The rules meeting at the 2013 ADCC. Photo: Erin Herle

The ADCC rules are different from other Jiu-Jitsu tournaments. With the 2013 edition nearing in mere hours, it’s important for all to understand the guidelines for a better viewing experience. The 2013 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship is Saturday, Oct. 19 and Sunday, Oct.20 in Beijing, China.

Match times/rules for each half

Each match is ten minutes and the finals are twenty minutes. For the first half (five or ten minute mark) there are no points. It is submission-only. Warnings are still applicable and if two warnings are given then a negative point will follow. The minus point will be added once the half minute mark is up. The second half of the match is for points. Any position already made will not be rewarded with points, only the action that happens after the halfway point.

Points

Takedowns that end in guard position are two points. Takedowns that are completed with the opponent held in side control or mount receive three points. Athletes must hold their opponent for three seconds to gain the points. No spiking an opponent on their head from a takedown. Trips or throws are treated the same way.

Three points are given when athletes pass the guard and hold for three seconds. The opponent’s back must be over halfway touching the mat to get points and secure the position. If the pass is not held and athlete moves straight into mount, only three points will be given.

Knee on belly is two points and must have contact with stomach, not chest or side. Must hold for three seconds. If athlete wants to switch sides they must wait three seconds in between and hold again to be rewarded another two points.

Back mount with hooks is three points and body triangles are okay. Athlete can let go of body triangle, hold regular hooks for three seconds and then switch to opposite leg triangle lock to gain another three points. Crossing the feet is okay.

Sweeps are two points and can be done from anywhere. As long as an athlete goes from bottom to top and opponents are facing each other, points are given. Reversals from mount are also counted.

Negative points

Jumping or pulling guard and remains for three seconds or more will gain a negative point at any time during the match. If it happens in the submission-only half, the negative point will be added as soon as the halfway point of the match is reached. Fake takedown attempts to create a situation to pull guard will gain negative points as takedowns must be fully attempted.

Backing away from an opponent instead of trying to pass the guard will earn a negative point.

Stalling while in the guard or dominant position and remaining passive will earn two warnings and then a negative point. If the stalling continues after the first negative point is given, no warnings will be given and only a negative point thereafter.

Special situations

If athlete is in mount and goes for an armbar submission and the opponent gets out and ends up on top, no points will be given for the sweep. Same goes for a footlock attempted from top and ended on bottom. Opponent will not gain points for a sweep as long as the submission attempts are legitimate.

An athlete must physically tap to submit to an opponent or verbally say “Tap,” “I give up” or similar. Yells or screams in pain will not suffice.

All positions that go out of the mat area will restart in the center in the position athletes were in when referee yelled “stop.”

Unique illegal moves

Crucifix positions that put pressure on both shoulders or neck are not allowed.

Closing the guillotine or darce choke on the chin is not allowed.

Slamming is only allowed to escape submission. If opponent lets go of submission during an attempted slam, athlete must try to let go and abort the slam. Any other situation is not allowed.

For a rear naked choke, pressure directly on the nose is not allowed.

Unique legal moves

Heel hooks are okay.

Reaping the knee or bringing the leg over opponent’s leg from outside to inside is okay.

Twisters or spine locks are okay.

Now that you can follow along with the rest of the athletes, check out the livestream links here.

The Gracie Barra crew has arrived in Beijing: Romulo Barral, Braulio Estima, Otavio Sousa, AJ Agazarm and Orlando Sanchez. Photo: Instagram @orlandogbdena

The 2013 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship is almost here. Competitors are starting to arrive at the location in Beijing, China for the prestigious no-gi event. Some are already training on the mats there to prepare for the weekend where they will fight for the gold. Others will arrive throughout the week.

The official dates of the event are Saturday Oct. 19 and Sunday Oct. 20. The location is the Beijing Di Tan Sports Centre at Andingmenwai Street, Dongcheng District, No.116 Zip 100011.

The official roster is in the process of completing its final revisions. The latest update on names can be seen by clicking here.

GRACIEMAG reporter Erin Herle will be present at the event for live results, photos and news. Stay tuned!

See below the layout of the event with prices for seating in Chinese RMB.

To buy tickets for the event, click here.

Darren Uyenoyama replaces Jeff Glover in the -99 kg division at ADCC 2013: Photo: Sean Pierre Photography

The latest changes in the ADCC competitor list came when both Kyra Gracie and Jeff Glover dropped from the line-up causing the ADCC committee to fill the voids. The event on October 19-20 at the Beijing Di Tan Gymnasium in Beijing, China is closing on its final changes now.

In the -66 kg division Jeff Glover was out for injury but has since been replaced with UFC fighter Darren Uyenoyama. The flyweight and featherweight MMA fighter has a professional record of 8-4-0. The Japanese-American brings his solid base of wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu from his hometown of San Francisco, CA to the stacked division of world champions, up-and-comers and more.

