A friend of mine who knows nothing of grappling but did know that I was especially excited for this week's event asked me which country tended to do the best at ADCC.
Up until very recently, this was a pretty easy question to answer.
But now it looks like the 2022 ADCC will be the first one to feature more gold medals for the U.S. than for any other country - including historic ADCC gold medal-collector Brazil.
2022 ADCC Division Champions
- 66 kg Brazil
- 77kg USA - Won all matches by submission
- 88kg USA - Submitted IBJJF no gi 2017 division and Absolute champion
- 99kg Brazil
- >99kg USA - Now three-division champion
- Absolute Brazil
- <60 kg Wales
- >60kg USA - Defeated 2019 division champion in semi-finals
That adds up to:
2022: USA 4, Brazil 3, Wales 1
Compare that with this history of Brazilian dominance.
- 2019: Brazil 5, USA 3
- 2017: Brazil 6 USA 2
- 2015 Brazil 6 USA 2
- 2013 Brazil 8 USA 0
- 2011 Brazil 5 USA 1
- 2009 Brazil 6 USA 0
- 2007 Brazil 5 USA 1
- 2005 Brazil 7 USA 1
- 2003 Brazil 4 USA 1 Norway 1
- 2001 Brazil 4 Japan 1 South Africa 1
- 2000 Brazil 4 USA 2
- 1999 Brazil 3 USA 2 Russia 1
- 1998 Brazil 5 USA 1
