Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (WAM)
The Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro (AJP) continues to consolidate Abu Dhabi’s leadership on the global jiu-jitsu map through an unprecedented calendar featuring nine major international and national championships taking place over just three days in eight countries across three continents.
Shanghai, China, leads the schedule by hosting two international championships: the Shanghai International Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship 2026 on October 16 and the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Championship – Shanghai 2026–2027 on October 17 and 18.
This further demonstrates the expanding global presence of AJP and its leading role in developing and promoting jiu-jitsu internationally.
The School of Sports and Health at East China University in Shanghai will host the Shanghai International Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship 2026 on October 16.
Dedicated exclusively to No-Gi competition, the championship will feature various age categories, including children, juveniles, youth, amateurs, professionals, and masters.
The championship awards 600 points to first-place winners in the AJP world rankings, with competitions scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM.
The same venue will host the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Championship – Shanghai 2026–2027 on October 17 and 18, marking the highlight of the weekend’s calendar.
The championship awards 2,000 ranking points to first-place winners, the highest ranking points allocation among all the scheduled events.
It will feature extensive participation across various categories, with registration for the children’s and masters’ divisions already reaching full capacity.
Competitions for children, juveniles, youth, and masters will take place on Saturday, while Sunday will be dedicated to the amateur and professional divisions.
In the Qatari capital, Doha, the Aspire Ladies Sports Hall will host the Qatar National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2026 (Gi and No-Gi) on October 16.
Registration has closed after reaching full capacity.
The championship awards 1,000 ranking points to first-place winners, in addition to a $1,000 cash prize for the best academy.
The action continues on October 17 with four championships taking place simultaneously, led by the Spain National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2026 (Gi and No-Gi), hosted in Tarragona.
The championship awards 1,000 ranking points to first-place winners, along with a $2,000 cash prize for the top academies.
Official weigh-ins will be conducted in both Barcelona and Tarragona.
On the same day, Istanbul will host the Turkey National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2026 (Gi and No-Gi), awarding 1,000 ranking points to first-place winners.
Simultaneously, the Netherlands National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2026 (Gi and No-Gi) will award the same number of ranking points, while Brazil will host the Macapá International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2026 (Gi and No-Gi), awarding 600 ranking points to first-place winners.
These simultaneous events reflect the extensive reach of AJP championships across three continents in a single day.
In Russia, Yekaterinburg will host the Ural Regional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2026 (Gi and No-Gi), awarding 800 ranking points to first-place winners.
Meanwhile, Moscow will host the Moscow Jiu-Jitsu Festival 2026 (Gi), dedicated to children, youth, and amateur competitors holding white and blue belts.
The festival forms part of AJP’s initiatives to expand participation in the sport and nurture emerging talent.
Mohammed Zayd, Operations Director at Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro, said that organising nine championships across eight countries and three continents in just three days demonstrates the organisation’s exceptional operational capabilities and reflects its success in establishing a comprehensive global championship management system that adheres to the highest technical and organisational standards, further strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as the global capital of jiu-jitsu.
He added that staging this number of championships simultaneously across three continents underscores the international confidence placed in Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro, the efficiency of its organisational teams, and its ability to manage a unified global competition framework.
He noted that these championships represent a fundamental pillar of AJP’s strategy to promote jiu-jitsu worldwide, expand its practitioner base, identify emerging talent, and develop future champions by providing a professional competitive environment that enables athletes of different ages and nationalities to develop and compete under a unified global ranking system.
He emphasised that Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro has successfully established one of the world’s largest championship organisation systems, with a calendar featuring approximately 280 championships annually across different continents.
This has contributed to raising the technical standards of the sport, expanding its global reach, and reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as an international hub for jiu-jitsu development and a leading destination for hosting and organising major international championships.
He added, “What we are witnessing today is the result of a long-term strategic vision established by Abu Dhabi to develop jiu-jitsu globally. We continue to work alongside our partners across different continents to expand participation, enhance the quality of competitions, and provide more opportunities for promising talents to reach international podiums. These efforts ensure the sustainable growth of the sport and strengthen its presence worldwide.”
The Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro calendar for this weekend reflects the remarkable global expansion achieved by the organisation, which now manages one of the largest professional championship networks in jiu-jitsu, organising approximately 280 championships annually across different continents.
This extensive calendar provides a sustainable platform for discovering talent, developing champions, raising the technical standards of competitions, and strengthening athletes’ positions in the world rankings.
It also reaffirms Abu Dhabi’s established status as a global centre for jiu-jitsu and its pivotal role in leading the sport’s international development and expansion through an integrated professional framework that has become a model for organising international championships.
