UAE fighters enthrall audience during the second leg of the tour in LA picking up 8 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals
Abu Dhabi, UAE, 19 October, 2015: The Second edition of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-jitsu tour ended on a high note yesterday (October 18) as UAE fighters “did their country proud” with a stellar show in the United States.
Some of the best Jiu-jitsu fighters from across the globe convened at Azusa Pacific University, Los Angeles, in the United States to compete in the tournament, which was organised by the UAE Jiu-jitsu Federation (UAEJJF), the official authority for Jiu-jitsu in the United Arab Emirates.
This landmark event in the history of international jiu-jitsu brought together more than 420 participants, including male and female competitors, from 32 countries to compete for top honours. The action-packed tournament brought hundreds of jiu-jitsu fans and spectators from across the world to the venue.
Commenting on the event, His Excellency Abdulmunam Al Hashemi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-jitsu Federation said, “I would like to congratulate everyone for a hugely successful event that has put UAE jiu-jitsu firmly on the map. The tournament is aimed at highlighting the UAEJJF’s growing profile as the facilitator for international sport.
“The participation of the world’s top jiu-jitsu athletes reflects the success of the second leg and highlights the prestigious status that Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-jitsu enjoys as a landmark event for jiu-jitsu players. Last night’s show is indicative of our immeasurable potential to be a world leader in this sport and this has been proven time and time again by the exceptional skill and sportsmanship of our fighters.
“The UAE team did their country proud in the United States, showing the world what can be achieved through sheer passion and tenacity. We look forward to seeing what the future holds as Abu Dhabi Grand Slam serves up yet more thrills and spills in Brazil.”
International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) was one of one of the main sponsors of the event along with Abu Dhabi Media, the official broadcaster of the tournaments locally, regionally and globally, as well as Etihad Airways.
His Excellency Suhail Mohammed Al Mazroui, Managing Director of IPIC, said: “As an official partner and strategic sponsor of the UAEJJF, we support all efforts to elevate the sport of Jiu-Jitsu to world-class standards through the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam. Los Angeles tour provides an excellent opportunity to develop the skills of athletes through participation in an international platform.”
Etihad Airways’ Senior Vice President Corporate and International Affairs Hareb Mubarak Al Muhairy, said: “Etihad Airways is delighted to be continuing its partnership with UAEJJF to foster ever-stronger ties and promote this exciting event. We are proud to be associated with the Federation and its activities and we hope the UAE’s jiu-jitsu fraternity will continue to grow and develop and take the sport to new heights.”
Award and medal presentations were also held on the day with prizes awarded for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in each division. The athletes also won prize money ranging from $500 to 2,000 in several categories, including open weight, master black belt; white, blue, purple, brown and black belt categories for both men and women.
UAE National Team Results
Total number of medals: 6 gold and 2 silver
Zayed Saif Almansoori won the men’s white adult title (62kg) while Naser Omar Barshid and Saeed Alshamsi picked up gold and silver respectively in the men’s white adult (69kg) division. In the 94kg division Ibrahim Abdalla Alnaqbi won first prize as did Saif Al Qubaisi in the 69kg men’s blue adult division. In the male blue adult 85kg division the gold medal was won by Saoud Abdullah Alhammadi while in the men’s adult brown master 1 division (77kg) Mohammed Al Qubaisi was awarded the silver medal. Yahia Mansour won the gold medal in the men’s brown master 1 (94kg).
Al Jazira Jiu-jitsu Club Results
Total number of medals: 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
In the 85kg men’s white adult division first place went to Hamad Hasan Alhammadi and in the 94kg division the silver medal went to Musallam Saeed Alrashdi. In the men’s blue adult 94kg Sultan Adil Ali was awarded the bronze medal while in the men’s blue master 1 69kg division Musabbeh Mohamed Khatri picked up gold.
Team Nogueira Dubai Results
Total number of medals: 1 bronze
Sheikh Faisal Alqassimi won the bronze medal in the men’s brown master 1 94kg division.
Gold Medal Winners (other countries)
Winners in the men’s White Adult Division were Franscisco Avila (77kg) from Checkmat (Leo Vieira), Mexico and Rubben James Coman (open weight division) from Checkmat (Leo Vieira), USA.
Winners in the men’s Blue Adult Division were Kennedy Leonardo Maciel (62kg) from Alliance Los Angeles, Brazil; Alberto Luiz Canezin (77kg) from Paragon Brazilian jiu-jitsu Academy, Brazil; Zane Michael Spruce (94kg) from Gracie Barra Northridge, USA; Javier Martin Gonzalez (+94kg) from Checkmat (Leo Vieira), USA; Kennedy Leonardo Maciel (open weight division) from Alliance Los Angeles, Brazil and Paulo Gabriel Costa (69kg) from RG-CT, Brazil.
