With the ADCC World Championships 2026 just around the corner, the world’s biggest no-gi athletes aren’t the only ones preparing for Poland. Behind the scenes, the sport’s leading apparel companies are also set to battle for visibility on submission grappling’s biggest stage.
After reviewing all 104 confirmed competitors, Takedown Nation tracked the publicly identifiable apparel sponsor of every athlete to find out which brands will have the strongest representation at this year’s championships.
While sponsorships can change and not every partnership is publicly announced, the data provides a fascinating snapshot of the brands backing the world’s elite.
1. TATAMI — 12 ATHLETES
Tatami heads into ADCC Worlds 2026 with the largest sponsored team in the tournament.
The UK-based brand will be represented by:
- Fabricio Andrey
- Vagner Rocha
- Kaynan Duarte
- Achilles Rocha
- Felipe Pena
- Jasmine Rocha
- Ana Mayordomo
- Ane Svendsen
- Joslyn Molina
- Rafaela Guedes
- Anabel Lopez
- Helena Crevar
With world champions, title contenders and rising prospects spread across multiple divisions, Tatami once again enters ADCC with one of the strongest teams in the sport.
2. LEVEL BLACK — 11 ATHLETES
Only one athlete behind Tatami is Level Black, continuing its rapid rise as one of the fastest-growing brands in no-gi grappling.
Representing Level Black at ADCC Worlds 2026 are:
- Nikodem Mikuliszyn
- Dominic Mejia
- Jacob Bornemann
- Michael Sainz
- Jacob Rodriguez
- Faris Ben-Lamkadem
- Nicholas Maglicic
- Adam Wardziński
- Brandon Reed
- Pedro Lucas
- Valerie Hamilton
From established veterans to first-time ADCC competitors, Level Black has assembled one of the deepest rosters in the championship.
3. GOLD BJJ — 8 ATHLETES
Gold BJJ takes third place after recently announcing the signing of Javier Zaruski, bringing its total representation to eight athletes.
Gold BJJ’s ADCC roster includes:
- Elijah Dorsey
- Vinicius Lessa
- Steffen Banta
- Roosevelt Sousa
- Daniel Manasoiu
- Francis Pana
- Paige Ivette Borras
- Javier Zaruski
The addition of Zaruski further strengthens Gold BJJ’s presence as the brand continues to establish itself among the elite of professional grappling.
4. KINGZ — 6 ATHLETES
Kingz has long been one of jiu-jitsu’s most recognisable names and continues to maintain a strong presence at the highest level of no-gi competition.
Representing Kingz are:
- Marlon Tajik
- Kanae Ikeda
- Livia Barasine
- Sarah Galvao
- Matilda Reid
- Michael Pixley
5. PROGRESS — 5 ATHLETES
Rounding out the top five is Progress, whose roster includes several experienced ADCC veterans.
The team’s representatives are:
- PJ Barch
- Taylor Pearman
- Mark Macqueen
- Matheus Diniz
- Eoghan O’Flanagan
Progress continues to be one of Europe’s strongest brands and will once again have multiple athletes competing on the biggest stage in submission grappling.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Across the 104 confirmed ADCC Worlds 2026 competitors, Takedown Nation identified 84 athletes with publicly identifiable apparel sponsors, representing 35 different brands. The remaining competitors either do not currently have a publicly identifiable apparel sponsor or have sponsorship agreements that have not been publicly announced.
TOP 10 MOST REPRESENTED BRANDS
- Tatami — 12 Athletes
- Level Black — 11 Athletes
- Gold BJJ — 8 Athletes
- Kingz — 6 Athletes
- Progress — 5 Athletes
- Scramble — 4 Athletes
- AL LEONE — 4 Athletes
- AESTHETIC — 3 Athletes
- Vouk Kimonos — 3 Athletes
- Hyperfly — 2 Athletes (tied with Ground Force and Humble Fightwear)
As ADCC Worlds approaches, these numbers highlight just how competitive the grappling apparel industry has become. A strong presence on the mats not only increases brand exposure but also reflects years of investing in athletes competing at the highest level.
Whether Tatami can maintain its lead, Level Black can close the gap, or Gold BJJ’s growing roster can make a statement in Poland, one thing is certain: the battle between the sport’s biggest brands has already begun.
Research note: Rankings are based on publicly identifiable apparel sponsorships for confirmed ADCC Worlds 2026 competitors. Sponsorships can change, and some partnerships may not be publicly disclosed at the time of publication.
