February 17, 2024. It’s a cold morning, temperatures just above freezing in Zagreb, Croatia. Hundreds of athletes pace the floors or sit alongside the mats, warming up and patiently waiting for their turn to fight. Only eight will punch their tickets to the desert heat and fanfare of Las Vegas, Nevada for ADCC 2024, in exactly six months to the day.

Kade Ruotolo, the returning champion at -77kg, has been officially invited to the ADCC World Championships. Kade's 2022 run was the most successful ADCC debut in history, winning the gold medal with a 100% submission rate. This will be his second appearance at ADCC Worlds.

Kauã Gabriel, student of Melqui Galvão and teammate of "Baby Shark" Diogo Reis, has been officially invited to the ADCC World Championships. Kauã has made the finals of the last three ADCC South American Trials at -66kg, but came up short every time. This will be his first appearance at ADCC Worlds.

Andrew and William Tackett made history at the 2024 ADCC West Coast Trials in Las Vegas, becoming the first-ever brothers to win an ADCC Trials event side by side.

IBJJF Champion and ADCC veteran Mayssa Bastos will be going back to the ADCC World Championships, as she has been officially invited in the -55kg division. Bastos previously won the South American Trials in 2022 before losing first round at -60kg. She regularly competes at roosterweight and light-feather in IBJJF competition, 47.5 & 52.5kg.

Jonnatas Gracie is officially on his way to the next ADCC World Championships, accepting the organization's invitation to compete in the -77kg division. This will mark Gracie's 1st appearance at the tournament.

Mackenzie Dern will make her return to submission grappling in 2024, as she has accepted an invitation to compete in the -55kg division at the ADCC World Championships. The UFC contender has previously won the tournament in 2015, before her transition to full-time MMA.

Divisions continue to fill up and we have a new contender for ADCC Worlds at -99kg - Mason Fowler of Caio Terra Association has officially accepted the invitation to compete at the biggest show in grappling. Mason is a two-time ADCC veteran (having advanced to the quarterfinals both times) and will be moving up from 88kg to 99kg for the event.

Fabricio Andrey submitted five of his six opponents on Saturday in São Paulo to win the 2nd ADCC South American Trials, punching his return ticket to the 2024 ADCC World Championships in Las Vegas.

ADCC veteran Kennedy Maciel was in rare form on Saturday at the 2024 ADCC 1st South American Trials in Belo Horzonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, submitting three of his six opponents and not conceding a point throughout the event, punching his ticket to the 2024 ADCC World Championships at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The divisions at ADCC World Championships are quickly filling up and we have a new invitation at -77kg; Nicky Ryan of B-Team. Nicky will be making his fourth appearance at the ADCC World Championships after previously winning trials and taking silver at the 2023 East Coast Trials with a 100% submission rate in his victories. He was unable to compete at West Coast Trials because of injury, but still will be at Worlds.

The results of the 2022 ADCC World Championships have made it abundantly clear; the ADCC Trials winners are some of the most legitimate contenders in the ADCC athlete pool.

On October 14th & 15th, the best in North America will meet to determine who will earn the right to advance to the ADCC World Championships, as the North American Trials kick off. Every few years, this tournament provides some of the best opportunity for grapplers and best action for grappling fans on Earth as everyone gives it their all to qualify for ADCC.

The ADCC World Championships are one year away and the Europe, Middle East, & Africa trials are starting this weekend, kicking off the long road to the toughest grappling tournament on Earth. The best in the region will come together and compete, with the champion of each men's division earning automatic entry to Worlds. Let's take a look at these deep divisions, as this may be the best European trials entries list we have ever seen.

The ADCC World Championship's first 2024 World Championship qualifier will happen soon, and the list of entrants are finally public. The European, Middle East, & African Trials will take place September 16th in Warsaw, Poland and the winner of each male division will earn automatic entry into the 2024 World Championships in Las Vegas, NV.