Total: 10 minutes (qualifiers); 15 minutes (semifinals + final); First 5 minutes: no points awarded — pure submission hunt; Second 5 minutes (and any overtime): points awarded for positional dominance
Why people argue about this
People often assume that in ADCC, scoring only begins after the first 5 minutes of a match, which leads them to underestimate the importance of those initial 5 minutes where fighters are solely focused on setting up submissions rather than competing for points. They miss understanding how crucial these early moments can be in determining the overall flow and outcome of the match.
