ADCC RULES
OFFICIAL RULES
Click below to view the ADCC Rules or to Download
ADCC Open Tournament Code of Conduct
Click the button below to view the full ADCC Open Tournament Code of Conduct
ALLOWED TECHNIQUES
Click below to view a table of allowed, and illegal techniques for each division
ADVANCEMENT RULES
Click the button below to view the full advancement rules document.
WEIGHT CLASSES, CATEGORIES, DIVISIONS
Click below to view the division, category, and weight classes guide.
WHO CAN COMPETE
ADCC Opens are for all competitors - kids through masters, beginner through advanced, from any country. You do not need to qualify to compete in ADCC Opens.
FORMAT
No gi only. ADCC rules and legal techniques: https://adcc-official.com/pages/adcc-rules
SKILL DIVISIONS
Skill levels are primarily by BELT. If you do not have a jiujitsu belt, then you will register based on your years training.
Kids (4-12 years old)
Match length: 4 minutes
Beginner: White belts.
Intermediate: Grey belts.
Advanced: Yellow belts and above.
Teens (13-14 years old) & Juveniles (15-17 years old)
Match length: 5 minutes
Beginner: White belts.
Intermediate: Grey and yellow belts.
Advanced: Orange and green belts.
*Age 15+ may register for the adult weight divisions. Adult absolute is restricted to age 18+.
Adults (15+ years old) & Masters (35+ years old)
Adult match length:6 minutes
Master match length:5 minutes
Beginner:White belts.
Intermediate:Blue and purple belts.
Advanced:Brown and black belts.
*Absolute divisions are age 18+ and advanced, but any skill level may enter.
NOT ALLOWED AT ANY ADCC EVENTS
Close outs: Teammates, friends, etc not having a real match if they meet in a bracket.
Sandbagging: Signing up for a lower skill level or younger age group (masters signing up for adult is permitted). Please notify us if you see a competitor you suspect is sandbagging.
Doing either of these may result in a permanent ban from all ADCC events, even on the first offense.
Sandbagging policy:
If an athlete wins 3 gold medals in any higher skill division, they are no longer allowed to move back down to a lower division — regardless of their belt rank. For youth athletes, this means once they win 3 golds in a higher division, they must stay in that division until they move up to the next age group.
E.g. If an 11–12-year-old grey belt (technically eligible for intermediate) wins gold three times in the Advanced division, they must remain in Advanced for all future competitions within the 11–12 age group (until they turn 13 and move to the next age bracket, or permanently if in adult divisions).
If an athlete wins 5 gold medals in the same skill division, they are required to move up to the next higher division — regardless of their current belt rank or promotion status.
Participation in ADCC Open events signifies your agreement to our Code of Conduct: