AJP South America Continental Championship ends on high note

In the presence of Saleh Ahmed Al Suwaidi, UAE Ambassador to Brazil, and Fabricio Oliveira, Mayor of Balneario Camboriu, the AJP South America Continental championship concluded its activities on Sunday in Balneario Camboriu, Brazil.

The fights continued over three days between March 1 and 3 and attracted more than 1,500 male and female athletes.

The tournament, part of the BC Fight Week organised by Abu Dhabi in Brazil to foster cooperation between the UAE and Brazil, showcased the UAE's efforts to promote jiu-jitsu and enhance its popularity and reach across the globe, further solidifying Abu Dhabi’s status as the world capital of jiu-jitsu and its global excellence in hosting and organising world-class sporting events.

The presence of Suwaidi reflects the UAE’s commitment to deepening the relations it has with Brazil in the realm of sports. “The global growth of the sport is also due to the continued efforts of Abu Dhabi Jiu Jitsu Pro (AJP), which is an organisation that propagates the sport in the most promising capitals and which has the support of the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who worked to make Abu Dhabi a reference as a sports center for competitors and trainers of this martial art,” H.E said.

For his part, Rodrigo Valerio, Director of Operations at the AJP, said: “The AJP South America Continental championship witnessed great participation, with a remarkable presence of players with high positions in the AJP rankings, who came from all over Brazil and its environs to participate specifically in the tournament competitions.”

“The tournament holds great significance as it is included in the annual ranking approved by the AJP, providing players with optimal opportunities to compete against the world's best, thereby enhancing their experience. I extend my gratitude to everyone who contributed to organizing the tournament in such a manner. It was truly an outstanding experience for both the athletes and the audience alike.”

The first day of the tournament witnessed competitions in the youth category, while the second day was allocated to the amateur and masters categories, and the closing day witnessed the strongest fights between professional athletes. The tournament was characterized by skillful displays and amazing performances from all the players, especially in the black belt fights in the professional category, who gave everything they had and used their amazing techniques, giving the audience, whether those present at Expo Centro or those watching via the TX7.ae broadcast platform, an exciting and fun-filled experience.

The tournament witnessed the participation of Yuri Hendrex, winner of the 56 kg gold medal in the 2023 Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, defeating Nathannael Fernandes who won the 62 kg gold medal.

Lucas Protasio, who was crowned in the third edition of the Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship (ADXC 3), also returned to Expo Centro and fought the 77 kg final match against Pedro Silva, to relive the experience of victory and coronation again and seize his second gold within two days.

Brazilian Julia Alves, winner of the main card jiu-jitsu bouts in the bantamweight category during the third edition of Abu Dhabi Extreme, was able to win gold in the 62 kg weight category in a strong fight against Maria Delahaye.

The Brazilian club Alliance International topped the championship standings, followed by the GFteam International, also from Brazil, finishing second, and the American Checkmat Academy coming in third. The UAE’s ADMA Academy came in fourth place, while the Ministry of Defense and Commando Group Academy came in sixth and seventh places respectively.