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- 📝 Analyzing Kaynan Duarte's Seven Submission ADCC Run
📝 Analyzing Kaynan Duarte's Seven Submission ADCC Run
The Importance Of Intentional Immobility

First Things First
Kaynan Duarte made history at ADCC 2024. He recorded seven submissions across eight matches to win double gold at the ADCC World Championships. Today we’re going to look at the key elements of Duarte’s dominant performance.
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What's In Today's Letter?
Kaynan Duarte
Kaynan Duarte has claimed every important title there is in jiujitsu. He has multiple ADCC World Championships and a gold from every Major IBJJF event. Duarte has titles and wins from events that don’t even exist anymore.
Duarte’s game has literally outlasted some of the promotions he has dominated, and he’s only 26 years old. His most impressive performances have come at the ADCC World Championships.
Duarte’s game is made for the submission wrestling tournament. He’s hard to move. Even harder to score on. Barring one leg lock literally no one saw coming in 2019, he’s never been submitted at ADCC either.
His most impressive run came this year, so, today, we’re going to take a deep dive on the game he showed at the 2024 ADCC World Championships.
Technical Takeaways
Feet
Two things stand out from Duarte’s stand-up. Collar ties and fakes.
From distance, Duarte will jerk at his opponent’s leg to take a single. Up close he’ll snap hard and heavy on their head. Here is an example of both coming together for a single leg.
Duarte stabs at a single and Moody backs away. Duarte steps forward to slap a hard collar tie on. Duarte pulls Moody into a single and then clubs him down with the free hand. Duarte pushes on Moody’s hips and hooks as soon as they hit the floor. | ![]() Kaynan Duarte vs Declan Moody |
Duarte’s ADCC game is direct. He’s going straight at you from the moment the match starts. It’s not fast. But it doesn’t stop. Over time people just get worn out.
If Duarte can disrupt his opponent’s posture enough on the feet he’ll snatch a guillotine. If they feel pressured they’ll often shoot in desperation and Duarte will happily take their neck that way. Both of these happened to Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu” at this year’s ADCC.
Here is their first meeting in the semifinals of the -99KG division.
Duarte is hanging on Cyborg’s head and walking him around. When Cyborg pushes back, Duarte pulls him to the floor. Before Cyborg can reclaim posture Duarte has a front head lock. Duarte jumps a guillotine and back rolls to finish in mount. | ![]() Kaynan Duarte vs Cyborg Abreu |
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