Abu Dhabi International Jiu-Jitsu Championship: Professionals Crowned As Emirati Dominance Strengthens

The Abu Dhabi International Jiu-Jitsu Championship ended its third day of contests at Mubadala Arena, opening the 2026 championship season in Abu Dhabi. The event closed with the United Arab Emirates leading the overall rankings, after three days of intense bouts and wide participation across professional and amateur divisions.

The United Arab Emirates topped the country standings with 140,010 points, ahead of Brazil on 42,680 points and Colombia with 22,200 points. These results underlined the UAE’s strong presence in international jiu-jitsu events and confirmed the championship’s status as a key date on the global competition calendar.

At academy level, Commando Group ranked first with 48,700 points, followed by M.O.D UAE on 22,975 points, while PALMS SPORTS – TEAM 777 finished third on 15,025 points after close contests across several weight classes. Their positions reflected consistent performance over three days and strong depth in different belt levels.

{TABLE_1}

The final programme included medal ceremonies for 264 gold, 258 silver and 196 bronze medals, recognising athletes from many academies and nations. Mohammad Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice President of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, awarded the winners at a closing ceremony that highlighted continued institutional backing for the sport and respect for champions in every category.

Competition on the last day featured both men and women in professional and amateur brackets. Professional purple, brown and black belt athletes shared the mats with white and blue belt amateurs, including Masters divisions. Their contests showed strong physical conditioning, advanced technical levels and clear readiness for a long competitive season.

Women’s events produced standout performances, including Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club athlete Al Anoud Ibrahim Abdullah Al Harbi, who captured gold in the professional purple belt – 49 kg division. The result confirmed Al Anoud’s technical quality against strong opponents and added an important success to Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club’s overall record at the championship.

She said, "Participating in the Abu Dhabi International Jiu-Jitsu Championship represents an important milestone in my career, and winning the gold medal today reflects the amount of work and preparation that preceded the championship. The competition was strong, and this achievement gives me greater motivation to continue developing and achieving positive results in upcoming events."

Abu Dhabi International Jiu-Jitsu Championship athlete performances and season impact

In the men’s field, Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club also celebrated success through Hazza Farhan, who secured first place in the professional brown belt – 120 kg category after a strong campaign. The win added to the club’s medal count and showed the value of focused preparation for high-level jiu-jitsu events.

He said, "The Abu Dhabi International Jiu-Jitsu Championship is one of the most prominent tournaments of the season, and participating in it is always a real challenge. Winning the gold medal today is a great incentive to continue working and preparing for future championships."

The Abu Dhabi International Jiu-Jitsu Championship was organised by Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Professionals over three days and featured high technical standards across many age and belt categories. The event strengthened the sport’s position regionally and internationally by helping athletes refine skills, measure their readiness and gain experience at the start of the 2026 season.

With the 2026 season now underway, the Abu Dhabi International Jiu-Jitsu Championship remains an essential stop on the jiu-jitsu calendar. Strong participation, clear support from local institutions and leading performances by UAE and international athletes together reinforced the event’s role in shaping competitive prospects for the coming year.

With inputs from WAM