Winners with the officials during the presentation ceremony.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour 2023-2024 (ADGS Abu Dhabi) concluded its fifth and final round of the season 2023 – 2024 on Sunday, with Commando Group emerging as the champions in the professional division.

Held at the Mubadala Arena, the event featured intense competition from professional black belts worldwide. Following closely behind were M.O.D UAE and Al Wahda Jiu-Jitsu Club, securing second and third places, respectively.

As the curtain fell on the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour 2023-2024 season, which previously had rounds in Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Tokyo, and Rome, the organisers announced the best-ranked athletes in various weight and belt divisions based on the points accumulated in all five rounds.

The men athletes on the best-ranked list for the season included black belt holders Welison Fernandes (under 62kg), Jefferson Fagundes (under 69kg), Diego Batista (under 77kg), Luiz Paulo Medeiros (under 85kg), Uanderson Ferreira (under 94kg), Marcos Carrozino (over 94kg), and Felipe Bezerra (over 120kg).

The women athletes included black belt holder Diana Teixeira (under 49kg), and brown belt holders Beatriz Campos (under 55kg), Julia Alves (under 62kg), and Isabely Lemos (under 95kg).

Youssef Al Batran, Board Member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, congratulated the winners: “Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour is considered one of the major jiu-jitsu events presented by Abu Dhabi to the world. The event gets bigger and better year after year, taking the sport to newer heights and establishing itself as a much sought-after platform for the world’s elite athletes. Professional athletes from around the world are keen to participate in it and have been intensifying their preparations for the competitions,” he said.

Tareq Al Bahri, General Manager of the AJP, lauded the champions for their outstanding performances throughout all rounds of the championship during the season, highlighting the event’s success across all levels of competition.

“The final round of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour 2023-2024 in Abu Dhabi was a tremendous success, as testified by the fact that it welcomed more than 2,500 male and female players. Preparations have already begun for the start of the new season, with the first event scheduled in Istanbul in June 2024.”

Marcelo Fanosa, coach of the M.O.D. UAE, said: “We began preparing vigorously for the ADGS Abu Dhabi months ago. Our athletes gave stellar performances as we achieved first places in the master’s and amateur categories. I extend my thanks to the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation and AJP for organising a tournament of this level and allowing our competitors to test their skills against the world’s elite athletes here in Abu Dhabi.”

Emirati Mayed Alshehhi, a player at Baniyas Club, who won a gold medal in the under-56 kg category, said: “I was fully prepared for the competitions, and I am glad I won the gold medal. The win motivates me to do better and achieve more.”

Brazilian athlete Jackson Sousa, representing Cantagalo Jiu-Jitsu London, scooped gold in the -94 kg weight category, said: “ADGS Abu Dhabi was an ideal opportunity to advance my career and engage with experienced players. I devoted a long time to preparing for today’s participation. I came to Abu Dhabi all the way from the United Kingdom, and I am glad all the efforts I made have brought the intended results.”