16 men will compete in the 77kg division when ADCC rolls around in September. Four of them will face off over the next couple of weeks in a series of submission-only no-gi superfights on Fight 2 Win events. Though the rules are different, the results could shape how the ADCC brackets will look. 

The events serve as a warm-up for the athletes, giving those who been out of action a chance to get back into the no-gi groove. The difference in energy, pace, grips and positional controls in no-gi require a significant change in strategy, and even with a training camp it’s dangerous to jump into a high-level tournament like ADCC without getting the feel for the no-gi game. 

ADCC fans should pay close attention to Fight 2 Win over the next two weeks. 

77kg champion Jonathan "JT" Torres will return to defend his title in September, but on July 27 he'll return to no-gi for the first time in nearly two years when he faces off with 3rd place finisher Vagner Rocha in the main event of Fight 2 Win 119. A week later, Edwin Najmi and DJ Jackson will meet when they headline Fight 2 Win 120, scheduled for August 3. in Pittsburgh.

Both of these matches share a similar theme: highly-active competitors will take on men dipping their toes back into no-gi waters.

JT Torres hasn't done a no-gi tournament since his ADCC gold medal run, compared to Vagner Rocha who has had 14 no-gi matches in the last 18 months. During this time Torres has competed exclusively in gi tournaments, with a primary focus on big events such as Worlds and Pans. Rocha is 10-2-2 in no-gi matches since the beginning of 2018, with five submission wins. 

Edwin Najmi is 1-1 in two no-gi matches this year, while DJ Jackson is 5-1 in no-gi since January (and has had an additional 22 matches in the gi). A knee injury kept him away from competition for the majority of the year. He returned (maybe prematurely) at KASAI Pro, where he lost to Dante Leon via choke. He beat veteran Gianni Grippo by points at Third Coast Grappling. This year Jackson has competed under various rulesets, including EBI rules, F2W submission-only and more. His only loss was by decision to Kody Steele at Third Coast Grappling. 

For both JT and Edwin these matches are crucial in preparing for ADCC. They will need to shake off the cobwebs, get their heads right for the unique challenges no-gi presents, and pressure-test the techniques they’ve been working on in the gym before the big show in September. 

For all four men, it is a chance to feel out their opponents ahead of ADCC. Neither we nor they have any clue what the brackets will look like, and depending on how the tournament plays out there is a chance they may never even meet. But if they do, then these superfights will provide them with valuable info on what to expect. How they move, their preferred tie-ups, the pressure– all highly useful to know ahead of time. 

Fight 2 Win use a submission-only ruleset, with no points awarded for any maneuvers. Only submission attacks count in the eyes of the judges, and there are no over-time periods to decide a winner. Whoever attacks the most, wins– either by submission or decision. 

ADCC’s unique rules award points for traditional grappling techniques, but the first half of the match is sub-only and points only kick in at the mid-way point of the match, with extra rounds are added in the case of no winner. 

Competing in F2W offers little crossover except for the opportunity to test out their opponents– the strategies for the events are completely different and while the matches will offer a preview of what to expect come September, we may not see the complete picture. 

Watch Fight 2 Win 119 on July 27 and Fight 2 Win 120 on August 3. 

Full list of 77kg competitors at ADCC 2019

• 2017 champion: JT Torres
• 1st European Trials Winner: Ross Nicholls ( GBR)
• 1st North American Trials Winner: Jon Satava (USA)
• 2nd North American Trials Winner: Nicky Ryan (USA) – moves up from 66kg 
• 2nd North American Trials Winner: John Combs (USA) 
• South American Trials Winner: Servio Tulio (BRA)
• 2nd European Trials Winner: Mateusz Gamrot (POL)
• Asia-Oceania Trials Winner: Lachlan Giles (AUS)
• Invited: Vagner Rocha
• Invited: Dillon Danis
• Invited: Oliver Taza
• Invited: Edwin Najmi
• Invited: Renato Canuto
• Invited: Lucas Lepri
• Invited: Celso Vinicius
• Invited: DJ Jackson