The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam of Jiu-Jitsu kicks off in Rio de Janeiro

The second round of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Championship, within the 2026-2027 season, began on Saturday in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, with the participation of more than 2,000 male and female players from 31 countries, including 500 black belt holders.

The championship competitions will be held over two days at the “Arena Carioca 1”, with the participation of an elite group of world champions, professionals and emerging talents, in a station that is of great importance in the season’s calendar, given the prominent position Brazil represents in the process of the sport of jiu-jitsu and its global spread.

The tournament is sponsored by the EDGE Group, which continues to support all Abu Dhabi Professional Jiu-Jitsu Association tournaments in Latin America, as part of its strategic partnership with the association.

The tournament brings together a group of the most prominent names in the various categories and belts, within strong competitions that are expected to witness high technical levels, as the participants seek to gain points and strengthen their positions in the global rankings of the Abu Dhabi Professional Jiu-Jitsu Association, and continue the journey towards the season finals in Abu Dhabi.

Tariq Al-Bahri, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Professional Jiu-Jitsu Association, confirmed that the Rio de Janeiro station represents one of the important stations in the tournament season, given that Brazil has a wide base of players and fans interested in the sport of Jiu-Jitsu.

Al-Bahri said: “We are proud of the continued growth witnessed by the tournament in its various stations around the world, and what we see today in Rio de Janeiro confirms the success of Abu Dhabi’s vision in consolidating the position of jiu-jitsu as a global sport. Through this series, we are working to provide a professional platform that gives the best players real opportunities to compete and develop, which contributes to raising the technical level of the sport and enhancing its spread on different continents.”

For his part, Jefferson Gatue, the Brazilian player participating in the tournament, residing in the UAE, and who won the title of the previous edition, said: Returning to Rio de Janeiro holding the tournament title gives him greater motivation and responsibility, and that the competition in the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam is different from any other tournament, because it includes the best players in the world, pointing out that every fight in it tests the true level of the player.

He added: “My presence in the Emirates was a turning point in my sports career, as it provided me with an integrated professional environment that helped me develop, and today I return to competing in front of my fans in Brazil with great confidence, and I aspire to start the new season in the same way I ended the last season.”

The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Championship continues its global journey after the success it achieved in its opening round in Istanbul, and will move after the Rio de Janeiro stop to Moscow for the third round of the season.