11 kids from one Angolan family steal spotlight at Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship

Abu Dhabi: Imagine a family of 11 stepping onto the mats at a championship — attention naturally follows. That’s exactly what happened when the Cardoso family from Angola arrived at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025 with eleven children ready to compete across the kids and youth divisions.

Their arrival transformed the week into a remarkable family showcase, bringing multiple generations together under one roof at Mubadala Arena.

Among the young competitors was 13-year-old Kayron Cardoso, who took part in the Boys Gi Junior Grey 34kg division on Sunday. He delivered two impressive victories before narrowly missing out in his third match. Though he didn’t earn a medal, the family still celebrated a successful outing, collecting three silvers and one bronze through Kaynan, Marco, Kyllian, and Nathalie.

The Cardosos’ journey begins at Z1 Academy in Angola, where jiu-jitsu is more than a sport — it’s a family tradition. The children are sons and daughters of four black-belt brothers and another who holds a purple belt. Their grandmother, Filomena Silva, travelled with them to Abu Dhabi and has become a familiar figure in the stands, cheering passionately from start to finish. Their legacy traces back to their late grandfather, Flavio Alves Cardoso, a general in the Angolan army whose discipline still guides the family on and off the mats.

Kayron reflected on his performance: “I wanted gold today. I won my first two fights, but I lost the third one. I didn’t get a medal, but I fought hard and I am proud of my performance. Being here is an important moment in my journey.”

For him, the best part was sharing the experience with his family. “We trained together all year, and now we are all on the mats in Abu Dhabi. When I see them cheering for me, it gives me a different kind of strength.”

Jiu-jitsu, he says, is woven into who they are. “My father and my uncles are black belts. We grew up training every day. Our grandfather always told us that discipline is the beginning, and we live by that.”

Despite the setback, Kayron remains optimistic. “My dad always says that if you don’t win, you learn. I learned a lot today, and I will come back stronger.”

With their unity, spirit, and deep-rooted passion, the Cardoso family delivered one of the championship’s standout stories — showing that jiu-jitsu in Abu Dhabi is not just a sport, but a place where heritage, dedication, and identity meet, turning discipline into a way of life.