CRUZ TAKES ADCC TITLE TO START YEAR

GSPN’s 2024 Youth Athlete of the Year is getting 2025 off to a great start.

Sage Cruz won the prestigious Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) Submission Grappling Tournament in the 11-12yr old, 36kg (79lbs) bracket. The ADCC Open was held in San Diego, California on January 18.

ADCC Opens are for all competitors – kids through masters, beginner through advanced, from any country.

Although never having participated in ADCC, Sage competed in the Advanced Division against previous ADCC Open winners and the current ADCC World Champion, Ian Mondrago.

Sage won his first match in dominant fashion. He controlled his opponent with superior technical skills. By the end of regulation, Sage took the W with a 13-0 score. In fact, Sage cleaned out the bracket without having a single point scored against him.

Sage won his next two matches via submission, both with Rear Naked Chokes (RNC). This set up the much anticipated Finals match against the current ADCC World Champion, Ian Mondrago.

Sage started the match with a quick single leg takedown, and after being re-positioned to the center of the mat, he took Ian’s back for a rear mount.

Sage made several RNC submission attempts but Ian escaped and the match went back and forth. After time expired, Sage narrowly defeated Ian in overtime. It was a hard-fought Finals match, but Sage’s dominant positions and multiple submission attempts secured the win.

For good measure, Sage went up a weight class (40kg). Sage submitted all his opponents on the way to his second Finals match against another ADCC World Champion. Sage fought to the point of exhaustion, but came up short against the larger opponent, losing in his last match of the day.

Sage closed out his first ADCC experience with Gold and Silver medals.

Sage trains out of Atos Guam when he is on island, and with Island Jiu Jitsu Atos when visiting his Dad—currently stationed at Ft. Shafter—in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Sage’s next competitions are the Hawaii Triple Crown and San Jose ADCC Open.