Sharjah 24 – WAM: The AJP No-Gi Abu Dhabi International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023 is set to commence at the Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi, Saturday, marking the start of the exciting new season of Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro (AJP) events.

The championship, in collaboration with the AJP, is open to all nationalities and will feature fights across Kids, Youth, Amateurs, Professionals, and Masters categories.

The first day of the event, Saturday, will host competitions for the Infant, Junior and Teen, Youth, Master 1and Master 2 categories, with fights beginning at 11:00 a.m. The Amateur and Professional divisions will take place on Sunday.

Fahad Al Shamsi, Secretary General of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, stated, "The AJP No-Gi Abu Dhabi International Jiu-Jitsu Championship caters to the ambitions of top athletes who desire to kick-start the season in the best possible way with the participation of professionals from all around the world. The competition serves as a crucial training base for them ahead of forthcoming championships."

Director General of the AJP, Tariq Al Bahri, added, "Through the tournaments AJP hosts in major cities worldwide, we aim to significantly contribute to the development of the sport and reach more people. In the past few years, these tournaments have cemented Abu Dhabi's position as the capital of the sport, the host of its major championships, and a desired destination for global athletes."

Pedro Nascimento, an Amateur division blue belt athlete at Al Wahda Jiu-Jitsu, expressed his enthusiasm for the event, saying, "We are thrilled to return to the mats and compete in the AJP tournaments. I expect the competitions to be more challenging this year, particularly with the increase in participants. The quality of the events is a factor that makes the competition challenging."