Abu Dhabi to host Jiu-Jitsu World Championship next month

The UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF) and the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation signed an agreement to host the “World Championship for the Youth, Adults, Masters Men and Women” in the UAE capital from Nov. 16 to 24 at the Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City.

The agreement was signed by Abdul Moneim Al Hashemi, President of the UAE and Asian Jiu-Jitsu Federations and First Vice President of the Jiu-Jitsu International Federation, and Panayiotos Theodoropoulos, President of the International Federation, in the presence of officials from the Emirati, Asian and international federations, at the headquarters of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation in Abu Dhabi.

The championship is expected to include adolescents for the first time in Abu Dhabi, confirming the confidence of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation in the city’s capacity to organise major international sporting events.

The championship will not only include competitions for the “Niwaza” category known in the UAE, but also other categories, such as full fighting, mixed display fighting, doubles art shows, and para jiu-jitsu for different age groups.

The registration process for the championship opened on Sept. 5 and will close on Oct. 8, on the championship’s website. The number of participants is expected to reach 1,500.

Hashemi stressed that Abu Dhabi has always impressed the world in organising professional championships over the past 11 years, becoming the world’s jiu-jitsu capital.

Theodoropoulos stressed that Abu Dhabi’s success in organising major events is not new, as it already hosts the annual “Abu Dhabi World Championships for Professionals,” and organises the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam of Jiu-Jitsu series in Moscow, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, Abu Dhabi and London.

It was, therefore, not surprising that the Executive Office of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation voted unanimously to move its headquarters to Abu Dhabi in 2016 and supported the hosting of the World Championship in November in Abu Dhabi, he added.

Meanwhile, Emirati Jiu-Jitsu National Team bagged eight gold, silver and bronze medals at German Open Jiu-Jitsu in Hanau.

The Emirati champs won three golds, three silvers and two bronzes at the championship which was hosted by the German city Hanau on Monday.

The UAE is sparing no effort to become a world leader in jiu-jitsu.

For the first time, the UAE will host the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship. There will be first-ever ‘No GI’ category Dubai International Championship held in outdoor settings of Jumeirah Beach Residence on Jan.10.

The season will end with the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship from April 11 to 18 next year. The total value of prizes, excluding the world professional championship, will hit Dhs2.6 million, up from Dhs1.8 million in last season.

The UAEJJF has made a strategic move to extend the reach of jiu-jitsu through the latest online solutions and the most advanced technology in sports.

The UAEJJF has extended its partnership with FloSports, an innovator in live digital sports and original content, which will allow fans who subscribe to the FloGrappling channel the chance to watch jiu-jitsu tournaments organised by UAEJJF in the UAE.

The UAEJJF will also be airing all Jiu-Jitsu league matches free of charge via its website and UAEJJF YouTube channel as part of its efforts to spread the reach of the sport.

This step allows the entire jiu-jitsu family, from players’ families and friends to global supporters who do not have the opportunity to travel to stay up to date with the action. This feature also enables athletes to more easily watch their performances back during to identify their strengths and weaknesses in order to maximise preparation for upcoming bouts.

Speaking on the occasion, Mohammed Hussein Al Marzooqi, UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, Director of Marketing and Finance, said: “This partnership is in line with the vision of UAE’s wise leadership and the UAEJJF’s efforts to spread the culture and values of jiu-jitsu in the UAE and across the world.”