ADCC organizer Mo Jassim confirmed that the ADCC 2024 edition in Las Vegas will feature the return of the women’s absolute division as per Vitor Freitas. The absolute division is open to all weight classes, allowing athletes to battle for supremacy across weight categories.
The last time the women’s absolute division was present at ADCC was in 2007, after previously being featured in 2005 as well. This revival promises to bring intense competition and highlight the skill of female grapplers across the weight classes.
The return of the absolute division holds special significance given the rise of stars like Mackenzie Dern, who built her name by winning the UAEJJF absolute division against the much larger 4x ADCC champion Gabi Garcia. Moments like these captured the imagination of fans beyond just the BJJ community.
However, the revival also stands in contrast to some organizations moving away from absolute and open weight divisions over health concerns about promoting potentially unhealthy weight cutting. In 2017, UAEJJF notably outlawed absolute divisions, citing a desire to “equalize opportunities for all athletes in all weight classes.”
Their statement highlighted issues like disproportionate attention and prize money favoring the open weight winners, typically above 90kg, while statistically making it near-impossible for lighter stars to overcome the size disparity.
As ADCC reintroduces the spectacle of females from across weights competing, it reopens the debate around the roles of open divisions versus equitably promoting all weight classes. Some praise the excitement of the open format’s ultimate tests of grappling skill, while others criticize the perceived discrepancies in opportunity.
