Britain's Taylor Pearman steps into the ADCC 2026 World Championship at 77kg

The ADCC World Championship on 12 and 13 September has a new name in its 77kg bracket. Taylor Pearman, one of the strongest No-Gi competitors to come out of the United Kingdom, has been added to the field in place of Izaak Michell, whose name was taken off the competitor list without an official statement from the organisation.

Michell's removal came after an active warrant was issued for his arrest in Texas on a charge of second-degree sexual assault, with several women reported to have come forward to authorities. ADCC did not publicly explain the change, quietly dropping him from the roster after months of criticism from other athletes over his continued inclusion.

For Pearman, the call-up is a return to the sport's biggest stage. A black belt under Alain Pozo at ZR Team, and part of the Los Bandidos group in London, he built his reputation on a relentless leg lock game. He earned his first ADCC World Championship spot by winning the European, Middle East and Africa Trials in 2024, submitting all six of his opponents on the day, every one of them with a leg attack.

That trials run came at 88kg. For this spot he moves down to 77kg, a lighter and faster division where his pace and scrambling should travel well. It is a demanding cut, but it puts him in a bracket that rewards exactly the kind of attacking grappling he is known for.

The reshuffle is part of a wider churn on the ADCC 2026 roster. Several reigning champions have stepped away from the event, some of them booked to compete under UFC BJJ instead, which has opened the field to new names. Australia's Adele Fornarino, a double champion, is among those who will not defend, with her place going to another trials athlete.

For a European grappler like Pearman, it is a chance he has earned the hard way, and a reminder that the depth coming out of the United Kingdom is now good enough to fill a spot at the very top of the sport.