ADCC is considered the most prestigious grappling championship in the world. In a soccer World Cup year, the comparison is inevitable: just as soccer’s biggest tournament brings together the sport’s elite, the ADCC World Championship gathers the top names in international grappling. Held every two years, the event’s next edition is set for September 12 and 13 in Krakow, Poland.
Among the confirmed Brazilians is Vinicius Lessa, from the state of Alagoas. At 28, the black belt qualified by winning the ADCC trials held in March in Indaiatuba, São Paulo, securing his place on the sport’s biggest stage.
His run to qualification was marked by close matches. Lessa won one fight by submission, another on points and three more by decision. When a match went to the referees, he tried to keep an offensive, aggressive, high-volume style, traits that have become hallmarks of his game.
“I have what it takes to fight any athlete in the world and win. My style is very complete. People are seeing me fight more on top, wrestling more, but my guard is excellent and I have good submission attacks. I’m unpredictable. If I were on the other side, I’d find it very hard to fight me,” he said.
QUALIFYING FOR ADCC CONFIRMS A CAREER BUILT ON PERSISTENCE
Competing at the ADCC World Championship is a milestone in any athlete’s career. Bringing together only grappling’s elite, the tournament represents the reward for years of dedication and hard choices. For Vinicius Lessa, the spot earned at the trials reinforces a path he had already been building among the circuit’s top competitors.
The athlete recalls moments of uncertainty along the way, especially because of the sacrifices needed to make a living solely from the sport.
“Many times I asked myself if I was on the right path, because it really is hard. So much training, so much dedication, giving up a lot of things. I left home early, far from comfort and family, to chase my dream on my own. Bad results can bring you down, but it’s all part of the process. You come to understand that as you mature,” he said.
CONFIDENT IN HIS OWN WEAPONS TO FACE THE BEST IN THE WORLD
In Poland, Vinicius will compete in the under-99kg division, one of the event’s most competitive. The reigning champion is Kaynan Duarte, a four-time ADCC champion who won both the division and the absolute at the 2024 edition in Las Vegas.
Besides Kaynan, names such as Declan Moody, Adam Wardzinski and Roberto ‘Cyborg’ are among his possible opponents. Even so, Lessa prefers to focus his preparation on his own performance, believing any fight at the highest level can be decided by the details.
“I have a lot of respect for Kaynan. We’ve trained together, he has built a legacy in the division, but on competition day nobody owns the division. Fighting is a box of surprises. Anything can happen. I’m preparing to face anyone. No matter who it is, I really believe this is my moment,” he said.
Over his career, Vinicius has also invested in building his own image. Besides keeping an intense training routine, he works to stay in the spotlight through social media, producing content frequently to get closer to the public and strengthen his brand as an athlete.
“I do this because I chose to. Fighting is part of me. I like to train, I need to be preparing for some challenge. If I could talk to the younger Vinicius, I would just tell him to keep believing,” he concluded.
This article was originally published in Portuguese: read the original version.
