Swedish middleweight grappler Marlon Tadjik scored a major upset at ADCC, submitting Pouya Rahmani with a heel hook in the absolute division.
Swedish grappling prospect Marlon Tadjik pulled off a significant upset at the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship on September 14, 2026, submitting Pouya Rahmani with a heel hook to advance in the absolute division.
Tadjik, a Swedish middleweight grappler, announced himself on one of submission wrestling's biggest stages with the finish. No verified record data is available for Tadjik in the AgentMMA database, but the result speaks for itself — a heel hook submission in the absolute division, where competitors routinely face opponents outside their natural weight class, is a statement performance by any measure.
Rahmani entered the tournament with a perfect 6-0-0 professional record and carries a significant physical frame, standing six-foot-two with a 79-inch reach. The 33-year-old from the United Arab Emirates had not previously shown weakness on the mat based on his unbeaten ledger, which makes Tadjik's submission finish all the more notable. Rahmani's clean record now has its first blemish, at least in this grappling context.
Why it matters
- The absolute division at ADCC is considered one of the most prestigious brackets in submission wrestling, drawing elite competitors from across all weight classes
- Tadjik's heel hook finish demonstrates lower-body submission proficiency that translates directly to modern MMA grappling
- Rahmani's undefeated professional record had made him a respected name heading into the event, raising the profile of the upset
- The result puts Tadjik on the radar of combat sports fans and promoters who track ADCC performance as a reliable indicator of elite grappling ability
