ADCC 2026's Roster Shakeup: A Warrant Case Exit and a Champion's Jump to UFC BJJ

Two late roster changes are reshaping the Krakow lineup: a wanted competitor has quietly been dropped, and a double gold medalist is leaving to chase a UFC BJJ title instead. Here's what changed, why it matters, and what it says about how seriously grappling now polices itself.

A quiet roster edit with a loud backstory

For months, one of the more uncomfortable stories in grappling has been ADCC's handling of Izaak Michell, the Hays County, Texas warrant that named him for second-degree sexual assault, and the fact that his name stayed on the official Krakow invite list well after the allegations became public. Michell had earned his spot legitimately, winning the under-77kg bracket at trials in 2025, but multiple women reportedly came forward afterward with additional accounts, and a second warrant followed in February 2026.

There was no press release when it finally happened. Reporting from BJJ Eastern Europe confirmed the competitor list had been updated without any statement from the organization, with Michell's name simply gone from the 77kg field and British grappler Taylor Pearman, a Polaris regular and former ADCC trials winner, slotted in as his replacement.

Craig Jones' pledge, and why he pulled it

The controversy had already cost ADCC real money. Back in March, Craig Jones publicly withdrew a $48,000 commitment he had made to help close the pay gap between the men's and women's divisions at the 2026 event. Jones was blunt that his reversal was not about the money itself, he still runs a competing invitational with a $10 million prize pool, but about not wanting to fund an organization that, in his words, did not seem to value its women competitors enough to act.

It took roughly two more months of pressure from athletes and fans before the roster was quietly corrected. For a promotion built entirely on trust in its bracket integrity, the episode is a reminder that reputation in this sport travels fast, and that competitors and sponsors are increasingly willing to vote with their names and their wallets.

A champion chooses UFC BJJ over ADCC

The second roster change is a very different story, but it points at the same tension. Adele Fornarino, ADCC's reigning double gold medalist in the women's divisions, has been pulled from the -55kg bracket in Krakow. Her replacement is Valerie Wong Hamilton, the silver medalist from trials. Fornarino's exit isn't a controversy, it's a career bet: she has instead signed to compete in the UFC BJJ flyweight tournament, where she meets Carol Brunacio in the semifinal at UFC BJJ 10 on August 20.

That date sits close enough to ADCC's September 12 and 13 dates in Krakow that overlap, or at minimum an exhausting turnaround, was clearly part of her calculation. The bigger signal is structural: reporting notes that zero reigning UFC BJJ champions currently appear anywhere on the ADCC 2026 roster, a sign that the UFC is holding its athletes to exclusive deals that make it harder for a fighter to chase gold in both organizations the same year.

What it means for anyone training toward a bracket

None of this changes what happens on a Las Vegas mat this week, but it's a useful lesson for anyone with tournament ambitions. Trials results, prize money and even a competitor's spot can shift right up until fight week for reasons that have nothing to do with technique. Building a training plan flexible enough to absorb a late opponent change, a schedule conflict, or a promotion's own politics is part of the job at every level, from a two-stripe white belt aiming at a local no-gi event to a pro chasing UFC BJJ gold.

It's also a reminder that the two biggest grappling stages on earth, ADCC and UFC BJJ, are now competing hard enough for talent that athletes are being forced to pick a lane. For hobbyists, that competition is mostly good news: more visibility for the sport, more storylines to follow on the mats, and more reasons for a Las Vegas gym to keep its no-gi and gi curriculum sharp. If any of this has you curious about where you'd fit in, come try a class with us and see what the fuss over Krakow and UFC BJJ is really about.

5 Things This Shuffle Teaches Every Grappler

You don't need a pro contract for these lessons to apply. Here's what the ADCC roster drama actually translates to for someone training in Las Vegas.

1. Reputation follows you onto the mat: Promotions and training partners now pay attention to conduct outside competition, not just results inside it.
2. Brackets change late, plan for it: A replacement athlete, a new opponent, or a schedule swap can happen days before an event; adaptable training beats a rigid game plan.
3. Two big stages means real choices: Athletes like Fornarino are picking between ADCC and UFC BJJ; the same trade-off, time versus opportunity, shows up for hobbyists juggling gym schedules.
4. Money follows values: Sponsors pulling pledges shows fans and funders increasingly hold grappling promotions accountable, not just fighters.
5. Depth charts matter more than star names: Trials silver and Polaris regulars stepping into vacated slots is proof that consistent training, not just headline wins, keeps a career alive.
6. Local mats are where all of this starts: Every athlete named in this story began with basic positional drilling, the same drilling available at a Las Vegas jiu-jitsu class this week.

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