Fujairah, UAE – Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club dominated the first day of the second round of the third edition of the Khalid Bin Mohammed Bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship for the Gi category. This edition kicked off today at the Zayed Sports Complex in Fujairah. There was strong participation from youth, adult, and masters categories.
The UAE Ministry of Defense team came in second place, while Al Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club finished third. The competitions were characterized by their intensity and close competition. Indeed, clubs sought to secure early points to improve their positions in the overall standings.
Youssef Abdullah Al Batran, a member of the board of directors of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, affirmed that the current round reflects the level of development the sport is witnessing in the country. He also pointed out that the competitions are not limited to performance on the mat. In addition, they include the pivotal role played by clubs, players, and families in supporting this development.
Connection to the sport of Jiu-Jitsu
He said the impressive family turnout reflects the strong community connection to Jiu-Jitsu and underscores the importance of community support in developing athletes’ abilities. He added that this round provides a clear indication of the levels of different categories. This is evident in the rapid development of the youth category and the technical discipline of the senior category. Furthermore, the experience brought by the masters category is also apparent.
For his part, Ribamar Santiago, coach of Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club, explained that the tournament represents an important milestone in assessing the players’ readiness given the diverse challenges and high level of competition. He also clarified that the championship is not solely about results. Instead, it is also about measuring performance and the players’ ability to adapt during matches.
He added that the multi-round tournament system gives clubs the opportunity to plan for the long term. He believes that success depends on consistency and stability in performance throughout the various stages of the season.
Zayed Al Shamsi, a player from the Ministry of Defense Academy and gold medalist in the 56kg brown belt category for adults, said that the competition in this round was decided by fine details. He also noted that each bout required a clear strategy. Moreover, timing and control played a crucial role in the final match.
Supportive Family Award
He added that the championship is based on the principle of consistent performance and improvement from one round to the next, rather than focusing solely on achieving a single result. Larger family attendance is expected on the second and third days. This initiative, the “Supporting Family Award,” was launched by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation under the umbrella of the Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Awards. This is in line with the “Year of the Family.” Attendance is recorded via QR code. This also aims to track family participation and support for the players throughout the season.
