC 2026 Krakow: Roster Set at 128—The Absences Tell the Real Story
The 2026 ADCC World Championships (September 12–13, Tauron Arena, Kraków, Poland) now have all 128 bracket slots confirmed. Six weeks out, the biggest no-gi event of the decade has a card—and it looks nothing like what anyone expected a year ago.
Gordon Ryan is officially out. The ADCC’s defining competitor of the last eight years vacated the Superfight title in February 2026 due to persistent health issues, with no return announcement. His absence leaves a void that no single replacement can fill. For the first time since 2019, Worlds goes on without him.
Three reigning ADCC champions skipped their invites: Kade Ruotolo, Tye Ruotolo, and Nick Rodriguez are all absent. The Ruotolo twins have been locked into ONE Championship obligations throughout 2026; Rodriguez has stayed inactive. That’s an unprecedented level of champion attrition heading into a Worlds.
Mica Galvao is out. The young phenom’s withdrawal is tied to the legal fallout surrounding his father Melqui Galvao, who was arrested in Manaus in April following allegations from former students. Mica’s 2024 submission-heavy IBJJF run showed what his ceiling looked like—ADCC 2026 won’t see it.
Giancarlo Bodoni, one of the cleanest Danaher-system representatives at 66 kg, is also out. Izaak Michell was removed from the 77 kg bracket and replaced by Polaris regular Taylor Pearman.
On the additions side, the story is better: Gabi Garcia returns in the women’s super heavyweight division after time away from active competition—a marquee name that adds real draw to the women’s card. Former UFC lightweight Mateusz Gamrot enters the 77 kg bracket, giving the grappling-heavy MMA crossover angle some legitimate weight. And the Superfight is now set.
Superfight: Kaynan Duarte vs. Yuri Simoes
With Ryan gone, ADCC turned to the next best option: the last two ADCC absolute champions. Kaynan Duarte captured double gold at ADCC 2024 in Las Vegas—submitting Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu in the absolute final. Yuri Simoes is a former absolute champion and one of the most dangerous top-game grapplers in the world. This isn’t the Gordon Ryan superfight anyone wanted, but it may be the most technically interesting superfight ADCC has ever booked on paper. The leg lock and leg entry game Duarte brings versus Simoes’s pressure-passing and wrestling will be a serious stylistic clash.
The Tauron Arena holds 15,000 for sport, up to 22,000 at capacity. It’ll be the first time Poland has hosted the ADCC World Championship. Stream on FloGrappling—early rounds typically free on YouTube, semis and finals behind the paywall.
2. Polaris 38: Mateusz Szczecinski Goes Three-for-Three to Claim Welterweight Crown
On July 11 at Bath University Sports Village in England, Mateusz Szczecinski did something most Grand Prix competitors can only dream about: he won three no-gi matches in a single night using three different finishing weapons.
The Polish grappler opened against Deandre Corbe, catching an achilles lock in the second round. Next up was Michael Liera Jr.—finished via Szczecinski’s trademark quick-draw armbar, the move that’s become his calling card. The final against reigning champion PJ Barch went to a decision, but Szczecinski controlled enough of the match to take the judges’ nod—claiming the welterweight world title and $30,000 in prize money.
He’s now one of the most complete sub-only threats at 77 kg in Europe: leg locks, toeholds, armbars, and enough wrestling to control position against elite opposition. With ADCC Krakow six weeks away and Taylor Pearman (who trains out of the same Polaris circuit) freshly inserted into the 77 kg bracket, expect Szczecinski’s performance to be closely watched by the ADCC competitor camp.
The women’s card also delivered: Sarah Galvão captured bantamweight gold at Polaris 38, continuing her dominant stretch of no-gi performances in 2026.
Watch: Szczecinski vs. Corbe — Full Match
3. FloGrappling and ONE Championship Announce Strategic Partnership
The grappling media landscape made a significant move in July when FloGrappling and ONE Championship announced a formal strategic partnership—committing to aligning their major events and giving the sport’s best athletes more competitive opportunities across both platforms.
