At 19 years old, Helena Crevar became the youngest women's champion in ADCC history, taking the +65kg crown in Kraków, Poland. She submitted every opponent she faced, an unprecedented 100 percent finishing rate no woman had ever recorded at the championship.
A flawless path through the bracket
Crevar entered the 2026 ADCC World Championship as the top seed and a heavy favourite. In the quarterfinal against Matilda Reid, she accumulated a 10-point lead before locking in a rear-naked choke at the 9:11 mark.
The semifinal required even less time. She attacked Elizabeth Mitrovic with a clean lower-body sequence, forcing the tap via her signature straight ankle lock at 5:19 and advancing to the final without conceding a single point.
Total control in the gold-medal match
The final against Anabel Lopez was Crevar's most commanding display. She dictated every exchange from the opening whistle, never allowing a threatening position, and worked patiently to the back.
With the clock ticking past six minutes, she sunk in a short choke. The tap arrived at 6:04, sealing a perfect tournament run and a place in the record books.
A steep and sudden climb
The title marks the sharpest peak of a rapid rise. Coached by John Danaher and Gordon Ryan at New Wave, Crevar had announced her global arrival earlier in the year with an Estima lock submission in under two minutes at ONE Fight Night 39.
Last July she outpointed Paige Ivette Clymer, the eventual ADCC bronze medallist in the same bracket, in a lopsided decision. The Kraków run, concluded on September 13, transformed that promise into a world crown with finality.
A 19-year-old now sits at the summit of a sport that rewards patience and mileage. Helena Crevar arrived early, and she did not leave a single round in the hands of the judges.
