Historic 2026 ADCC Asia Oceania Trials
Two Kiwi men won their divisions and punched tickets to ADCC Worlds. For New Zealand grappling, this was not just another Trials weekend.
The 2026 ADCC Asia & Oceania Trials produced a historic result for New Zealand grappling. Kaya Rudolph won the men’s under 77 kg division and Belal Etiabari won the men’s over 99 kg division, sending two Kiwi men to the ADCC World Championships in Kraków. This recap looks at what their qualification meant for New Zealand and the wider Asia and Oceania grappling scene.
- Kaya Rudolph: men’s under 77 kg Trials champion
- Belal Etiabari: men’s over 99 kg Trials champion
- Destination: 2026 ADCC World Championships in Kraków, Poland
“Victory belongs to the most persevering.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
2026 ADCC Asia & Oceania Trials Recap
Every two years, the world of submission grappling turns its eyes toward ADCC: the arena where established champions, rising contenders and unknown talents from every corner of the globe fight for the right to stand among the best. For most athletes, there is no invitation waiting, no guaranteed place, no easy road. There are only the Trials. Across regions including Asia & Oceania, Europe, North America, South America and Africa, grapplers enter fiercely contested brackets where one mistake can bring years of preparation to an end, and only gold is enough to punch a ticket to the ADCC World Championships. In 2026, that road led through the Asia & Oceania Trials, where eight athletes emerged as champions and secured their place on the world’s biggest stage. Their destination is Kraków, Poland, where the 2026 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championships will take place at Tauron Arena on 12–13 September. For New Zealand grappling, the event carried even greater significance, with Kiwi athletes Kaya Rudolph ADCC and Belal Etiabari ADCC earning qualification and adding another chapter to the growing story of no-gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Aotearoa.
ADCC Trials results 2026
For the athletes who earn that qualification, the reward is more than a medal or a title. It is the opportunity to test themselves against the very best submission grapplers on the planet. The ADCC World Championships bring together reigning champions, returning medallists, specially invited superstars and the handful of regional Trials winners who have fought their way through some of the toughest qualifying tournaments in the sport. It is this unique combination of proven legends and hungry challengers that has cemented ADCC’s reputation as the pinnacle of no-gi grappling, where every match has the potential to shape careers, redefine legacies and inspire the next generation of competitors.
New Zealand ADCC qualifiers
The 2026 Asia & Oceania Trials embodied that spirit from the opening matches through to the final bouts. Competitors representing New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Kazakhstan and countries across the wider Asia-Pacific region stepped onto the mats knowing that only one athlete from each division would advance. Every takedown, guard pass, sweep and submission attempt carried enormous significance, as years of preparation could be rewarded—or undone—in a matter of seconds. With no second chances and no silver medals leading to the World Championships, every division became a battle of endurance, strategy and determination.
Kaya Rudolph ADCC
For New Zealand, the tournament was particularly memorable. Kaya Rudolph captured the men’s under 77 kg division, while Belal Etiabari conquered the men’s over 99 kg bracket, earning two of the eight coveted qualification places available at the event. Their victories not only secured a place at the 2026 ADCC World Championships in Poland, but also highlighted the continued rise of New Zealand as a respected force within the international submission grappling community.
In this article, we’ll recap the 2026 ADCC Asia & Oceania Trials, recognise every athlete who qualified for the ADCC World Championships, examine the performances that shaped the tournament, and explore what these results mean for the future of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling throughout New Zealand and the wider Asia & Oceania region.
Belal Etiabari ADCC
The story continued at ADCC Worlds
The Trials win was the ticket. The World Championships were the next chapter for New Zealand’s historic qualifiers.
Continue to ADCC WorldsLooking Ahead
The road to the ADCC Submission Fighting World Championships has only just begun. In September 2026, the Asia & Oceania Trials champions will travel to Kraków, Poland, where they’ll join invited athletes, reigning champions and fellow regional qualifiers from around the world in pursuit of submission grappling’s highest honour. If you’d like to learn more about the history and evolution of the tournament itself, visit the official ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship Wikipedia page. Whether you’re following New Zealand’s qualifiers or the world’s elite, the 2026 World Championships promise to be one of the most anticipated events in ADCC history.
Read next: History of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in New Zealand: Proven Origins — explore how Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu first arrived in Aotearoa and the people, clubs and milestones that helped shape the sport into what it is today.
Continue the story: Read our 2026 ADCC World Championships breakdown and our Belal Etiabari vs Felipe Pena analysis to see what happened when the Kiwi qualifiers reached Kraków.
