ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
UAE ended the 2026 Jiu-Jitsu World Championship on a high note, with the national team, sponsored by Mubadala Investment Company, crowned world champions in both the Adult and Under-21 Newaza divisions after nine days of competition at Mubadala Arena.
More than 1,500 athletes from around the world competed across different age groups and disciplines in Abu Dhabi, with the UAE enjoying a strong campaign on home soil and finishing the championship with 65 medals, including 18 gold, 17 silver and 30 bronze.
The Adult Team produced one of the standout results of the championship. Along with winning the Newaza world title, the UAE finished top of the overall Adult standings across all disciplines despite competing only in Newaza. The overall standings also included results from Contact Jiu-Jitsu, Fighting, Duo and Show.
The Under-21 Team added a second world title for the hosts by finishing top of the Newaza competition, underlining the strength of the UAE’s next generation of athletes and their progression towards the senior national team.
The championship concluded on Sunday with the Para Jiu-Jitsu and team competitions. The final day was attended by Panagiotis Theodoropoulos, President of the Jiu-Jitsu International Federation; Fouad Darwish, CEO of Palms Sports; Saed Hijazi Salameh, General Manager Sales, Jaguar Land Rover at Premier Motors; and Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation and Secretary-General of the Jiu-Jitsu Asian Union. They also took part in the medal ceremonies.
Abdulmunem Alsayed Mohammed Alhashmi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, President of the Jiu-Jitsu Asian Union and Senior Vice President of the Jiu-Jitsu International Federation, said: "Jiu-jitsu in the UAE continues to grow thanks to the great support of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.
“Winning the world titles in both the Adult and Under-21 divisions, as well as finishing top of the overall Adult standings, shows the progress our athletes have made. These achievements are the result of our leadership’s strong belief in sport and its role in developing people, discovering talent and creating champions.”
Alhashmi also thanked His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed for his patronage of the championship, saying his support played an important role in the event's success and helped once again demonstrate Abu Dhabi’s ability to host major international sporting events.
He added that the successful organisation of the championship reflected Abu Dhabi’s experience in hosting world-class events and providing the best possible conditions for athletes and participating teams. He said the success of the event, together with the national team’s results, showed the strength of the UAE’s jiu-jitsu programme and provided further motivation to continue developing the sport.
Omar Al Fadhli, who won Adult Under-69kg gold, said: “I am proud that my gold medal was part of a great achievement for the whole team. At a World Championship, you cannot think only about winning. You have to stay focused and know how to deal with every moment and every opponent.
“This gold medal shows how much I have learned from the experience I have gained over the years. It also gives me more responsibility to keep improving and achieve more for the UAE.”
Asma Al Hosani, Adult Under-52kg gold medallist, said: "Competing at home in the UAE is always special. When you reach the final, you know that all the training and preparation come down to those few minutes. My focus was on following the plan, doing what I had trained for and staying calm.
“Winning gold against top-level competition gives me a lot of confidence, but it also motivates me to keep improving and perform even better in future competitions.”
Abdulrahman Mohammed, who won Under-21 Under-56kg gold, said: “Winning a world title at this stage of my career gives me great motivation for the next step. My goal is to move into the adult division, ready to compete at the highest level from the beginning.
“This gold medal is an important step for me and something I can build on. I know the level will be higher and the challenges will be tougher in the future.”
Al Anoud Al Harbi, the under-21 under-48 kg gold medallist, said: "One of the main reasons we continue to improve is the strong competition we have in training every day. We always push each other to perform better.
“When we come to the World Championship, we are already used to competing at a high level because it is part of our daily training. This gold medal is the result of all the work we have put in. The important thing now is to keep improving as we move to the next level.”
The World Championship success continues a strong 2026 season for the UAE National Team. The team was crowned Asian champion in the Adult division and won 55 medals across four age categories at the continental championship, then carried that form into Abu Dhabi and finished on top of the world stage.