This year’s Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championship was full of surprises which left former champions such as Dean Lister, Romulo Barral and Vinny Magalhaes looking to the Absolute division as a sort of consolation prize. However, what they did not expect was for the open-weight bracket to be stolen by an underdog as well.
Claudio Calasans was eliminated from the 194-pound division on day one of ADCC 2015, outpointed by Keenan Cornelius in the bracket’s quarterfinals. According to Calasans, the loss had such an impact on him that he almost didn’t return to compete in the Absolute on day two.