Abu Dhabi: The eighth edition of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship was a success in more than one way. The UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation has to be applauded for promptly including a fight for the disabled.
Brazilian Mario Silva, who lost his leg (below the knee) in an accident, showed tremendous courage and competed in the Open category. It was a sight of pure resilience and determination.
He expressed his wish to have a Handicap category for people like him, so that they could compete on even ground. His wish was immediately granted and on the final day, Mario was back on the mat.
A separate fight was organised between Mario and Elcirley Silva, who also has one limb. It was a touching move and probably the biggest masterstroke from the organisers. More than anything, it would have fulfilled the deep desires of both Silvas, who had a made the long journey from the Latin America just to prove a point. The crowd was also appreciative of the move and they cheered both fighters through their bout.
Playing on a single leg, they were a perfect picture of determination and grit. The result didn’t matter; what mattered was a separate place for them in the sport that was so close to their heart.
Mario took early lead but brown belt Elcirley bounced back midway into the bout taking a 10-6 edge. The former then got the crowd on their feet with a stunning manoeuvre to notch five points and seal the win. However, all present knew there was only one winner: the sport.
The success of both locally based Jose Junior and Ricardo Evangelista was a big shot in the arm of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu. Junior, who is a reputed coach and supervisor of the Abu Dhabi Jiu Jiu School Programme, making it to the finals of the Absolute World Pro would have been a huge inspiration for the youth year. There is no better feeling than to see your coach lead by example and that would have done wonders to their confidence. Evangelista also boosted his reputation by beating the Absolute Pro winner Felipe Pena in the weight category.
Although Faisal Al Ketbi couldn’t go all the way to clinch the title in the 94kg weight category, the bronze was an assurance that he belonged in the big league.
UAE’s Yahya Mansour has been a revelation over the years and he once again proved his worth. A silver in the Masters 1 Brown Open category was bettered by Mansour with a gold in the Masters 1 Brown 94kg weight. The accomplishment was a clear statement that Mansour would be UAE’s frontman in years to come.
The legends’ event was a new addition to the event, and their mere presence and accolades would have inspired many.
“I think UAE have the right atmosphere for the sport to grow. All these efforts to make Jiu-Jitsu a national sport and the support the kids receive at school, I think Abu Dhabi will take the lead on the chart in the near future,” said Rodrigo Medeiros, a two-time World Jiu-Jitsu Championship openweight winner.
“The process of selecting the coaches have been methodical and you guys have been getting a lot of good coaches. I’m getting a bit jealous that I can’t take some coaches for myself,” added Medeiros, giving a clear indication that the future of Jiu-Jitsu lies in the UAE.
