Overview
ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) is a tournament-style submission grappling competition where only the winner advances to the next round. The gi (kimono) is optional, and wrestling shoes are permitted. No slippery substances are allowed on the body or clothing. Matches take place on a 10 x 10 meter mat with no cage or fence.
If fighters go out of bounds, the referee restarts the action in the center of the mat in the same position they were in when the referee called “Stop.” If both fighters were standing without an established grip, they restart facing each other. If a competitor had single or double grips before the stop, the athletes resume that same position.
How You Can Win
There are four ways to win an ADCC match:
- Submission — A competitor taps (leg, arm, or mat), says “Tap,” “I give up,” or “Mate.”
- Points — The fighter with the most points at the end of regulation or overtime wins.
- Referee decision — If no points are scored by either fighter, the referees decide the winner based on dominance throughout the match.
- Disqualification — A fighter who breaks the rules may be disqualified, awarding the win to their opponent.
If the referee feels one competitor is unable to defend themselves or their safety is in danger, the referee will stop the match and declare a winner.
Positive Points
Every position must be held for 3 seconds or more and the athlete must be out of any danger of submission for points to be awarded.
| Position | Points | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Passing the guard | 3 | Judges look for control with at least 75% of the opponent’s back on the mat. |
| Knee on stomach | 2 | Inside or outside knee on the middle of the stomach (not chest or sides). Opponent cannot be on their side. Can be scored repeatedly if the knee is removed and re-established for 3+ seconds each time. |
| Mount | 2 | Both knees must touch the floor. Reverse mount also scores. Opponent’s back must be on the floor, knees below the shoulder line. If one or both of the opponent’s hands are trapped under your legs, it still scores. |
| Back mount with hooks | 3 | Both hooks or a body triangle are acceptable. If you release hooks/triangle for more than 3 seconds and re-establish for 3+ seconds, you score again. Hooks must not be over the shoulders. |
| Takedown ending in guard or half-guard | 2 | Opponent’s butt or back must be on the mat for 3 seconds. If they immediately apply a submission, you do not score until the threat is cleared and you stabilize for 3 seconds. |
| Takedown ending past guard | 4 | You must land outside the guard with 75%+ of the opponent’s back on the mat and hold for 3 seconds. |
| Sweep ending in guard or half-guard | 2 | A sweep requires both athletes facing each other, with the bottom fighter changing to top and holding for 3 seconds. You must not be in the threat of a submission. |
| Clean sweep past guard | 4 | Change from bottom to top, ending outside guard with 75%+ of the opponent’s back on the floor, held for 3 seconds. Must not be in submission danger. |
Additional Scoring Rules
- Reversals count as sweeps. If you are held in side control or mount and reverse the position from top to bottom, you receive 2 points (ending in guard) or 4 points (ending in side control).
- Every sweep must be completed in one continuous motion to receive points.
- Sweep points require the fighter to initiate the sweep. If you are being attacked and end up on top, no sweep points are awarded since you did not initiate the motion.
- Points are only awarded for positions held 3 seconds or more. When changing through multiple positions, only the position stabilized for 3+ seconds will score.
- Passing guard straight to mount or knee on stomach awards only the guard pass points (3 points), not both.
Unlike IBJJF, ADCC has no advantages system. There are no intermediate scores for near-passes, almost-sweeps, or submission attempts. You either earn the full points for a position or you earn nothing. This makes every positional battle binary — hold it for 3 seconds or it does not count.