Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2015: Bigger and better than ever before

Abu Dhabi: ‘A bigger celebration of jiu-jitsu than ever before’ will take place in Abu Dhabi when the world’s finest fighters return here in the spring, according to organisers of a leading capital competition.

Preparations are in full swing for the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2015 and World Jiu-Jitsu Children’s Cup, which will be held between April 20 and 25.

Organisers the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation will host several thousand elite male and female fighters from over 100 different countries competing for various titles in different weight divisions at the state-of-the-art ‘The Arena’ at Zayed Sports City.

Abdul Munem Al Hashemi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said on Thursday: “Through six years of hard work, this competition has grown a phenomenal amount, positioning Abu Dhabi at the centre of the sport as the global capital of jiu-jitsu.

“The legacy of the event is already being felt locally and around the world and we are immensely happy to be finalising preparations for the 2015 instalment.”

In 2014, 2,100 top fighters from more than 70 countries took part in the event and this year’s tournament promises a similarly stellar line-up.

Current and former stars of jiu-jitsu, such as B.J. Penn, Damien Maia and Urijah Faber, are expected to return to the capital.

The championship, which will have the UAE Armed Forces as its official sponsor, is also committed to nurturing the future of the sport through the ‘Children’s Cup’, which will span over three days between April 20 and 22.

Al Hashemi added: “This year is set to be an even bigger celebration of jiu-jitsu than ever before with a larger focus on the upcoming generation through the three-day World Jiu-Jitsu Children’s Cup. These young fighters have the honour of opening the competition and warming up the mats ahead of the arrival of the biggest names in the sport for the three-day adult championship.”

The championship is free to attend and will feature an opening ceremony, sponsor activities, family events and interactive stands, as well as a prize raffle. For more information visit www.uaejjf.com.