For the females, Kyra Gracie left the competition for her other priorities which gave way for local Chinise competitor Xinning Xu. A grappler from Shanghai, she brings the diversity necessary to globalize the competition.

Stay tuned for more information on ADCC and the athletes as they prepare.

A meeting at the 2011 ADCC world event. Photo: GRACIEMAG Archive

The ADCC is a prestigious event that happens only every other year. The participants earn their place through various ways but nonetheless are chosen through processes that deem the best in their category.

The trials for the 2013 event which will take place October 19-20 in Beijing, China were spread out around the world. There were tournaments in Europe, North America, Brazil, Asia, and the Pacific that were all given travel packages and invites to hand out along with the gold medals.

The existing champion of each division earns an automatic invite for the next event and many invitations are sent out for those who the committee deems a top contender. But how do they decide? Does the support from the public help convince them of who should be invited? Does social media have any bearing on the choice of who goes to Beijing?

A member of the ADCC committee spoke to GRACIEMAG about their complicated review process and gave us a list of ways a competitor might find their way to an invitation.

The selection criteria of inviting the competitors is mostly focused on:

• Fighters that have chances to reach the finals (according to skills and experience).
• Fighters that have won a previous ADCC World event.
• Fighters that won other grappling and submission fighting world famous events and are on top of their game.
• Teammates that have already in the past fixed fights or have the potential of fixing fights [or creating gentlemen agreements] which in ADCC is forbidden and is punished with disqualification.
• Famous MMA fighters that can show an amazing skill in the ADCC World event.
• Fighters from different grappling sports like (Judo, Sambo, Wrestling etc.)
• Fighters from different nationalities to keep the wide variety of nations competing, which helps the developing of the sport around the globe.

Plus many other important reasons that ADCC highly considers to retain the quality of the event.

So now that you have a better understanding of what the selection committee is looking for, who do you think is missing from the roster so far?

Watch and remember:

Mazzelli tries to pass Talita Treta’s guard in the ADCC trial final. Photo: Gustavo Aragão/GRACIEMAG

The ADCC 2013 Brazilian trial, held on April 20 at Maracanãzinho, stamped seven passports with all expenses paid to Beijing, where the championship takes place on October 19. Winner of one of the tickets, Fernanda Mazzelli from Striker JJ beat Talita Treta from Ryan Gracie by 2-0 being crowned the winner of the over 60kg category.

Before reaching the grand final, Mazzelli had to win over the tough Marina Ribeiro by decision while Talita submitted Marilia Alves with a toehold both in the semifinal of the event.

In the final match, a great balance between the athletes and the last minute marked the movement that gave the victory to Mazzelli: an inversion at nearly 6 minutes of the fight, which gave two points for the athlete, the winning score in the final. The winner vents, seconds before having her arm raised by the referee: “Finally, I’ll take part of the ADCC”

Check out the battle between Fernanda Mazzelli and Talita Treta in the final of Brazilian ADCC 2013, in the over 60kg category and the official results of the event:

Female up to 60kg

1st – Ana Michele Tavares – NOVA UNIÃO

2nd – Michelle Nicolini – CHECKMAT

3rd – Ana Maria Índia – GFTEAM

3rd – Kalindra Walquiria – GOLD TEAM

Female over 60kg

1st – Fernanda Mazzelli – STRIKER JJ

2nd – Talita Nogueira – RYAN GRACIE

3rd – Marilia Alves  – GRACIE BARRA

3rd – Marina Soares – CHECKMAT

Male up to 66kg

1st – João Miyao – CICERO COSTHA

2nd -Marcio André – NOVA UNIÃO

3rd – Herbert Burns  – TOP BROTHERS

3rd – Gabriel Marangoni – CHECKMAT

Male up to 77kg

1st – Leonardo Nogueira – PEQUENO TEAM

2nd – Victor Silvério – GFTEAM

3rd  – Philip Augusto – SAPO TEAM

3rd – Theodoro Canal – GFTEAM

Male up to 88kg

1st – Claudio Calasans – ATOS

2nd – Paulinho Baraúna – ALLIANCE

3rd  – Delson Pé de Chumbo – BITTA

3rd – Kleber Oliveira – GRACIE BARRA

Male up to 99kg

1st – João Gabriel Rocha – SOUL FIGHTER

2nd – Cristiano Lazzarini – GRACIE BARRA

3rd -Renato Ferreira – RFT

3rd – Armando Sixel – BOPE

Male up to 99kg

1st – Rodrigo Cavaca – CHECKMAT

2nd -Kitner Mendonça – RYAN GRACIE

3rd – Carlos Eduardo – BUDOKAN

3rd – Diego Balloutta – DRACULINO