This article is part of our ADCC 2024 coverage. To get live results, play by play, and commentary, we’ll have a live updates article running all weekend.
The first batch of invites to ADCC 2024 have just been announced and they have gone to three men who have etched their names in history as world champions in the past. Two out of the three ADCC gold medalists to receive invites are actually the reigning champions in their respective divisions too, as they managed to stand on top of the podium back at ADCC 2022. The pressure is always on at any major tournament but even moreso for those who come into it with a title to defend, rather than the goal of taking the title for the first time.
The first man to be invited to ADCC 2024 was Diogo Reis, the reigning champion in the under 66kg division. Although there will undoubtedly be plenty of tough matches waiting for Reis from this year’s ADCC Trials winners and his fellow invitees, he’s still going to be one of the top contenders in his division. The other reigning champion in this first batch of invites is Kaynan Duarte, who won his first title at over 99kg in 2019 before dropping down to under 99kg in 2022 and winning that division too.
The last of these first three invites to ADCC 2024 was given to JT Torres, who has won the under 77kg division twice before in 2017 and 2019. He came into ADCC 2022 as one of the favorites to win the tournament and take home his third title, but disaster struck for him in the second round when he lost on points to PJ Barch. Torres will be returning to the 77kg division once in pursuit of his third title, marking the sixth consecutive time that he’s competed in this weight class.
The first three world champions who received invites to ADCC 2024 were all announced in a series of posts to the promotion’s official Instagram account:
