How many stories could be told of ADCC 2011?

GRACIEMAG at the ADCC Blog editor Ivan Trindade picked the characters that most impressed him.

From the lady warrior who competed in mourning, going on to the good-natured finisher, arriving at the two legends who silenced a packed gymnasium, there are eight stories of overcoming hardship, drama, triumph, and joy.

Head over to the GRACIEMAG at the ADCC Blog toread the chronicle that wraps up the 2011 installment of the World Cup of submission grappling.

The semifinals have been established for all the weight groups at ADCC 2011.

The submission savants will return to the mats in Nottingham, England’s Capital FM Arena this Sunday for the grand finales.

Besides the contests in the weight classes, the supermatch between Bráulio Estima and Ronaldo Jacaré determined the first superchamp of ADCC 2011.

Find out how Bráulio took the title and who shined brightest in the weight division by heading to the GRACIEMAG at the ADCC Blog.

And we’ll be back soon, here on GRACIEMAG.com, with a complete summary of all the behind-the-scenes action and statements from the world’s greatest submission grapplers on the first day of ADCC 2011 in an exclusive report by Marcelo Dunlop direct from Nottingham.

The heaviest weight division is up in the air.

In 2009, Fabrício Werdum competed pretty much at home, in Spain, where he taught and lived and where he enjoyed the support of a true legion of fans.

In going for his third divisional title in the ADCC the Brazilian won’t have the same level of backing.

Furthermore, he has dedicated the last few years almost entirely to MMA, without appearing in any Jiu-Jitsu or submission grappling tournaments.

However, talent doesn’t just disappear and no one can doubt of what Werdum is capable; after all, not just anyone makes it to two ADCC titles.

Head to the GRACIEMAG at the ADCC Blog for the breakdown of the heaviest division of the ADCC.

A number of them loaf about on the seats and sofas around the lobby while their faces still betray starvation, fragility, despite the potential they are bound to display the next day, in the main arena of quaint Nottingham, a town few have had time, patience or energy to explore yet.

The stars of the supermatch, Ronado Jacaré and Bráulio Estima’s well-nourished faces clash with the famished semblances around them. Despite having slung insults at each other in the lead-up to their match, they cross paths and exchange a friendly embrace. “Look at the size of this creature, how rough will it be to sweep him?” Carcará asks the reporter. Jacaré smiles and distances himself, “This guy’s lying a lot, careful with him.”

The weigh-ins took place at 3pm GMT on Friday, and there were victims. Rani Yahya, one of the stars on the UFC roster, lost his battle with the scale and couldn’t drop from the 70kg he was weighing, having to make do with a “consolation prize” he’ll be competing one weight class up, at 77kg, or 170 pounds, according to England’s empirical system of measurement.

That’s the division of Marcelo Garcia, who hasn’t weighed that little in two years, ever since the 2009 ADCC. But unlike the others, Garcia didn’t suffer. He calmly shed his plaid shirt, pants, underwear… and nailed the weight limit right on the mark.

Alexandre Ribeiro too was cool as snow. What about the absolute, Xande? “I’ll think about that later. First come weigh-ins, when we have to worry about getting past these kids,” says the star of the under-99kg division.

Others were a wreck, almost incapable even of smiling. That was the case with Rubens Cobrinha, who made the 66kg weight limit ravaged by hunger. Tomorrow, in a new twist for the event, he will have to be at the very same weight when he steps onto the mat. But he’ll be in better cheer. Or even hungrier, since it’ll be for the only title missing from the four-time world champion’s mantel.

UFC star Rousimar Toquinho was another to suffer. With his mother in poor health back in Minas Gerais, Toquinho took three days in getting to England. And he showed up over weight, but despite the chatter circulating around the hotel, his coach, Murilo Bustamante, guarantees that by the next day he’ll be at weight. The organization made an exception for him, due to the double weigh-ins.

Now Bruno Frazatto, who tomorrow will face his teammate, current lighter weight divisional champion Rafael Mendes, right off the bat, was 1.5kg over. He had to do some sprints in the Capital Arena, where the weigh-ins were held and the championship will go off the next day, starting at 12 GMT, 8am in Brazil.

The hungry faces contrasted with that of Renzo Gracie, whose tanned face looked pleased to be at 85kg and not have to fight the scale this time around, to make weight for the all-idol supermatch with Zé Mario Sperry.

