Today's Edition
Abu Dhabi (Aletihad)
Jiu-Jitsu fighters are gearing up as the sport heads to add a new stop to the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tour’s (ADGS) global calendar – Rome in Italy – in April. Each year since 2015, the ADGS has seen host cities getting added or changed to enhance its wider appeal globally.
This season, a three-day event will take place at the Centro Olimpico Matteo Pellicone, from April 12 to 14, and it will welcome Youths, Amateurs, Masters, and Professionals to one of the most influential territories in the history of sports.
After starting with four cities as hosts before going on to stage one at home, the ADGS series has intermittently flipped venues around, adding and removing a few cities. This year’s agenda includes Tokyo, Rome, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Rio de Janeiro and Dallas.
Men’s Gi / BlackStarting on the men’s side, the 56-kilogramme division brings Kalel Santos and Welison Fernandes as the favourites for the podium, followed by Finland’s Marko Oikarainen and the Italian Andrea Verdemare.
In the 62kg division, Cicero Costha’s team comes strong to fight for the gold, with Leonardo Mario, Yuri Hendrex, and Jefferson Fagundes joining the fray. Flying a little under the radar, Wagner Chrispim is another strong athlete who will be vying for the title.
Meanwhile, the 69kg division is highlighted by Thiago Macedo and Matheus Onda, closely followed by the Bahraini athlete Ali Monfaradi. Another solid contender for the gold is the Florence-based Luca Caracciolo, who will be heading to Rome to represent his country.
Among the competitors featured in the 77kg division, the highlight is the ADWPJJC champion and AJP champion Lucas Protasio. Igor Feliz also comes to compete for the title and threatens Lucas’ momentum in the season.
One of the most populated categories in the tournament, the 88kg division features the likes of Uanderson Ferreira, Pedro Neto, and Luan Carvalho among the highlights. The experienced Luca Anacoreta, from Italy, and Pedro “Bolo” Silva, from DreamArt, could also make it big.
The highly decorated Jackson Sousa is one of the highlights registered in the 94kg division, with other well-known AJP names in the bracket, such as Marcos Carrozzino, Luiz Betta, and Roberto Dib Frias.
Women’s Gi / Brown / BlackMoving on to the Women’s category, Italian athlete Serena Gabrielli highlights the 49kg division as she strives to show the strength of European Jiu-Jitsu in the lightest bracket of the tournament. Ready to thwart her efforts, Diana Teixeira and Brenda Larissa will also be fighting for the 49 kg division gold.
In the 55kg division, Anna Rodrigues and Alexa Yanes come as the favourites, with Larissa Paes and Beatriz Campos also eyeing the top of the podium.
Filled with challenging competitors, the 62kg division has the unstoppable Julia Alves as the main title contender, closely followed not only by the Italian Gabriella Ripepi but also by representatives of various nationalities competing at a high level, such as Spain, Poland, Greece, Norway, Ireland, Finland, France, and Switzerland.
Among the competitors of the 70kg division, DreamArt’s Ingridd Sousa and Izadora Silva have a great chance of reaching the podium, with Magdalena Loska, Nia Blackman, and Yara Kakish adding some spice to the bracket.
Finally, in the 94kg division, Yara Nascimento comes as a big name for the gold medal, followed by the likes of Maria Carolina Vicentini and Marcele Catanhede in the heaviest women’s bracket.
