Dh3 million up for grabs in Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship

Jiujitsu2-1668093819823 — Kids divisions and Para-Jiu-Jitsu category will kick-start the proceedings in the 14th edition of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship. Image Credit: Supplied

Abu Dhabi: A whopping Dh3 million in cash prizes will be awarded to the winners at the 14th edition of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, which gets under way at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena in Zayed Sports in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

The championship, held under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will feature competitions through November 11-19 in a range of talent, age and weight categories.

On the opening day of the championship, the competitions for the various kid divisions and the Para-Jiu-Jitsu category will take place, and the weigh-in procedures were already completed on Thursday. The competitions will be held concurrently across 11 mats to accommodate the most athletes at the given time.

Abdel Moneim Al Hashemi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, President of the Ju-Jitsu Asian Union, and Senior Vice President of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said: “We are beginning a new chapter of success as we welcome professional athletes from all over the world to their favourite competition, the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, which starts tomorrow at the World Capital of Jiu-Jitsu.”

Jiujitsu1-1668093821680 — Kids to take part in various age categories at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena in Zayed Sports in Abu Dhabi on Friday. Image Credit: Supplied

For his part, Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, General Secretary of the UAEJJF, said: “Giving the winners prizes with a total of Dh3 million demonstrates our dedication to giving jiu-jitsu talents from all over the world the appreciation and encourage them to keep working hard to advance their skills.”

With hours left until the championship kicks off, the world champions have started descending on Abu Dhabi. Among them was Mario Edson (Cowboy), a fourth-degree black belt from Brazil, who is participating in the Master 3 (69kg) and Adult (69kg) divisions.

“Abu Dhabi has continuously hosted the best jiu-jitsu competitions. This is my sixth time competing in the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship. Every athlete wants to win in Abu Dhabi, so we have been practicing for months to win the title,” he said.