Josh Saunders, Vagner Rocha, PJ Barch, Dan Manasoiu, and Ruslan Abdulaev are among the names publicly linked to invitations for ADCC 2026, though tracking the full list has become increasingly unclear. With the official ADCC website removing its invite and qualified participant list, and its Instagram account focused largely on ADCC Open events, fans have been left to piece together information through athletes’ personal announcements.
Of the group, Ruslan Abdulaev stands out as the most straightforward selection. He holds a notable win over Kaynan Duarte, the reigning ADCC absolute champion, a result that likely placed him firmly on the organization’s radar. His inclusion suggests that recent competitive performances still carry weight in parts of the selection process.
Vagner Rocha, now 43, represents a different type of decision. A longtime presence in submission grappling, Rocha competed at the previous ADCC and experienced a cardiac episode afterward.
PJ Barch and Dan Manasoiu round out the confirmed names, though neither announcement has sparked significant discussion compared to higher profile additions.
The most controversial inclusion is Josh Saunders. Saunders has been largely absent from top level grappling conversations in recent years, following a series of Instagram posts in which he expressed admiration for the leader of World War II Germany. Those posts drew widespread backlash at the time and contributed to his disappearance from major platforms. His return to ADCC competition is likely to reignite those discussions and raises questions about the standards used in the invitation process.
The difficulty in confirming participants reflects a broader communication issue surrounding ADCC 2026. The removal of the official invite list has left no central source of information, forcing followers to rely on fragmented updates. Meanwhile, the organization’s social media presence has focused heavily on its Open events, which are not directly tied to the World Championship.
This lack of clarity comes as other concerns continue to surface. Ticket sales for the venue, which has a capacity of 15,030, have moved slowly. As of May 2, 2026, 9,351 seats remained available, with sales averaging roughly four tickets per day over the previous 34 days. At that rate, attendance projections appear uncertain.
Criticism has also been directed at the broader invite strategy. The invitation extended to Izaak Michell, despite an active warrant tied to serious allegations, drew additional backlash. The organization’s response, removing its participant list from public view, only intensified scrutiny.
As a result, each new announcement is being examined more closely. The ADCC World Championship remains a prestigious event in submission grappling, but given how things are going it won’t stay one for long.
Complete list of Invitees for ADCC 2026
Men -66 kg (out of 16)
Nikodem Mikuliszyn (POL) Europe Trials 1
Dorian Olivarez (USA) USA Trials 1
Ryoma Anraku (JPN) Asia Trials 1
Yigit Hanay (TUR) Europe Trials 2
David Mateus Santos (BRA) Brazil Trials 1
Kauã Gabriel (BRA) Brazil Trials 2
Gianni Grippo (USA) West Coast Trials 2026
Fabricio Andrey (BRA) Invited
Men -77 kg (out of 16)
Magomed Dzharbaev (RUS) Europe Trials 1
Jacob Bornemann (USA) USA Trials 1
Izaak Michell (AUS) Asia Trials 1
Nikolay Vetrov (RUS) Europe Trials 2
Julio Cesar Suzigan Martins (BRA) Brazil Trials 1
Alexandre De Jesus (BRA) Brazil Trials 2
Michal Sainz (USA) West Coast Trials 2026
Vagner Rocha (USA) Invited
PJ Barch (USA) Invited
Mateusz Gamrot (POL) Invited
Men -88 kg (out of 16)
Pawel Jaworski (POL) Europe Trials 1
Jonathan Blank (USA) USA Trials 1
Jozef Chen (TWN) Asia Trials 1
Marlon Tajik (SWE) Europe Trials 2
Franco Diaz (PER) Brazil Trials 1
Gustavo Batista (BRA) Brazil Trials 2
Nathan Haddad (USA) West Coast Trials 2026
Men -99 kg (out of 16)
Kaynan Duarte (BRA) ADCC 2024 Winner
Declan Moody (GBR) Europe Trials 1
Achilles Rocha (USA) USA Trials 1
Nicholas Maglicic (AUS) Asia Trials 1
Eoghan OFlanagan (GBR) Europe Trials 2
Elioenai Julio Souza Braz (BRA) Brazil Trials 1
Vinicius Lessa (BRA) Brazil Trials 2
Elder Cruz (USA) West Coast Trials 2026
Adam Wardzinski (POL) Invited
Men +99 kg (out of 16)
Felipe Pena (BRA) ADCC 2024 Winner
Mark Macqueen (GBR) Europe Trials 1
Brandon Reed (USA) USA Trials 1
Tito John Carle (AUS) Asia Trials 1
Haisam Rida (GHA) Europe Trials 2
Roosevelt Sousa (BRA) Brazil Trials 1
Pedro Lucas (BRA) Brazil Trials 2
Nick Hartman (USA) West Coast Trials 2026
Ruslan Abdulaev (RUS) Invited
Dan Manisoiu (ROU) Invited
Josh Saunders (AUS) Invited
Women -55 kg (out of 8)
Adele Fornarino (AUS) ADCC 2024 Winner
Janette Gloger (GER) Europe Trials 2
Mayssa Bastos (BRA) Brazil Trials 2
Sheliah Lindsey (USA) West Coast Trials 2026
Bianca Giannini (BRA) Brazil Trials 2
Women -65 kg (out of 8)
Ana Carolina Vieira (BRA) ADCC 2024 Winner
Injana Goodman (GBR) Europe Trials 2
Livia Barasine (BRA) Brazil Trials 2
Sarah Galvão (BRA) West Coast Trials 2026
Beatriz Silva (BRA) Brazil Trials 2
Women +65 kg (out of 8)
Anabel Lopez (ESP) Europe Trials 2
Yara Soares (BRA) Brazil Trials 2
Paige Ivette (USA) West Coast Trials 2026
Gabi Garcia (BRA) Invited
Ingridd Alves (BRA) Brazil Trials 2
Super match
Kaynan Duarte (BRA) 2024 Absolute Winner
vs.
Yuri Simoes (BRA)
