# ADCC Weight Classes and Rules Explained (2026) > Every ADCC weight class for men and women, plus the rules that set it apart: split-half scoring, the Absolute division, and how the superfight works. Source: https://www.porradanutra.com/articles/events/guide-to-adcc-weight-classes-and-unique-rules · Updated: 2026-09-11 With the 2026 ADCC World Championship approaching, it's a good time to break down the **ADCC weight classes and how they work**. The gaps between **weight classes in ADCC** are larger than most people expect. One division has no upper limit at all (+99kg), and the Absolute weight class removes weight limits from the equation entirely. _On top of that, there are some unique rules in ADCC that you don’t see anywhere else, we’ll go over all of those details in this article._ ## What are the ADCC Weight classes? It's fairly simple: the lightest class tops out at 65.9 kg, and it goes all the way up to the Absolute division. The weight classes go like this: MALE - -65.9 kg (145.3 lb) - -76.9 kg (169.5 lb) - -87.9 kg (193.8 lb) - -98.9 kg (218.0 lb) - +99 kg (218.3 lb) - Absolute division (open weight) FEMALE - 55 kg (121.3 lb) - 65 kg (143.3 lb) - +65 kg (143.3 lb) - Absolute division (open weight) ## How the weight classes actually work When thinking about weight classes, see it as the ceiling that the competitor is fighting under. You could be 89 kg and still fight in the 98.9 kg weight class, even though the upper limit is nearly 10 kg away. The higher weight classes and the Absolute division are where you find the greatest disparities. The +99 kg class acts as a floor, not a ceiling, meaning you can be much heavier than 99 kg with no upper limit. Then the Absolute division throws the entire system out the window. It allows a sub-65.9 kg competitor to go head-to-head with someone well above +99 kg. ### What makes ADCC different? Compared to IBJJF, ADCC has much larger gaps between weight classes. Men have 5 weight classes compared to IBJJF's 9, and women have 3 compared to IBJJF's 9. This makes weight disparities more apparent even within your own weight class, since the jump to the next one is around 11 kg. This isn't to say it's all bad. It definitely keeps things easier to follow and makes winning your weight class harder, but more rewarding, since there's more competition within it. ## How does ADCC do weigh-ins? Weigh-ins usually happen a day or two before competition. Athletes step on the scale in their fight gear to confirm they're under the limit for their weight class, and once they make weight, they've got the rest of the day and night to recover and rehydrate before competing. ### Weight cut disparities Nearly all combat sports deal with weight classes feeling unfair at times. This is because you can have one fighter walking around at 87 kg, and another fighter who is naturally around 97 kg and cuts down to 87 right before a fight. This creates a huge disparity between strength and actual capability, because realistically you're fighting someone much stronger, just without the extra water weight. ## Special Rules and Regulations ADCC has its own special rules that make the federation unique, as most federations do. Here are the special rules and regulations that make ADCC stand out. ### **Split-half scoring** Regular matches run 10 minutes, but scoring doesn't kick in until the second half. The first half is essentially a feeling-out period, where each fighter tests the other. This setup rewards early submissions, since the longer you wait, the more tired you get, and the less likely you are to score points. It's made worse by the fact that you can actually lose points too. Once the second half starts, everything opens up, takedowns, guard passes, mount, and back control all score, on top of any negative points already racked up. The finals amplify all of this, since their halves stretch to 10 and 10, and if it's still tied after that, the match goes to overtime, up to two 10-minute rounds with full scoring the whole way through. ### **Superfights** Superfights exist outside the bracket as a standalone match, and it's the most hyped-up fight of the entire weekend. It works a bit like king of the hill, except it plays out over multiple years. There's a reigning champion from previous editions, and you only get a shot at the title if you won the Absolute division two years earlier. That makes for a strange setup, where a competitor's superfight gets locked in two years before it actually happens. ## ADCC 2026 Superfights More on the superfight for 2026: In 2024, Gordon Ryan defended his title against Yuri Simões and won. Since then, Gordon has retired, leaving the title vacant. So instead of defending against a champion, Kaynan Duarte (who earned his shot by winning the 2024 Absolute) will now face Yuri as a substitute opponent. This is the first time a superfight title has been vacated in 17 years, making this year's matchup a little different from the usual setup. ## The Weigh-In Countdown The 2026 ADCC World Championship will be held the weekend of September 12-13 at the Tauron Arena in Kraków, Poland, the first time the event has ever been held there. Weigh-ins take place on Friday the 11th, from 7am to 8pm in Poland. You can catch all the matches live on FloGrappling, and we have a live tracker of the matches on the site here. If you want to know which athletes to watch, we've got a separate post breaking down the names to look out for in every division.