$680K UP FOR GRABS & THE 8TH ANNUAL ABU DHABI WORLD PRO

The world’s best jiu jitsu athletes are set to descend on Abu Dhabi from 15-24 April 2016 at IPIC Arena, Zayed Sports City – all competing for coveted world titles and prize fund worth more than AED 2.5M ($680K USD). This will be the biggest-ever 10 day Championship, to include World Jiu-Jitsu Youth Cup and tailored workshops for judges and anti-doping, as well as family-focused sessions to make the sporting spectacle fun and accessible for all.

The inaugural Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Festival is a new and welcome addition to the programme this year, open for UAE Nationals only under the age of 18 years old . The festival is set for the first two days of the 10-day marquee event, and is a major initiative set to break down barriers and foster the sport of Jiu-Jitsu to the wider community.

Following on from the hugely successful introduction of the Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Youth Championship in 2014, the next generation of professional players will once again compete in the state-of-the-art IPIC Arena between 17-18 April, as aspiring stars from all over the world gather for two days of inspirational competition and world-class action.

As part of the Championship, there will be a variety of workshops, some of which will be advanced workshops tailored for referees and judges as well as an anti-doping workshop. Further workshops will be announced closer to the Championship.

The Championship will also welcome legendary and world-renowned, current and retired, players to the capital in a move to bring all the fans of the sport an opportunity to watch these stars roll out the action on April 23^rd.

The Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2016 will be aired live through Abu Dhabi Sport TV, showcasing the star quality on offer to the world. With more than 1,800 players of all ages competing on the mat, including the reigning Black Belt Open heavyweight World Champion Marcus Almeida and the female open weight Black Belt Champion Mackenzie Dern, sports fans are ready to witness Jiu-Jitsu of the highest order across the upcoming 10 days of action. The 2015/2016 season of Jiu-Jitsu has witnessed great development in the qualifying rounds of the players whereas the players undergo extensive local and international qualifying tournaments in additional to four major tours in the international Grand Slam.

Speaking about the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2016, His Excellency Abdulmunem Al Hashemi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Federation said:

“We’ve worked hard to make sure that the 8^th edition of this annual Championship will be the biggest and most memorable ever – with record numbers of international participants battling to be crowned champions and an expanded festival of activities setting a new benchmark for the wider community involvement. We’re expecting more than 5,000 entries across the numerous divisions, and we’re tremendously proud to welcome sports fans and athletes alike to the most spectacular installment to date. Our gratitude is extended to our sponsors for supporting us in our quest to make the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship the best yet.”

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