Jiu-jitsu athletes descend in Al Ain

Abu Dhabi - The tournament is open to all nationalities and belts

Elite jiu-jitsu athletes from 45 different countries including Brazil, Colombia and Russia are gearing up to take part in the sixth edition of the Al Ain International Pro Jiu-Jitsu Championship which takes place on Friday at Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium (KBZS) in Al Ain.
The tournament, which is part of the UAEJJF World Ranking and Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Qualifying Series, is open to all nationalities and all belts, with different weight classes to contest for juveniles (over 16) and adults (over 18) through to Masters (over 30).
Falling one month before the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, held in Abu Dhabi on November 16, the Al Ain tournament is an important date on the UAE calendar, offering local athletes a platform to perform and hone their skills ahead of the big tournament. A strong regional presence will also be bringing their skills to the mat with entries from Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Lebanon.
Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said: "The organisation of the championship is in line with the objectives and vision of the UAEJJF to expand the spread of jiu-jitsu within the country and beyond, spreading the noble values inherent in this sport and enhance its presence in the society.
"The popularity of this tournament, both in terms of players and fans, is increasing on a yearly basis, which reflects the growing interest in the sport. We would like to thank Al Ain for its continuous cooperation with the federation in creating a suitable environment for the growth and development of jiu-jitsu players and hosting tournaments that attract the elite stars of the game," he added.
"Al Ain has always played a pivotal role in building the global jiu-jitsu stars who represent the future of the country, training players to the highest international standards, and creating the perfect environment to develop their performance and skills and record their strong presence in various local and international events."
Al Ain International Pro Jiu-Jitsu Championship will welcome a number of UAE stars, most notably Hamdan Ahmed Alblooshi, a black belt holder and the winner of the UAE Player of the Year in the violet belt category for the 2017-2018 season, and Sultan Al Ali, the brown belt holder and bronze medal winner at the 4th Asian Jiu-Jitsu Championships, held in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar in July.
The tournament also welcomes a number of established international players including the Brazilian black belt holders Yuri Ribeiro and Igor Silva, recognised as the best jiu-jitsu athlete in South America for the 2017-2018 season.
The UAEJJF is thankful for the steadfast support of the sponsors and supporters of local and international Jiu-Jitsu championship.
The Al Ain International Pro Jiu-Jitsu Championship sponsors and supporters include Abu Dhabi Media (Official Media Partner); Palms Sports (Strategic Partner); Emaar Properties (Lifestyle Developer); Premier Motors Land Rover (Official Automotive Partner); Abu Dhabi Sports (Official Sports Channel); ADIB(Diamond Partner); ADNOC (Energy Partner); United Arab Emirates Ministry of Interior (Government Partner); SEHA (Healthcare Partner); Department of Culture & Tourism, Dolphin Energy, Aafaq, Emirates Global Aluminium, ADASI, (Gold Partners); Abu Dhabi Sports Council (Supporting Partner); United Al Saqr Group (Silver Partner) and Al Ittihad (Official Newspaper).