ADCC 2009 Sensation - Photos

I have had the chance to personally witness the ADCC 2009 Championship fights last weekend and certainly this was one of the most exciting weekends ever. Check out the official results here.

Firstly of course it was the assembled team. Marcelo Garcia, Robert Drysdale, Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza, Fabricio Werdum and so many others. The team was incredible despite some of the names that we were very much hoping for were missing or on the benches, including Roger and Kyra Gracie, Georges St. Pierre, Fedor Emelianenko and Gegard Mousasi.

Saulo Ribeiro was of course an exciting figure in the first half of the tournament showing impressive skill in submitting the younger jiu jitsu champion Romulo Barral only to lose later to the much bigger Fabricio Werdum who then went on to win the +99kg final to become Champion in the heavyweight division. Saulo displayed heart in fighting off Jeff Monson despite choosing to fight him with a kimono.

Another great name was Gunnar Nelson who impressed me immensely fighting in the absolute division representing Iceland. Gunnar showed surprising cardio and ability to attack the back of each of his opponents. Gunnar later faced the awesome Xande Ribeiro, losing to him by knee-bar. Xande would later win his division and lose via shoulder injury in the absolute finals to Braulio Estima.

Well-done to Xande who looked incredibly calm and displayed incredible abilities, the best fighter on the mats in my opinion.

Plenty of disappointments were also there, most notably Xande's injury to cost him the gold and Rafael Lovato who was submitted by Heel Hook which went too far and caused Rafael to drop out thereafter due to injury as Braulio applied the leg lock too far.

For Marcelo Garcia this was an enormous disappointment despite an impressive start when he submitted Kron Graice. He took silver for the first time in his division losing to Pablo Popovitch and later to Braulio Estima in the Absolute.

Well done to the organizers and participants! Well done ADCC!


Pablo Popovitch vs Gregor Gracie

Xande Ribeiro vs Vinicius Magalhaes

Fabricio Werdum vs Saulo Ribeiro

Tarsis Humphreys vs Igor Praporshchikov


Andre Galvao above working to pass the guard




Video of Marcelo Garcia in action!