Never Give Up: FloGrappling's feature documentary on Adam Wardziński

FloGrappling has released a full-length documentary on Adam Wardziński, titled Never Give Up: The Adam Wardziński Story. Running just over 80 minutes, it charts the Polish heavyweight's path from a teenager training in Poznań to one of the sport's most decorated competitors, combining archive competition footage with access to his training, travel and family life.

The film follows the arc familiar to anyone who has watched Wardziński compete: years of close losses at the IBJJF World Championships, several of them against Felipe Pena, before a breakthrough run in 2024 that ended with a submission win over Venicius Liberati in the heavyweight final. It also covers his early years under Polish jiu-jitsu pioneer Karol Matuszak, his move into Checkmat under Alan "Finfou" do Nascimento, and the development of the butterfly guard game that became his signature. Interviews with his wife Paula, who manages his nutrition, and training partner Andrzej give a picture of the support structure behind the competition results.

Away from the mats, the documentary spends time on Wardziński's home life in Poznań and the US, his son Yan, and his fondness for metal and rock music, which he describes as a source of motivation on fight day. It closes with his 2025 season, in which he added a second World title and, at his own choosing, retired from competition by laying his belt down on the mat.

Wardziński is a Polish black belt who competed for Checkmat under Alan "Finfou" do Nascimento in the heavyweight division. He was the first Polish grappler to win an IBJJF World title at black belt and, in 2025, became the first European competitor to complete the IBJJF Grand Slam.

For a European jiu-jitsu audience, the film is a rare full-length treatment of a competitor from outside the usual Brazilian and American power centres, and it is worth watching for the detail on how a self-built career and style eventually reached the top of a stacked heavyweight division.

Watch

• Watch the film on YouTube
• FloGrappling on YouTube
• Adam Wardziński on Instagram