The Gracie took the chance to joke around with everyone in reach. “Gabi, there isn’t anyone left who can beat you. They can start mounting you and you’ll still win,” joked Renzo, who just arrived from Abu Dhabi but is running on all cylinders. “There’s no point, I’ll never weigh 60kg or be 1.6 meters tall; I have to compete the way I am,” said a ripped Gabrielle Garcia in response, the bulge of her biceps an awesome sight.

Gabi’s plight overshadowed the other competitors’ struggle with the scale. The day before flying out, she lost her adoptive brother, who suffered a heart attack at just 23 years of age. “Now all I want is to win, for everything I’m going through.”

Before the weigh-ins, the ADCC held a rules meeting that offered some interesting but somewhat confusing new changes, which aren’t certain to stick – it’ll depend on the referees, those necessary but never adored mediators. This year, for instance, if the competitors start swapping footlocks while in 50/50 guard, the first one to spin loses a point, according to the refereeing commission. Whether it ends up playing out in practice or not you’ll find out tomorrow, on GRACIEMAG.com and the GRACIEMAG at the ADCC Blog.

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Alexandre Ribeiro has owned the ADCC under-99kg division since 2007.

The two-time champ hasn’t competed all that much in the last couple of years; but who can doubt his ability to notch his third divisional title?

To do so, though, the two-time absolute world champion of Jiu-Jitsu will have to slay a lion per match to retain control over “his house” at the ADCC.

In Nottingham, Xande will face off with submission aces of the caliber of Rodolfo Vieira, Lagarto, João Assis, Braga Neto and others.

And there could have been even more, had Roger Gracie and Robert Drysdale not pulled out.

Head to the GRACIEMAG at the ADCC Blog now to check out an X-ray of yet another division at the World Cup of submission wrestling.

Andre Galvão and Romulo Barral will be fighting at the Under 88kg division.

Here’s a video of their preparation for the ADCC 2011.

Don’t forget to check out the GRACIEMAG at the ADCC Blog.

The lightest weight class kicks off the series of analyses on the different divisions to feature at ADCC 2011. It was once dominated by Royler Gracie, the three-time champion of the weight group. Then there was Léo Vieira’s reign, winning both in 2003 and 2005. Rani Yahya took gold in 2007, and Rafael Mendes cemented his rise to the top of the Jiu-Jitsu ranks by winning it in 2009, overcoming Cobrinha in the final.

Two years have gone by now but a glimpse at the 16 signed up for the 2011 installment, to take place on the coming 24^th and 25^th in Nottingham, England, still indicates that Rafael Mendes still remains the firm favorite.

Rubens Charles “Cobrinha”, Robson Moura, Rani Yahya, Jeff Glover and Justin Rader look to have the greatest chances of toppling the Atos prodigy, but Rafael’s most recent performances have made it clear that they’ll have their work cut out for them. Since September of 2009, the São Paulo native has won the World Championship and the European Open twice, the Pan-American, the Brazilian Nationals, and the World Pro. His only loss came at the hands of Augusto “Tanquinho” Mendes at the 2011 World Pro, in an evenly-matched contest with a controversial outcome.

Robson Moura, with all the experience that comes with winning five Jiu-Jitsu World Championships, admits: “Rafael has some advantages over the rest, being younger and having competed a great deal in recent times.” Robson says there’s a caveat, though: “I trained to face everyone, not just Rafael.”

And so what does the big favorite think about the challenges he has ahead of him in notching his second title? In an exclusive interview with the GRACIEMAG at the ADCC blog Rafael addresses his adversaries, training, looks back on 2009, and guarantees he’s still far from making his MMA debut.

If they’re still careful not to let on about the weapons their wielding, new technology is making it a lot easier to get the skinny on the champions’ routines.

With less than two weeks to go till the contest kicks off in Nottingham, the athletes are well into the final phase of their training, and the GRACIEMAG at the ADCC blog is here to give its readers an around-the-world tour of how the preparations of the stars about to shine at ADCC 2011 are going.

From Ribeirão Preto to São José dos Campos to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil; moving on to Miami, New York and Chicago in the USA; and ending in Birmingham, England – we dropped in on 11 of the biggest names in submission grappling at the moment.

And all without leaving the comfort of home. Rush to the GRACIEMAG at the ADCC blog and find out how some of the aces in the mix are preparing to shine in Nottingham.

For a taste, get a look of what Zé Mario Sperry has been up to: