Jiu-Jitsu World #25 - Year of Resilience and Glory by Jiu-Jitsu World

#25

GLOBAL HEROES

Relive the accomplishments of our warriors on the mats of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour

BRIGHT FUTURE

The AJP call on athletes and fans for the launch of the 2021/2022 season in full force

YEAR OF RESILIENCE AND GLORY

The 2020/2021 AJP season overcame unprecedented challenges to deliver high level Jiu-Jitsu all over the world

Jiu-Jitsu World

ABU DHABI

Number 25 - 2021

WHAT’S JIU-JITSU WORLD #25

INSIDE

ADGS RIO

REUNITED ON THE MATS

ADGS MOSCOW

12TH AD

JIU JITSU BELOW ZERO 4

GRA FINA Jiu-Jitsu World

74 ADGS ABU DHABI

FINALLY AT HOME 14

RULERS OF THE ART Relive the ADKOM season that crowned the sports elite in high-level events all over the planet

ADGS MIAMI

OPEN FOR THRILLS

MORE 08

Greetings

Editorial

GET SOCIAL

The Triumph of Competence Stronger Together H.E. Abdulmunam Al Hashemi

Back and Better Ivan Trindade

Jiu Jitsu Celebration In a season marked by the overcoming of challenges, our warriors celebrated their accomplishments on Social Media

AJP Athlete’s Ranking The Race to be the Best Rodrigo Valerio

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ADGS Ranking Winners Highest Achievers Let’s celebrate the leaders of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour Ranking in the 2020/2021 season

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AJP World Tour Season of Resilience With hard work and dedication to Jiu Jitsu, the AJP was able to deliver local events all over the world

DWPJJC

AND ALE Number 25 - 2021

GREETINGS

Jiu-Jitsu World

H.E. Abdulmunam Al Hashemi Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro (AJP), Chairman of the United Arab Emirates Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF)

The Triumph of Competence How do you keep in business when the world is closed down? That was the big question the AJP was faced on March 2020, when the COVID-19 Pandemic hit. The first feelings were fear and confusion. With time, frustration sets in. Despite all that, we knew we had to press on and deliver the events athletes and fans expected from us. With that mission in mind and the love for Jiu Jitsu in our hearts, the wonderful team of people in the AJP started working to find ways to make the 2020/2021 season happen. With intelligence and persistence, our leaders paved the way for the events to take place. The AJP took its responsibility very serious and was in contact with local authorities to find ways to make their events safe for all of those involved. As we look back on the season we were able to deliver, we feel nothing but pride. Despite all the hardship, the AJP was relentless in the search for excellence. Once again, we’d like to thank all of those who worked hard to make the season happen. As we look ahead, we are sure that the conditions will improve as the effects of the pandemic start to clear. We once again promise all athletes and fans to do our absolute best to deliver a full season of events with the quality trademark the AJP is globally known for. We once again would like to express our gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces, for his continuous support of Jiu-Jitsu. His Highness has always been a source of inspiration for us and we are fortunate to have him on our side.

Number 25 - 2021

EDITORIAL #25 Chairman: H.E. Abdulmunam Al Hashemi Executive Manager: Rodrigo Valerio Editor in Chief: Ivan Trindade Editor: Ane Nunes Design: Dario Mercado Editorial Production: Gentle Art Media Advertising Director: Ane Nunes Newsroom: press@ajptour.com Advertise with us: marketing@ajptour.com

Jiu-Jitsu World Magazine - Head Office: Jiu-Jitsu Arena - 3rd Floor - Zayed Sports City Al Khaleej Al Arabi St - Al Rawdah W57 Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates

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#25

GLOBAL HEROES

Relive the accomplishments of our warriors on the mats of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour

BRIGHT FUTURE

The AJP call on athletes and fans for the launch of the 2021/2022 season in full force

Photo by Ivan Trindade Background designed by Pikisuperstar/Freepik Artwork by Dario Mercado

Jiu-Jitsu World

Back and Better What a year it was. The 2020/2021 season was unique to all of those involved with the AJP. For the crew at Jiu Jitsu World Magazine things got interesting very fast. As the COVID-19 Pandemic caused cancellations of events all over the world, we were left with a very pressing issue. How to cover Jiu Jitsu when no Jiu Jitsu was taking place. The answer was not an easy one to find it, but we did our best. We decided to change the schedule of publications and return with the coverage of the AJP Tour as soon as the competitions resumed. Thanks to the brilliant work done by the AJP, the 2020/2021 season soon returned. The work in such a different world presented no shortage of challenges. Travel restrictions, visa requirements, quarantines were all present in our day to day lives as Jiu Jitsu journalists. We will never forget the 14 days we had to spend in Mexico City before being able to land in Florida for the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Miami, on September 2020. To enter Russia for the ADGS Moscow, our team almost needed the Ok from President Putin himself. We were only able to board each of the three planes during the trip after presenting an official letter from the Russian Government. Each time, a call to Moscow was made, but we arrived. Unforgettable. Later on the season, the effort to cover the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Abu Dhabi was also great. Our reporters had to stay in a sanitary bubble and get tested everyday. No one was allowed to leave the hotel. With our readers in mind, we obliged to each and every restriction. So, here we are. The world is still feeling the effects of the pandemic, but we are ready to roll again. This very special issue you are reading is the result of the work of our dedicated professionals for an entire year. We hope you like it and we hope you are able to experience some of the thrills we experienced. It’s great to be back. Let the 2021/2022 season come! Ivan Trindade Editor in Chief

Number 25 - 2021

GET SOCIAL

Jiu Jitsu Celebration In a season marked by the overcoming of challenges, our warriors celebrated their accomplishments on Social Media

Words: Ivan Trindade | Images: Instagram

From Miami to Moscow, from Rio to Abu Dhabi, the 2020/2021 season of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour was a year-long celebration. Our athletes overcame unprecedented challenges to compete in the four ADGS events in the USA, Brazil, Russia and the UAE. In the next two pages, we will revisit some of the posts on social media that marked the season. For the 2021/2022 season, please use the hashtags #adgs and #abudhabigrandslam to be found by our team.

Jiu-Jitsu World

Number 25 - 2021

AJP ATHLETE’S RANKING

The Race to be the Best

Know how to navigate your way in the AJP Athlete’s Rankings WORDS: Rodrigo Valério | IMAGES: Ane Nunes

The Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro (AJP) announced at the beginning of the 2020/2021 season some important additions to the competition and ranking format. The updates aim at making competition even more thrilling for fans and for athletes. The new addition guarantees a more competitive environment in each and every event of the tour, from local tournaments to all editions of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour.

Awarding System

The first big change is the creation of a separate ranking exclusive for the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tour. Another big change is the fact that athletes now compete for end of the season awards and cash prizes within their weight classes instead of a one single prize for each belt color.

Best of the Season

In the 2021/2022 season, all ADGS events will feature brown belt and black belt divisions, both in the Professional and Master 1 & 2 age groups and purple belts in the Professional division. The entry system in the ADGS World Tour events has also been updated. Athletes will have to qualify through points acquired in local events in the AJP National Pro, AJP International Pro and AJP Continental Pro series. The ADGS Tours in Rio de Janeiro, London and Abu Dhabi will be classified as Prime stops offering athletes more points than the points offered in the ADGS events in Miami, Beijing, Sydney and Moscow (3000 points for black belt division winners instead of 2000 points).

Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tour Ranking

Athletes will be awarded and receive cash prizes at each ADGS Event and also will compete within their weight classes for the award and cash prize as the best in the season. The AJP also introduced a series of bonus to make the tour even more thrilling for athletes and fans.

Athletes in the ADGS Tour will compete within their weight classes for an End of the Season award and cash prize.

Grand Slam Bonus The GS Bonus will be awarded to any athlete who wins three or more consecutive major Abu Dhabi Grand Slam titles during the same season.

Super Slam Trophy The SL Trophy will be awarded to any athlete who wins all six consecutive Abu Dhabi Grand Slam tournaments in the same season.

Golden Slam Plate The GS Plate will be awarded to any athlete who wins all consecutive Abu Dhabi Grand Slam tournaments and the Abu Dhabi World Pro in the same season.

Athletes add points by taking part and placing on ADGS Events: Miami, Moscow, Beijing, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Abu Dhabi, London. Athletes need to acquire points through participation and results on local events – AJP National Pro, AJP International Pro, AJP Continental Pro to qualify for the ADGS Events. At the end of the season, an award and cash prize will be handed out to the best athletes in each weight class within a belt color.

Triple Crown

AJP Tour Ranking

Abu Dhabi World Pro (Champions Belt)

For the 2021/2022 season, the AJP Tour Ranking will comprise the points athletes add during a 12-month period (November 2021 – November 2022). At the end of the season, athletes will be ranked according to their 9 (nine) best results on all AJP held events (ADGS, AJP Continental Pro, AJP National Pro and AJP International Pro), plus one extra result from the AJP Continental Pro Series and also the result at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Championship.

Career Boxed Set

The Triple Crown will be awarded to any athlete who wins all consecutive tournaments in the same season: Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour (Super Slam Trophy) Abu Dhabi King of Mats or Queen of Mats (Title Match)

The Career Boxed Set refers to winning one of every possible title over the course of an entire career: AJP International Pro; AJP National Pro; AJP Continental Pro; Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour; Abu Dhabi King of Mats; Abu Dhabi World Pro.

Jiu-Jitsu World

Number 25 - 2021

OPEN FOR THRILLS ABU DHABI GRAND SLAM MIAMI

The 2020/2021 season debut proved Jiu Jitsu is stronger than ever as hundreds of elite athletes showcased their talents in Florida WORDS: Ivan Trindade | IMAGES: Ane Nunes, Ivan Trindade

The world was shut down. Countries closed its borders, people were told to stay home. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, all competitions were cancelled. As the days turned into weeks and then months, the AJP kept working to find a way to safely offer athletes and fans its trademark high level events. After six months of lockdown, Jiu Jitsu shone a light at the end of the tunnel. The AJP was able to announce the date of the 2020/2021 season debut. The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Miami was scheduled September 27, 2020, at the Miami International Airport Convention Center. With all the safety measures in place, athletes, officials and press representatives were welcomed for an event that represented the resilience of Jiu Jitsu. In the following pages, we will relive the thrills of a historical day in the USA.

Jiu-Jitsu World

Number 25 - 2021

Adult Male Black Belt

Light-Featherweight Best of two Francisco Jonas Andrade and Estevan Martinez fought twice to settle the title. Jonas won 7-0 in the first match and 1-0 in the second match to take the gold medal home.

This title is the result of a lot of hard work! Thanks to all of those who helped me on the way to the gold medal FRANCISCO JONAS ANDRADE

1st – Francisco Jonas Andrade (Brazil) 2nd – Estevan Martinez (USA)

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Featherweight New Kid in Town In his first ever appearance in the AGDS, Lucas Pinheiro secured the gold medal in three matches. He first caught Connor Welle with a triangle choke. Then, he beat Bebeto Oliveira 1-0 to make it to the final. The gold medal match put Lucas against American Suraj Budhram. A 6-0 lead secured the title for Lucas.

It was the first time I competed in the ADGS. Thank to all my coaches for the support. I couldn’t make it without them

1st – Lucas Pinheiro (Brazil) 2nd – Suraj Budhram (USA) 3rd – Carlos Alberto Silva (Brazil)

Lucas Pinheiro

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Lightweight Hereditary Talent Kennedy Maciel came, fought and won. In three matches, the son of super champion Cobrinha Maciel first beat João Mendes 2-1, then he caught Rodrigo Cardoso with an armbar. In the gold medal match, Kennedy repeated his performance and caught Thiago Macedo with an armbar.

1st – Kennedy Maciel (Brazil) 2nd – Thiago Macedo (Brazil) 3rd – João Mendes (Brazil)

The struggles we endure today will be the ‘good old days’ we laugh about tomorrow! Kennedy Maciel

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Welterweight I’m just grateful to be able to be doing what I’m doing, headed where I’m headed, and expressing myself in this life to the fullest Michael Liera Jr

No shortcut to Glory 1st – Michael Liera Jr (USA) 2nd – Johnatha Alves (Brazil) 3rd – Marcio Andre (Brazil) Number 25 - 2021

Michael Liera Jr had the toughest path to the gold medal than any champion in Miami. In 4 matches, he first beat Jose Luna 9-1, then faced no other than Marcio André. A 4-4 tie granted Liera a spot in the semifinals for scoring last. A 1-0 lead over Johnny Tama put Liera in the final. The gold medal became reality after a 1-0 win over Johnatha Alves.

Middleweight Bitter Rivals, Sweet Victory Guthierry Barbosa fought three times to secure the gold medal. He finished Carlos Souza and outscored Andre Gois 2-1 to reach the final. The gold medal match was a thrilling affair against Ronaldo Junior,decided by one point in favor of Guthierry.

No matter the final result, to be on the mats competing is always a wonderful feeling! Guthierry Barbosa

1st – Guthierry Barbosa (Brazil) 2nd – Ronaldo Junior (Brazil) 3rd – Gabriel Almeida (Brazil)

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Light-Heavyweight Straight to the Top Fellipe Silva had three appointments on the mats of Miami. He first finished Eric Schlosser and then caught American Nathan Mendelsohn with a triangle choke in the semifinals. The gold medal match against Rafael Lima was a close one, but Fellipe was able to build a 2-0 lead for the title.

The mats are my comfort zone and I make my opponents uncomfortable Fellipe Silva

1st – Fellipe Silva (Brazil) 2nd – Rafael Lima (Brazil) 3rd – Fellipe Trovo (Brazil)

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Super-Heavyweight Heavy Hitters In two matches, Max Gimenes beat Klidson Abreu twice to secure the gold medal. He first built a 3-0 lead. In the second match, Gimenes was able to catch Klidson in an omoplata lock for the tap.

I was so happy for being on the top again! I had a great performance and I was able to put my game to work on the mats Max Gimenes

1st – Max Gimenes (Brazil) 2nd – Klidson Abreu (Brazil)

Jiu-Jitsu World

ADULT FEMALE Brown/Black Belt

Roosterweight This is my spot Jessa Khan first caught Sarah Takushi with an armbar. Mayssa Bastos also reached the final with a 25-0 win over Sarah Takushi. The gold medal match was the most thrilling encounter of the weekend. Jessa nearly caught Mayssa in the very beginning with a triangle choke. The super champion took her time to defend and escape. In the end, Mayssa came around and built a 6-4 lead to take another gold medal home.

Make it worth it, believe in yourself Mayssa Bastos

1st – Mayssa Bastos (Brazil) 2nd – Jessa Khan (Cambodia) 3rd – Sarah Takushi (USA) Number 25 - 2021

Light-Featherweight Mommy Champion In two matches, Thamires Aquino made her way to the gold medal. In the semifinals, the black belt who gave birth to her first daughter less than 4 months before the event beat Alexa Yanes 3-1. The gold medal match against Eliana Carauni was very dynamic. A 8-5 lead gave Thamires the title.

Happy to be back on the mats! There were big challenges on the way, but we made it! Thamires Aquino

1st – Thamires Aquino (Brazil) 2nd – Eliana Carauni (Argentina) 3rd – Alexa Yanes (USA)

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Lightweight Victory at Home American Nicole Sullivan fought twice to reach the title. She first outscored Alexandria Enriques 4-3 in the semifinal. The gold medal match was a domestic affair and Nicole beat fellow countrywomen Woods Heather 3-2 for the title.

Jiu Jitsu for me is about staying focused, having fun, and doing what I love

1st – Nicole Sullivan (USA) 2nd – Woods Heather (USA) 3rd – Alexandria Enriques (Philippines)

Nicole Sullivan

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Middleweight Gold Medal and a new Belt Rafaela Guedes had three super-tough matches on her way to the gold medal. She finished Gloria Armas, then beat Melissa Cueto 1-0 in the semifinals. The gold medal match saw Rafaela comfortable to build a 8-2 lead over Emilly Silva. After the triumph, she was promoted to the black belt ranking by her Professors André and Angélica Galvão.

I’m so happy to be back. Thank you to everyone who has encouraged and supported me

1st – Rafaela Ribeiro (Brazil) 2nd – Emilly Silva (Brazil) 3rd – Melissa Cueto (Brazil)

Rafaela Guedes

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Heavyweight Triumph through Experience One of the most accomplished competitors of her generation, Talita Nogueira was one of the biggest names in Florida. She fought twice on her campaign for the gold medal. She beat Kylie Baker 5-0 and then outscored Maria Malyjasiak 5-2 in the final.

It’s so good to be going back to competitions in the midst of all that Talita Nogueira

1st – Talita Nogueira (Brazil) 2nd – Maria Malyjasiak (Poland) 3rd – Kylie Baker (USA)

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MASTERS, Color Belts and Teams

Talents of all ages Outside the adult black belt division, there was lots of great moments in Florida. The Master Black belt division featured big names such as Samir Chantre, Oswaldo Moizinho and Ricardo Evangelista. In the color belts, upcoming talents presented their credentials on the mats. Here are the champions and some of the best images.

Jiu-Jitsu World

ADULT DIVISION Male Brown Belt 56kg – Kevin Martincowski (USA) 62kg – Keven Carrasco (USA) 69kg – Ricardo Briceno (USA) 77kg – Andy Murasaki (Brazil) 85kg – Tainan Dalpra (Brazil) 94kg – Dante Cano (Brazil) 120kg – Renan Cruz (Brazil)

MASTER DIVISION BLACK BELT Male Master 1 56kg – Washington de Lima (Brazil) 62kg – Javier Gomez (USA) 69kg – Samir Chantre (Brazil) 77kg – PierPaolo Cotroneo (Chile) 85kg – Lucas Santos (Brazil) 94kg – Diogo Araujo (Brazil) 120kg – Ricardo Evangelista (Brazil) Male Master 2

Female Purple Belt 49kg – Jhenifer Gonzaga (Brazil) 55kg – Abbi Tetterton (USA) 62kg – Alanis Santiago (Puerto Rico) 70kg – Iasmim Casser (Brazil) 95kg – Samantha Hall (USA)

69kg – Carlos Eduardo Gonçalves (Portugal) 77kg – Rodrigo Rosa (Brazil) 85kg – Jorge Rodrigues (USA) 120kg – Chad Fields (USA)

Male Purple Belt 62kg – Thalys Pontes (Brazil) 69kg – Zach Kaina (USA) 77kg - Benjamin Kunzle (USA) 85kg – Jorge Valladares (Nicaragua) 94kg – Jacob Couch (USA)

NATIONS PODIUM 1st – Brazil 142400pts 2nd – USA 122600pts 3rd – Canada 5000pts TEAMS PODIUM 1st – Atos JJ 42600pts 2nd – Fight Sports 30800pts 3rd – Alliance 22600pts

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ABU DHABI GRAND SLAM RIO

REUNITED ON THE MATS WORDS: Ivan Trindade | IMAGES: Ane Nunes, Ivan Trindade

Rio de Janeiro welcomed the second event of the 2020/2021 season in a weekend that proved that Jiu Jitsu is stronger than ever Brazil has a long lasting relationship with Jiu Jitsu. Competitors could not wait for the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour to return to the country in the 2020/2021 season. This finally happened in the weekend of December 5-6, 2020. The AJP spared no efforts to guarantee complete safety to all of those involved in the ADGS Rio. With all protections in place, the weekend of matches played on without hiccups. From the purple belt to the black belt division, the best competitors in the world displayed their talents on the mats for the pleasure of the crowd watching online all over the world.

Jiu-Jitsu World

Number 25 - 2021

Adult Male Black Belt

Light-Featherweight Back to back Jonas 1 – Francisco Jonas Andrade (Brazil) 2nd – Diogo Reis (Brazil) st

In a close final, Francisco Jonas Andrade caught Diogo Reis in a triangle in the very last seconds of the match. Reis bravely resisted, but it was enough for Jonas to win an advantage that tied the match at 1-1 and gave Jonas the title for scoring last.

Thank you to all of those who were beside me on each step of the way Francisco Jonas Andrade

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Featherweight New face on the top Meyram Maquine controlled the gold medal match against Fabricio Andrey to build a 4-2 lead and secure the title in the division. Before the final, Meyram finished Matheus Oliveira and beat Leandro Lima 1-0.

The feeling of mission accomplished comes when we look to the battles waged with a smile of satisfaction Meyram Maquine

1st – Meyram Maquine (Brazil) 2nd – Fabricio Andrey (Brazil) 3rd – Cleber Fernandes (Brazil)

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Lightweight Never give up Gabriel Figueiró came from behind in the scoreboard to sweep Israel Almeida and win the gold medal with a 2-1 lead. Figueiró had four matches before the final. He finished Claudio Avilla and Michael Saif. After that, he outscored Anselmo Gomes 2-0 and Antonio Felix 3-2.

My triumphs are achieved with blood, sweat and tears Gabriel Figueiró

1st – Gabriel Figueiró (Brazil) 2nd – Israel Almeida (Brazil) 3rd – Leonardo Saggioro (Brazil)

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Welterweight Stand your Ground In another very close gold medal match, Lucas Nascimento and Yan Paiva stayed on their feet for almost the entire five minutes. In the end, Nascimento won the title via referees decision following a 0-0 tie. Lucas had four matches on his way to the final. He beat Victor Marques 2-0, Nathan Chueng 1-0, Luis Ribas 3-1 and Lucas Brito by referee decision.

Fighting is my life. It will never be fun and this is the best part Lucas Nascimento

1st – Lucas Nascimento (Brazil) 2nd – Yan Paiva (Brazil) 3rd – Leonardo Lara (Brazil)

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Middleweight Early Achiever Wellington Sebastião went ahead 1-0 in the scoreboard early in the gold medal match. That lead was enough to secure the win over Matheus Spirandelli and the gold medal. In four matches, Wellington made it to the final. He beat Gustavo Borges by points, Leon Brito 3-2, Alex Munis for scoring last in a 2-2 tie, and finished Marcos Martins.

You don’t choose your passions. Your passions choose you Wellington Sebastião

1st – Wellington Sebastião (Brazil) 2nd – Matheus Spirandelli (Brazil) 3rd – Matheus Canuto (Brazil)

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Light-Heavyweight The ruler Gutemberg Pereira had total control of the division. In the gold medal match, he had a great performance and comfortably built a 8-0 lead over Rider Amaral to secure the gold medal. Gutemberg fought three times before the final. He beat Anderson Santos and finished Hygor Silva and Elismaique Azevedo.

Nothing is given. Everything is earned

Gutemberg Pereira

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1st – Gutemberg Pereira (Brazil) 2nd – Rider Amaral (Brazil) 3rd – Hygor Silva (Brazil)

Super-Heavyweight Gold secured Wallace Costa was another new face reaching the top of the podium in Rio. He secured the gold medal with a 7-0 lead over Igor Schneider in the final. Costa fought three times before the final. He beat Raul Almeida 4-2, finished Pedro Pimenta and beat Anderson Munis for scoring last in a 2-2 tie.

1st – Wallace Costa (Brazil) 2nd – Igor Schneider (Brazil) 3rd – Erich Munis (Brazil)

Hard work always pays off Wallace Costa

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Adult Female Brown/Black Belt

Roosterweight Favorite Hunter In the first big upset of the afternoon, Maria Eduarda Tozoni played a very smart game against Brenda Larissa and managed to secure the title via referees decision after a 0-0 tie. Tozoni fought twice on her way to the final. She beat Mariana Rolszt 3-1 and Diana Teixeira 1-0.

Even the tallest of towers started out on the ground MARIA EDUARDa Tozoni

1st – Maria Eduarda Tozoni (Brazil) 2nd – Brenda Larissa (Brazil) 3rd – Polyanna Araujo (Brazil)

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Light-Featherweight Sweet routine In a duel between two big names, Bia Basilio played safe and managed a early 1-0 lead over Amanda Canuto. As the clock struck zero, Bia was able to celebrate another gold medal in the AJP Tour. Bia entered the matches twice before the finals. She beat Mikaele Damasceno 7-0 and Gabriela Fetcher 1-0.

Be happy, fight happy, be a champion

1st – Bianca Basílio (Brazil) 2nd – Amanda Canuto (Brazil) 3rd – Gabriela Fetcher (Brazil)

Bianca Basílio

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Lightweight Triumph in a flash In a short-lived gold medal match, Julia Alves was able to catch Ivhalaynie Meira with a triangle to secure the title. The road to the final consisted of three matches for Julia. She beat Mayara Abrahão 5-0, finished Francielle Nascimento and outscored Luciane Silva 7-1.

1st – Julia Alves (Brazil) 2nd – Ivhalaynie Meira (Brazil) 3rd – Gabriela Pereira (Brazil)

Even when my body says no, my mind says yes! Winners dare to risk it all

Julia Alves

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Middleweight Believe until the end Another huge upset had Julia Boscher as protagonist. With a 2-1 lead, she became the first competitor to beat Thamara Ferreira in the weight class. The gold medal match was intense and decided only after the video referee. Julia fought twice before the final. She beat Gisele Moreira 2-0 and then outscored Maria Rosenthall 6-0.

I chose to be on the mat! I want to be unstoppable Julia Boscher

1st – Julia Boscher (Brazil) 2nd – Thamara Ferreira (Brazil) 3rd – Sabatha Santos (Brazil)

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Heavyweight Queen of Rio Another round in one of the most fierce rivalries in Jiu Jitsu today. Gabrieli Pessanha and Yara Nascimento once again waged a close match that came to the final seconds as closes as it gets. In a great effort, Gabi worked on a sweep and was rewarded with a 1-0 lead that meant the title. Gabi remains the ruler of her weight class. Gabrieli had two matches before the final. She finished Iris Silva and beat Roberta Ribeiro by DQ.

I know I would never achieve anything by myself. Thank you to all of those who helped me get where I am GABRIELI PESSANHA

1st – Gabrieli Pessanha (Brazil) 2nd – Yara Nascimento (Brazil) 3rd – Ingridd Sousa (Brazil)

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Masters, Color Belts and Teams

Jiu Jitsu for all The first day of competitions at the ADGS Rio was devoted entirely to purple belts and brown belts. The upcoming athletes left all they had on the mats on their quest for a spot on the top of the podium. Here are the champions in each weight class.

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ADULT DIVISION

MASTER DIVISION

Male Brown Belt

Black Belt Master 1

56kg – Nathannael Fernandes (Brazil) 62kg – Leonardo Mario (Brazil) 69kg – Raimundo Sodré (Brazil) 77kg – Jhonathan Marques (Brazil) 85kg – Salenco Coutinho (Brazil) 94kg – José Neto (Brazil) 120kg – Lucas Montalvão (Brazil)

56kg – Fabiano Cleto (Brazil) 62kg – Gabriel Moraes (Brazil) 69kg – Rafael Silva (Brazil) 77kg – Caio Cipriano (Brazil 85kg – Sergio Rios (Brazil) 94kg – Diogo Nascimento (Brazil) 120kg – Francisco Santoro (Brazil)

Black Belt Master 2

Female Purple Belt 49kg – Melissa Costa (Brazil) 55kg – Mayara Ribeiro (Brazil) 62kg – Ana Campos (Brazil) 70kg – Larissa Santos (Brazil) 95kg – Tamiris Silva (Brazil)

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62kg – Tharcisio Silva (Brazil) 69kg – Julio Guadanhini (Brazil) 77kg – Robson Bra (Brazil) 85kg – Vitor Toledo (Brazil) 94kg – Francisco Gomes (Brazil) 120kg – Paulo Pinto (Brazil)

Male Purple Belt

NATIONS PODIUM

56kg – Everton Souza (Brazil) 62kg – Anderson Duarte (Brazil) 69kg – Alessandro Botelho (Brazil) 77kg – Carlos Henrique (Brazil) 85kg – Uanderson Ferreira (Brazil) 94kg – Rui Neto (Brazil) 120kg – Horacio Antunes (Brazil)

1st – Brazil 999300pts 2nd – Chile 8400pts 3rd – Argentina 7920pts TEAMS PODIUM 1st – GF Team 141480pts 2nd – Cicero Costha 62700pts 3rd – Checkmat International 57120pts

JIU JITSU BELOW ZERO ABU DHABI GRAND SLAM MOSCOW

WORDS: Ivan Trindade | IMAGES: Ane Nunes, Ivan Trindade

Despite the freezing temperatures outside, the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam was a torrid affair on the mats of Moscow The thermometer showed how cold it was in the Russian Capital on March 14, 2021. Sixteen degrees below zero celsius (three degrees Fahrenheit). Despite that, inside a much warmer Crocus Hall the atmosphere was filled with tension and excitement. For a whole day of matches, both local and foreign heroes made their way to the top of the podium in each weight class of each belt color. Here are their stories.