Winners in the Men’s Purple Adult division were Levi Jospeh Jones-Leary (77kg) from Garage jiu-jitsu, Australia; Philippe Basil Pomaski (85kg) from Checkmat (Leo Vieira), Switzerland; Frank Santos Oliveira (94kg) from RG-CT, Brazil; Oscar Pereira Briceno (+94kg) from Costa Rica jiu-jitsu, Costa Rica and Sky Lovell (open weight division) from Gracie Barra Northridge, USA.
Winners in the Men’s Brown Adult Division, Isaac Doederlein (69kg) from Alliance Los Angeles, USA; Johnny Tama Apolinario (77kg) from Alliance Los Angeles, Ecuador and Gabriel Arges Sousa (94kg and open weight) from Gracie Barra Bh, Brazil.
Winners in the Men’s Black Adult Division were João Miyao (62kg) from Cicero Costha, Brazil; Paulo Miyao (69kg) from Cicero Costha, Brazil; Celso Venicius Junior Ryan (77kg) from Gracie Team, Brazil; Tanner Rice (85kg) from Rice Bros Brazilian jiu-jitsu, USA; Erberth Santos Mesquita (94kg) from Guigo jiu-jitsu, Brazil; Ricardo Ferreira Evangelista (+94kg) from Commando Group Bjj, Brazil and Roberto Abreu Filho (open weight) from Fight Sports, Brazil.
Winners in the Men’s Blue Master 1 division were James Smith (85kg) from Paragon Brazilian jiu-jitsu Academy, USA and Marvin Varela (+94kg) from Jovany Varela Bjj And Sambo, Honduras.
Winners in the Men’s Purple Master 1 division were Alexis David Fonseca (69kg) from Atos jiu-jitsu – Andre Galvao, USA and Yusuke Hayashi (77kg and open weight) from Axis jiu-jitsu Academy, Japan.
Winners in the Men’s Brown Master 1 division were Matthew M Villiatora (77kg) from Alliance Los Angeles, USA and Robert Hrcka (85kg) from Zenith Brazilian jiu-jitsu, USA.
Winners in the Men’s Black Master 1 division were Gabriel Dos Moraes (62kg) from Alliance Los Angeles, Brazil; Jimmy Tang (69kg) from Alliance Los Angeles, USA; Marcelo Franca Mafra (77kg) from Checkmat (Leo Vieira), Brazil; Jonatas Novaes Nasimento (85kg) from Zenith Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Brazil; Paulo Jose Pinto (94kg) from Commando Group Bjj, Brazil; Thiago Reinaldo Souza (+94kg) from Gracie Barra Santa Barbara, Brazil and Paulo Jose Pinto (open weight) from Commando Group Bjj, Brazil.
Winners in the Male Blue Master 2 division were Dickson Mitchell (85kg) from Gracie Humaita, USA and Robert Allen Goodloe (94kg) from Brazilian Top Team, USA.
Winners in the Men’s Purple Master 2 division were Nelson L Medina (77kg) from Beverly Hills jiu-jitsu, USA; Jason Friesen (85kg) from Beverly Hills jiu-jitsu Club, Canada and Cesar Nicolas Jr (+94kg) from Fight Sports, USA.
The winner in the Men’s Brown Master 2 division was Charles Deraczunas (open weight) from Checkmat Electric jiu-jitsu, USA.
Winners in the Men’s Black Master 2 division were Alberto Crane (85kg) from Legacy jiu-jitsu, USA; Rafael Haubert (94kg) from Team Nogeuira Dubai, Brazil and Weber Pereira Silva (+94kg) from Gordon jiu-jitsu, Brazil.
Winners in the Women’s White Adult division were Amanda Brown (55kg) from Alliance Los Angeles, USA; Io Kohana Kleiser (62kg) from Rcj Machado, USA and Anjani Siddhartha (open weight) Gracie jiu-jitsu Academy, USA.
Winners in the Women’s Blue Adult division were Yi Williams (55kg) from Legacy jiu-jitsu, USA; Jee Soo Kim (62kg) from Tsunami Brazilian jiu-jitsu, USA and Heather Nanette Woods (70kg and open weight) from Ribeiro jiu-jitsu, USA.
The winner in the Women’s Purple Adult division was Tara White (+70kg and open weight) from Marcel Louzado Grappling College, USA.
Winners in the Women’s Brown Black Adult division were Maxine Thylin (55kg) from Gracie Humaita, Sweden; Mackenzie Lynne Dern (62kg) from Gracie Humaita, USA; Jessica Da Oliveira (+70kg) from Legacy jiu-jitsu, Brazil and Tammy May Griego (open weight) from Gracie Barra (USA).
The first-place winners in the respective weight categories of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam received 40 points. The second-place winners received 20 points and the third-place winners received 10 points. In the open weight category, the first-place winner received 60 points, while the second-place winner got 30 points, with the third-place winner receiving 15 points.
The mega sporting event’s third tournament will be held at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the fourth one will be staged at the ExCel London, in the UK. The final event, the Abu Dhabi World Pro, will be held in Abu Dhabi in the UAE.
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