Renzo Gracie with GSP. Photo: Luca Atalla/GRACIEMAG

ADCC Boss Guy Nievens announced today on his Facebook account another superfight for the 2015 edition of the event.

The crowd in Manaus, Brazil, will have the opportunity to witness a battle between two legends of the sport, Renzo Gracie and Matt Hughes.

A two-time welterweight UFC champion, Hughes, 40, competed once before in the ADCC.

In 2000, he entered the -99kg division and had three fights, defeating Ricardo Almeida and Jeremy Horn and losing to Jeff Monson in the semifinal.

UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes officially retired from MMA on Thursday. Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC

Renzo, 47, has two ADCC titles in the -77kg division, wining in 1998 and 2000.

He also competed in a superfight in 2011, when he lost 5-0 to José Mario Sperry.

The Gracie talked exclusively with the GRACIEMAG.com about this new challenge: “Hughes is an amazing competitor and he has always liked to compete in the ADCC. He had to step away because of his MMA career but now that he is done with that he called the ADCC and asked if he could fight. They called me and offered the fight and I couldn’t say no. It’s gonna be a great way to celebrate my 48th birthday. As I’m not 22 anymore, I already started training for  the match.”

Renzo and Hughes fought once in the UFC, in 2010, when the American won by TKO in the third round.

The 2015 ADCC will take place in Manaus, Brazil, on September next year and besides Gracie vs. Hughes, it will also feature a superfight between former Carlson Gracie teammates Zé Mario Sperry and Ricardo Libório.

Tower in Beijing. Photo: Mingzi Zhongqiu / Disclosure

The land of silk, porcelain, tea and ping-pong also wants to be the land of Jiu-Jitsu in October.

On Sunday, organizer Guy Neivens ended the mystery about the ADCC 2013 and announced the date and location.

The most traditional no-gi Jiu-Jitsu championship will be on Oct. 19 in Beijing, the Chinese capital that received the Olympic Games five years ago.

Among the main fights already confirmed in Beijing is Braulio Estima vs. Andre Galvao and Fabio Gurgel vs. Ze Mario Sperry.

Beijing will host its first ADCC. Since 1998, the first year of the tournament, the ADCC was organized in Abu Dhabi, Sao Paulo, Long Beach, New Jersey, Barcelona and Nottingham

Classified for ADCC 2013

On March 2 in Columbus, Ohio, the U.S. trails classified its champions to fight in Beijing. They were:

-66kg: Mark Ramos

-77kg: Gary Tonnes

-88kg: Josh Hayden

-99kg: James Puoppolo

+99kg: Robby Donofrio

Female +60 kg: Thaysa Silva

The South American trails will be on April 19, 20 and 21 in Rio de Janeiro.

To all my Fans.

Here is the truth regarding my potential participation in an ADCC Super Fight: I received a call from my cousin, Renzo, who told me that ADCC was interested in having me participate in their September event. I told him that it would be a pleasure for me to once again compete for the ADCC organization. Renzo said that ADCC Vice President Guy Neivens would contact me to negotiate the terms of my contract, including the purse for the match. The following day, the ADCC website reported the match and several media outlets contacted me. I stated that it would be great to once again train hard for a grappling match and that I was confident that we would be able to enter into a contract. At that point no details had been discussed nor had I even spoken with anyone from the ADCC organization regarding this match.

Guy Neivens called me several days later to negotiate the contract terms for the match. In my experience, these negotiations are always confidential. The very next day, I was shocked to learn that Mr. Neivens had disclosed certain details of our conversation to the public. Perhaps Mr. Neivens was attempting to trick me into entering into an unfair contract? Regardless of his motivation, it is deplorable that someone working for Sheik Tahnoon would, in my opinion, behave in such an unethical, unprofessional and disrespectful manner. The Sheik is a distinguished man who has been instrumental in the growth of submission wrestling throughout the world. Mr. Neivens’ actions show, in my opinion, an inability to perform his duties as VP of ADCC and unworthiness to represent the Sheik.

Everyone knows that I am a fighter. I have never shied away from a challenge. Since I was 6 years old, I have fought hundreds of matches for free, just for the love of the sport. I have fought under sport jiu-jitsu rules, judo rules, submission wrestling rules, MMA rules and many times without any rules. I have faced opponents sometimes twice my size. Cowardice is not a word in mine or my family’s vocabulary. Throughout my almost 40 year career, I achieved the pinnacle of my sport, including seven world titles. When fighting in a professional event, after years of dedication, it is only fair and appropriate for me to ask for a reasonable purse that reflects my successful career in the ring and my unimpeachable conduct as a professional athlete. Everyone who knows me understands that I will show up to any event well prepared. This entails me having to stop teaching classes and seminars for approximately two months with great financial cost to my family and me. All I am asking is for the ADCC organization to cover these expenses. I am still confident that the Abu Dhabi organization will treat me with the respect that I have earned and will come through with this match in the name of all our loyal fans and supporters

Guy Neivens’s response:

In response to Royler Gracie letter Royler is a true champion of ADCC with an unbeaten three world titles to his name,a true legend.

ADCC goal since 1998 has been to promote Submission Fighting worldwide,having success now with Federations in more than fifty countries.A few months ago ADCC committee decided it would generate more interest in the sport to promote some veteran matches- Renzo Gracie and Mario Sperry is now confirmed,and the idea of a rematch between Royler Gracie and Eddie Bravo seemed a natural re-match.

ADCC secured sponsorship for the prize money for each fight $25000 however, it turned out Royler wanted $50000 just to appear plus the $25000 if he won,that would be $75000 for a senior grappling match!ADCC attempted to secure more sponsorship,until now with no success.Thereafter it was decided that we cannot offer more to veterans than we do to our current superfight contenders Jacarre and Braulio.It should be noted ADCC is a non-profit making organisation with the sole intent to make it a worldwide sport.However we would love to still see this fight go ahead.

Both Royler who has competed three times and thousands of other fighters who have competed in ADCC are aware there has never been any contract between ADCC and any fighter, it is a tournament attended by invitation or qualification.

ADCC will continue to promote the sport of submission fighting with the aim of getting the respect and support it surely deserves.

Guy Neivens
ADCC