ADCC 2015 Absolute Winner Claudio Calasans Almost Didn’t Return After Losing Division

This year’s Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championship was full of surprises which left former champions such as Dean Lister, Romulo Barral and Vinny Magalhaes looking to the Absolute division as a sort of consolation prize. However, what they did not expect was for the open-weight bracket to be stolen by an underdog as well.

Claudio Calasans was eliminated from the 194-pound division on day one of ADCC 2015, outpointed by Keenan Cornelius in the bracket’s quarterfinals. According to Calasans, the loss had such an impact on him that he almost didn’t return to compete in the Absolute on day two.

“I only came back for my students to watch me and to have some fun doing what I know how to do, which is to fight jiu-jitsu,” Calasans told Sherdog.com. “I walked into every fight as if it was the last one, and so I ended up as the champion.”

Winning the Absolute division puts Calasans in line to face Atos Jiu-Jitsu teammate Andre Galvao at ADCC 2017, since Galvao defeated Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu in this year’s non-tournament super-fight. Despite being friends and training partners, Galvao said, there is no reason the match should not happen.

“For the prize they offer, I would take a fight against my grandmother,” said Galvao.