# The 14 Best ADCC Champions of All Time

> Submission-only mat wars across three decades: no-gi legends, Gracie royalty and a few heavyweights who beat bigger men. Some won once, others kept taking gold.

*By YPB Team · Published October 17, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-14-best-adcc-champions-of-all-time*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Gordon Ryan** — score 1000/1000
   American no-gi dominator who won ADCC titles in 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2024, including multiple absolute golds.
2. **Mark Kerr** — score 551/1000
   American wrestler and early star of the event who captured ADCC titles in 1999, 2000 and 2001 in the heavier classes.
3. **Xande Ribeiro** — score 494/1000
   Brazilian black belt who won the 2007 and 2009 ADCC titles in the middle weights after a long mat career.
4. **Rafael Mendes** — score 494/1000
   Brazilian featherweight who won ADCC gold in 2009 and 2011 with fast, inventive guard work.
5. **Leo Vieira** — score 494/1000
   Brazilian middleweight and Gracie Barra figure who won ADCC gold in 2003 and 2005.
6. **Kaynan Duarte** — score 428/1000
   Brazilian heavyweight who won ADCC gold in 2019, 2022 and 2024 and took the absolute crown in 2024.
7. **Gabi Garcia** — score 350/1000
   Towering Brazilian who won the women's ADCC titles in 2011, 2013, 2017 and 2019.
8. **André Galvão** — score 350/1000
   Brazilian champion who took ADCC gold in five different editions from 2011 to 2019.
9. **Marcelo Garcia** — score 257/1000
   Brazilian lightweight who won four ADCC titles between 2003 and 2011 and is widely seen as the best small-weight grappler ever.
10. **Ronaldo Souza** — score 257/1000
   Better known as Jacare, he won ADCC gold in the 2000s and carried that submission skill into a long MMA career.
11. **Micael Galvão** — score 257/1000
   Brazilian lightweight who took ADCC gold at 66 kg in 2024, one of the newest names on the list.
12. **Jeff Monson** — score 0/1000
   American heavyweight grappler who won ADCC gold in 1999 and again in 2005 against much larger opposition.
13. **Dean Lister** — score 0/1000
   American submission artist who won ADCC gold in 2003, 2005 and 2011 and was known for his leg locks.
14. **Fabrício Werdum** — score 0/1000
   Brazilian heavyweight who won ADCC gold in 2007 and 2009 and later became a UFC heavyweight champion.

Tags: sports, athletes, all time, grappling, adcc, jiu-jitsu