Abu Dhabi gears up for Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Championship

Official weigh-in procedures for participation in the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Championship will begin on Thursday at Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.

The three-day championship starts on Friday and will feature 2,338 athletes from 75 countries, including 200 black belts, making it one of the strongest stops on the international circuit this season.

The event marks the final round of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam global tour, which has staged competitions across several major world capitals and cities during the season, underlining Abu Dhabi’s growing role in advancing jiu-jitsu internationally.

The championship is also a key stage in the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro Association’s annual rankings race, with winners earning 3,000 points, intensifying competition among elite athletes seeking to improve their global standings.

The Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro Association said registration closed early on Tuesday due to high demand from competitors worldwide. Preparations are continuing at Mubadala Arena to host the event according to the highest organisational and technical standards, with strong spectator turnout expected throughout the competition.

The championship forms part of the UAE’s broader strategy to strengthen its position as a global hub for jiu-jitsu, thanks to the great support of the leadership and the continuous cooperation between the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation and the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro Association, which has contributed to expanding the base of practitioners, discovering talents, developing champions, and organising international championships.

According to the competition schedule, the opening day will feature Masters 1, 2, 3 and 4 contests for men in the purple, brown and black belt divisions, alongside women’s masters and amateur competitions for men and women across several age and belt categories.

Official weigh-ins for the opening day will take place on Thursday from 5pm to 7 pm and continue on Friday from 8am to 9am.

The second day will host competitions for children, youth, juvenile and junior categories for boys and girls aged four to under 18, reflecting efforts to build a strong pipeline of future talent.

The final day will feature professional purple belt contests, as well as brown and black belt competitions for men and women, with top-ranked international athletes expected to compete.

Tariq Al Bahri, General Manager of the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro Association, said the championship represents a major event on the global jiu-jitsu calendar due to the level of participation and competition. He said the association continues to expand the sport globally through professional championships that help identify and develop talent, noting that it organises more than 250 tournaments annually worldwide. Bahri added that preparations for the championship have largely been completed under the supervision of Abdulmunem Al Hashemi, President of the UAE and Asian Jiu-Jitsu Federations and First Vice President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation, covering organisational, technical and logistical arrangements to ensure a high-quality experience for athletes and spectators alike.