ADCC North American Trials 2026: Full Results & Qualified Athletes (Pomona)
Complete results from the 2nd ADCC North American Trials (West Coast) at the Pomona Fairplex on April 18-19, 2026 — all eight weight-class qualifiers for the ADCC 2026 World Championship in Krakow, plus standout storylines.
ADCC North American Trials 2026 — West Coast Results
The 2nd ADCC North American Trials — the West Coast Trials — wrapped April 19 at the Fairplex Expo Hall 9 in Pomona, California. Five men and three women earned direct invitations to the ADCC 2026 World Championship at TAURON Arena in Krakow on September 12-13. Gianni Grippo, a three-time IBJJF No-Gi World Champion, returned to the ADCC stage with a points-perfect run at -66kg — his first ADCC invitation in 11 years. The full qualifier list is in our running ADCC 2026 qualified athletes tracker.
Event at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | 2nd ADCC North American Trials 2026 (West Coast) |
| Dates | April 18-19, 2026 |
| Venue | Fairplex, Expo Hall 9 |
| Address | 1101 W McKinley Ave, Pomona, CA 91768 |
| Format | No-Gi Submission Grappling, Single Elimination |
| Qualifiers | 5 male + 3 female direct ADCC Worlds invites |
| Next stop | ADCC Worlds — Krakow, Poland, September 12-13, 2026 |
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Men's Qualifiers
| Weight | Qualifier | Team | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| -66 kg | Gianni Grippo | Bodega JJ | def. Dominic Mejia via short choke |
| -77 kg | Michael Sainz | Alpha Miami | def. Maximilian Hanson by decision |
| -88 kg | Nathan Haddad | Core Combat Sports | def. Ryan Aitken by penalties |
| -99 kg | Elder Cruz (Honduras) | Checkmat | def. Steffen Banta by penalty |
| +99 kg | Nick Hartman | Zenith | def. Francis Pana via straight ankle lock |
Women's Qualifiers
| Weight | Qualifier | Team | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
| -55 kg | Sheliah Lindsey | Magness BJJ | def. Valerie Hamilton 3-0 by decision |
| -65 kg | Sarah Galvão | Atos | def. Jadeya Reber via rear naked choke |
| +65 kg | Paige Ivette | Legion | def. Elizabeth Mitrovic by decision |
Storylines from Pomona
Gianni Grippo's 11-year return
At 34, three-time IBJJF No-Gi World Champion Gianni Grippo (Bodega JJ) ran the table at -66kg — seven matches, zero points conceded, finishing the final over Dominic Mejia with a short choke. It's Grippo's first ADCC invite in 11 years and the loudest storyline of the West Coast Trials.
Nathan Haddad's 6-0 comeback
In the -88kg semifinal, Nathan Haddad (Core Combat Sports) climbed out of a 6-0 hole against Jayden Groner to win by armbar, then took the final over Ryan Aitken by penalties. A textbook Trials run — survive a near-loss, capitalize on the next opponent's fatigue.
Sheliah Lindsey's submission spree
Sheliah Lindsey (Magness BJJ) submitted five of her six opponents on the way to gold at -55kg, edging Valerie Hamilton in the final by decision. The deepest submission run of the women's brackets.
Sarah Galvão, no points allowed
Sarah Galvão (Atos) conceded zero points across five matches at -65kg, finishing in the final with a rear naked choke. Two weeks later she added a Brasileiro gold at -64kg (Brasileiros 2026 results). Two podiums, two disciplines, three weeks — a stretch that puts her firmly in the elite no-gi conversation heading into Krakow.
Nick Hartman's finishing rate
Nick Hartman (Zenith) finished four of his five opponents at +99kg, capping his Trials with a straight ankle lock over Francis Pana. Hartman's leg-attack game travels especially well to ADCC rules.
How Qualification Works
The qualification format at ADCC Trials is straightforward: win your weight class and you go to Worlds.
- Single elimination — no consolation bracket. One loss and you are out.
- Full ADCC rules — split-points system, no points in the first half, points active in the second.
- Match duration — 10 minutes regulation (5 minutes no points + 5 minutes with points), with 5-minute overtime if needed.
- Finals may use extended time limits.
- One winner per weight class earns the Worlds invitation.
Weight Classes
The Trials use the same weight classes as the ADCC World Championship.
Men's Divisions
| Division | Weight Limit |
|---|---|
| Division 1 | Under 66 kg (145.2 lbs) |
| Division 2 | Under 77 kg (169.8 lbs) |
| Division 3 | Under 88 kg (194 lbs) |
| Division 4 | Under 99 kg (218.3 lbs) |
| Division 5 | Over 99 kg (218.3 lbs) |
Women's Divisions
| Division | Weight Limit |
|---|---|
| Division 1 | Under 55 kg (121.3 lbs) |
| Division 2 | Under 65 kg (143.3 lbs) |
| Division 3 | Over 65 kg (143.3 lbs) |
1st North American Trials (East Coast, 2025) — for context
The North American cycle started with the East Coast Trials in Orlando on November 15-16, 2025. Those men's winners qualified directly:
| Weight | East Coast Winner | Notable |
|---|---|---|
| -66 kg | Dorian Olivarez | |
| -77 kg | Jacob Bornemann | 7 matches, zero points conceded |
| -88 kg | Jon Blank | |
| -99 kg | Achilles Rocha | 5 matches, zero points conceded |
| +99 kg | Brandon Reed |
Women's East Coast winners (Ana Mayordomo at -55, Morgan Black at -65, Maia Matalon at +65) secured travel to the West Coast Trials rather than direct ADCC Worlds invites — the three women's Worlds invitations from North America were settled in Pomona.
Together with the East Coast men, that makes 13 confirmed North American Trials qualifiers heading to Krakow.
What Made ADCC Trials Different
For readers wondering why the Pomona results played out the way they did — Trials under ADCC rules don't reward the same game that wins at IBJJF.
- No points in the first half (5 minutes) of qualifying matches — pure submission hunting.
- Points in the second half — takedowns (2), passes (3), mount/back mount (4), knee on belly (2).
- Guard pulling = -1 penalty — wrestling and takedowns are mandatory, not optional.
- All submissions legal — heel hooks, leg locks, neck cranks, toe holds.
- Stalling actively penalized. Overtime rules escalate to force action.
That ruleset is why Grippo's zero-points-conceded run looks the way it does — the second-half points window is small, and a points-denial game plan is viable. It's also why so many Pomona finals ended in penalties: the rules don't tolerate inaction.
For a fuller rules comparison vs. IBJJF, see the ADCC 2026 World Championship guide.
What Comes Next
With the West Coast Trials closed out, North American qualification for ADCC 2026 Worlds is complete. The eight Pomona qualifiers join the East Coast winners and the field of direct invitees in Krakow on September 12-13, 2026. The only ADCC qualifying event still outstanding on the 2026 calendar is the 2nd Asia and Oceania Trials (June 20, Carrara, Australia).
See the running ADCC 2026 qualified athletes tracker for the complete cross-region list, and the ADCC 2026 World Championship guide for venue, format, prize-money and travel info.
Key Takeaway
The 2nd ADCC North American Trials in Pomona produced eight Worlds-bound North American grapplers: Gianni Grippo, Michael Sainz, Nathan Haddad, Elder Cruz, Nick Hartman, Sheliah Lindsey, Sarah Galvão, and Paige Ivette. Grippo's 11-year ADCC return, Haddad's 6-0 comeback, and Sarah Galvão's points-perfect run were the standouts. All eight head to Krakow on September 12-13, 2026.
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