The ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) ruleset governs the world's most prestigious submission wrestling championship. No gi, submission-first scoring, delayed points, and legal heel hooks make it distinct from every other major grappling format.
ADCC rules are submission-first, no-gi wrestling rules where submissions win instantly at any point in the match, but points for positional control only begin to count in the second half of regulation. The core aim is to reward athletes who actively hunt finishes rather than accumulate positional advantages. Understanding the scoring structure, overtime format, and permitted techniques is essential before entering any ADCC-style event.
The ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship, held every two years, is sanctioned by the Abu Dhabi Combat Club and features the world's best grapplers across multiple weight divisions. Local and regional promotions across Thailand and Southeast Asia commonly adopt these rules, sometimes with minor modifications for safety or participant experience level.
The single most important concept to grasp about ADCC rules is the split-period scoring structure. A standard men's match runs for ten minutes, divided into two five-minute halves. During the first five minutes, no positive points are awarded for positional control. Negative points (penalties) can be issued for stalling or for failed takedown attempts that gift the opponent a superior position, but there is no incentive to accumulate guard passes, back takes, or pins by themselves.
In the second five minutes, positive points become live. From that point onward, every positional advance scores in the same way it would in any points-based grappling competition. A submission at any stage of the match ends it immediately with a win for the finisher.
This structure was designed to push competitors to submit one another rather than play a conservative positional game. It also significantly shapes how athletes approach the opening exchanges: many choose to invest the first half entirely in submission attempts, knowing that a failed attempt costs them nothing unless their opponent capitalises on the position.
Women's divisions follow the same structure with an eight-minute match and four-minute halves rather than five.
The table below summarises the standard point values once the positive-points phase begins. All submissions score a win rather than points; positive points are positional rewards only.
| Action | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Takedown (any clean takedown to the mat) | 2 | Must end in a dominant top position to score |
| Guard pass | 3 | Must hold the position for three seconds |
| Knee on belly | 2 | Must be stabilised for three seconds |
| Mount (including technical mount) | 4 | Must be held for three seconds |
| Back control (both hooks or body triangle) | 4 | Must be held for three seconds |
| Back control to mount (or vice versa) | Additional 4 | Each new dominant position scores separately |
| Submission | Win | Immediate victory at any point in the match |
| Negative point (penalty) | −1 against offender | Issued for stalling or fleeing the mat |
ADCC permits a broader range of techniques than most other grappling rulesets, particularly when it comes to leg attacks. The following outlines what is and is not allowed at official ADCC events. Individual promotions using ADCC-style rules may modify this list, so always confirm with the event organiser.
If the score is level at the end of regulation, the match moves to overtime. Overtime under ADCC rules differs from the negative-points opening phase: positive points are awarded from the very first moment of overtime, and negative points remain active. There is no initial stalling phase in overtime.
If the match is still tied after overtime, it proceeds to a submission-only period. In this phase, the first competitor to achieve a locked-in submission attempt is declared the winner, even if the opponent does not tap. The referee and a submission specialist on the panel assess whether the submission is fully applied, and that athlete wins.
If no submission is secured in any form, the judges make a decision based on aggression, submission attempts, and overall activity during the match.
ADCC uses its own weight divisions, which differ from IBJJF categories. The divisions below reflect the standard ADCC World Championship structure, though regional and local events may combine or modify categories based on registration numbers.
| Division | Weight Limit |
|---|---|
| Men under 66 kg | Up to 66 kg |
| Men under 77 kg | Up to 77 kg |
| Men under 88 kg | Up to 88 kg |
| Men under 99 kg | Up to 99 kg |
| Men over 99 kg | 99 kg and above |
| Women under 60 kg | Up to 60 kg |
| Women under 70 kg | Up to 70 kg |
| Women over 70 kg | 70 kg and above |
| Open weight (all divisions combined) | No limit |
If you have trained primarily for IBJJF competition, transitioning to ADCC-style events requires some tactical adjustment. The two formats share a positional scoring structure, but their philosophies diverge in several important ways. For a broader overview of how the two formats fit into the grappling landscape, see the guide to gi vs no-gi training.
| Feature | ADCC | IBJJF |
|---|---|---|
| Gi required | No (no-gi only) | Yes for gi divisions; optional no-gi events |
| Points from start | No (negative-points phase first) | Yes |
| Heel hooks | Legal at all levels | Restricted by belt level; legal at brown/black no-gi |
| Reaping the knee | Legal | Prohibited |
| Guard pull penalty | No penalty | No penalty |
| Submission ends match instantly | Yes | Yes |
| Overtime format | Points from start, then submission-only sudden death | Golden score (first score wins) |
Thailand hosts a growing number of submission wrestling events, particularly in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Several promotions explicitly adopt ADCC-style rules, though the specific ruleset published by each event organiser may differ from official ADCC rules in areas such as heel hook legality at beginner or intermediate levels.
If you are preparing for your first ADCC-style event in Thailand, the most practical steps are to confirm the exact ruleset with the organiser well in advance, drill the negative-points-phase mindset in training (hunt submissions rather than stall for points), and ensure your leg-lock defence is solid given the expanded leg-lock permissions.
For a broader overview of the competition landscape, see the competitions hub. If you are new to competition grappling and want to understand how ADCC-style events fit alongside gi tournaments, the gi vs no-gi guide is a useful starting point.
Explore the full competitions guide for upcoming events, entry tips, and how to choose between ADCC-style and gi formats for your first tournament.
View Competitions Guide