ABU DHABI, 5th May, 2026 (WAM) — The Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro Association announced the start of the countdown to the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Championship, set to take place at Mubadala Arena in the capital from 15th to 17th May, under the patronage of EDGE Group, with expectations of wide participation from elite male and female athletes from around the world.
The championship forms part of an integrated system through which the UAE has consolidated its position as the global capital of jiu-jitsu, supported by the vision of the wise leadership and ongoing coordination between the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation and the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro Association. This has contributed to building a leading sports model focused on expanding participation, discovering talent, developing champions, and organising international championships to the highest professional standards.
The Association announced the championship schedule, with the first day dedicated to the Masters 1, 2, 3 and 4 categories for those born in 1996, 1990, 1985 and 1980 respectively, across the purple, brown and black belt divisions for men, in addition to the women’s masters category for those born in 1996.
The same day will also feature amateur competitions for participants born in 2008, 1996, 1990, 1985, 1980 and earlier, for both men and women, alongside women’s categories for those born in 2008 and 1996 in the white and blue belts.
Regarding weigh-in procedures for the first day, the Association stated that these will take place in two stages, on Thursday, 14th May from 17:00 to 19:00, and on Friday, 15th May from 08:00 to 09:00.
The second day will be allocated to the kids, youth, juveniles and juniors categories, covering ages from 4 up to under 18 for boys and girls, reflecting the UAE’s focus on building a broad base of practitioners from an early age through sustainable development programmes aimed at preparing future champions capable of competing globally. Weigh-ins for these categories will be held on 15th May from 17:00 to 19:00, and on 16th May from 08:00 to 09:00.
The event will conclude on the third day with the professional categories, including participants born in 2010 and earlier for the purple belt, and those born in 2008 and earlier for the brown and black belts for men and women. Weigh-ins will take place on 16th May from 17:00 to 19:00, and on 17th May from 08:00 to 09:00.
The championship holds particular importance in the international rankings, awarding 3,000 points to first-place winners in the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro Association’s annual rankings, making it a key milestone for athletes aiming to strengthen their presence on the global stage.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam represents a successful model of investing in sport as a driver of comprehensive development, with Abu Dhabi building an integrated jiu-jitsu system that combines hosting and organising major championships, enhancing the sport’s global reach and reinforcing its core values of discipline, respect and fair competition.
In this context, Tariq Al Bahri, General Manager of the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro Association, affirmed that the Association continues to expand its global presence by organising high-quality championships across various continents, with the aim of discovering and developing talent, promoting jiu-jitsu, and producing champions capable of representing their countries.
He noted that the number of championships organised annually by the Association worldwide exceeds 250, reflecting the scale of efforts to expand the sport and reinforce Abu Dhabi’s position as a global centre for its development.
He added that preparations are progressing at full pace to deliver a distinguished edition of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam, with all elements of success in place, including professional organisation, a high technical level and a competitive atmosphere. He noted strong registration turnout in recent days from various countries, with expectations of around 2,000 male and female participants across different categories.
Al Bahri concluded by affirming that Abu Dhabi’s continued success in jiu-jitsu stems from a long-term strategic vision supported by the wise leadership and the integration of roles among sports institutions, ensuring sustained achievements and strengthening the UAE’s global leadership in the sport.
Source: Emirates News Agency