The deal addresses a real gap. FloGrappling holds streaming rights to ADCC and the major IBJJF events, but its Asia presence has been limited. ONE Championship is the dominant martial arts organization across Southeast and East Asia, regularly running elite submission grappling cards out of Bangkok, Singapore, and beyond. Combining the two finally gives the sport proper global distribution infrastructure.
The practical implication: top no-gi athletes—including grapplers who compete at ONE Championship’s submission events—can now do so with FloGrappling-level production and exposure, then compete at ADCC or aligned events in the same year. Meanwhile, WNO (Who’s Number One) has gone quiet in 2026, leaving a slot in the elite no-gi calendar that this partnership could help fill.
If you’re watching ONE Championship submission grappling and streaming it via FloGrappling, this is why.
4. ONE Championship Women’s No-Gi Delivers Again
ONE Friday Fights 161 (July 10, Bangkok) served as another reminder that ONE Championship’s women’s submission grappling division is quietly the deepest it’s ever been. Helena Crevar vs. Paige Ivette headlined the grappling portion of the card in a technical, high-pressure no-gi bout that showcased exactly what elite women’s submission wrestling looks like at its best.
With the FloGrappling partnership now in place, these bouts will get wider international distribution going forward. If you haven’t been following ONE’s women’s grappling cards, now is the time to start—the roster is stacked and the competition format rewards genuine submission hunting over stalling.
5. Chase Hooper’s No-Gi Clinic Ends Mitch Ramirez in Round 1
On July 18 at UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs. Usman in Oklahoma City, Chase Hooper put no-gi grappling on prime-time display—submitting Mitch Ramirez via rear-naked choke at 2:15 of Round 1.
The finish wasn’t a scramble or a lucky position—it was a sequence. Hooper shot for the takedown, got to the back, locked in a body triangle to restrict hip escape, and then patiently worked the neck. No rushing, no sloppy arm reaching. He found the choke only when the position was airtight.
That’s no-gi fundamentals applied under real pressure: back control, body triangle, RNC. The same mechanics you drill in every no-gi session. It was Hooper’s 9th UFC submission win, and it read less like an MMA fight and more like a pure grappling showcase wearing four-ounce gloves.
For anyone debating whether no-gi training transfers to the cage: Chase Hooper is the ongoing, unanswerable argument.
6. Gear: Hyperfly’s Copa Collection Brings Soccer Kit Energy to No-Gi
Hyperfly has been running their Copa World Cup rashguard collection this summer, and if you missed the initial drop, some colorways are still available—with others already closed to preorder ahead of a September ship date.
The collection covers eight national colorways: USA, Brazil, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Philippines, and Australia. The design language lifts directly from soccer kit aesthetics—clean lines, country-specific color blocking, and a collar detail that actually looks intentional rather than like a training afterthought.
Construction is Hyperfly-standard: 80/20 polyester-spandex blend, flatlock seams to minimize chafing on long drilling sessions, four-way stretch throughout, and UV protection for those who train outdoors. The USA and Brazil editions reportedly moved fastest.
With ADCC Krakow six weeks out and fall competition season approaching, this is the natural gear refresh window. A quality rashguard that fits well and stays in place during hard sparring is one of the most underrated investments in no-gi training—and the Copa collection delivers that at Hyperfly’s usual quality tier.
Looking Ahead
The next six weeks all point to one place: September 12–13, Tauron Arena, Kraków, Poland. ADCC 2026 may be missing Gordon Ryan, three defending champions, and a handful of elite names—but 128 confirmed competitors is still the largest and deepest no-gi field assembled anywhere on earth. Kaynan Duarte vs. Yuri Simoes in the Superfight is a legitimate headliner. Gabi Garcia’s return adds intrigue to the women’s side. And the Polaris circuit (see: Szczecinski’s performance this month) suggests the 77 kg bracket will be wide open.
Outside ADCC: watch ONE Championship for more elite submission grappling from Bangkok, now with FloGrappling’s backing giving those cards global reach. And if there’s a Polaris 39 or Fight to Win event in August, Szczecinski’s momentum makes him the name to follow in the 77 kg bracket worldwide.
See you on the mats.