Jiu-Jitsu World

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Adult Male Black Belt

Light-Featherweight Worldwide champion Brazil’s Francisco Jonas de Andrade flew in from Barcelona, Spain, to fight Finland’s Marko Oikarainen twice and secure the gold medal. In the first match, Jonas caught Marko in a triangle. In the second match, Jonas managed an armbar with only 10 seconds left in the clock.

The final victory is built with daily sacrifices Francisco Jonas Andrade

1st – Francisco Jonas Andrade (Brazil) 2nd – Marko Oikarainen (Finland)

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Lightweight Two matches to Gold In another two-match campaign, Russia’s Abubakar Khadaev first beat his fellow countryman Dzhimher Razmadze 4-2. In the final, Khadaev finished Shamil Gaziev with a choke from the back to secure the gold medal.

I feel so good to win at home Abubakar Khadaev

1st – Abubakar Khadaev (Russia) 2nd – Shamil Gaziev (Russia) 3rd – Dzhimsher Razmadze (Russia) Number 25 - 2021

Welterweight Crowd Pleaser Russian Vladislav Losev had the home crowd on their feet with two wins to take the gold medal. First he beat Riad Dzhalmalbeili 1-0 to reach the final. In the gold medal match, Losev had a imposing performance to beat Brazil’s José Henrique Tatagiba 8-4.

No triumph comes easy Vladislav Losev

1st – Vladislav Losev (Russia) 2nd – José Henrique Tatagiba (Brazil) 3rd – Riad Dzhalmalbeili (Russia)

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Middleweight Russian Affair Another gold medal for Russia. Abdulbari Guseinov kicked off his campaign with a 2-0 win over Arsen Shapiev. In the gold medal match, Guseinov put his guard game to work and beat Magomed Abdulkadirov 2-1 and take the title home.

I thank all my teammates who helped me get here Abdulbari Guseinov

1st – Abdulbari Guseinov (Russia) 2nd – Magomed Abdulkadirov (Russia) 3rd – Ramiz Yakhiyaev (Russia)

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Light-Heavyweight Polish TALENT Probably the most well known competitor in the ADGS Moscow, Adam Wardzisnki came, fought and conquered the gold medal in two matches. He first finished Artem Ushakov with a choke from the mount to reach the final. The gold medal was secured with a choke from the omoplata position on Viacheslav Ilin. Job well done for Adam.

Everything I do on the mats is to look for victory Adam Wardzinski

1st – Adam Wardzisnki (Poland) 2nd - Viacheslav Ilin (Russia) 3rd – Anton Seleznev (Russia)

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Super-Heavyweight Brazilian Spoiler Brazil’s Wallace Costa and Russia’s Dimitrii Volstrikov fought twice to decide who’s going to take the gold medal home. Costa fist won 7-3 to go ahead in the count. In the final match, Costa made his game work again and caught Volstrikov with an armbar.

I felt great on the mats. It’ s my home Wallace Costa

1st – Wallace Costa (Brazil) 2nd - Dimitrii Volstrikov (Russia)

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Adult FEMale Brown/Black Belt

Light-Featherweight Estonian Dynamo Lots of talent in display in the women’s division as well. Estonia’s Liisi Vaht fought twice to be crowned the champion. She first caught Russian Ekaterina Kustikova with an armbar in the semifinals. Vaht’s opponent in the final came from Kazakhstan. Moldir Mekenbayeva beat Russia’s Olga Vladimorova by referees decision following a 0-0 tie. The gold medal match saw Liisi work her magic and catch Moldir with a choke from the back. Gold medal for Estonia.

1st – Liisi Vaht (Estonia) 2nd – Moldir Mekenbayeva (Kazakhstan) 3rd – Olga Vladimorova (Russia)

It’S So great to represent my country in such a high level event Lisi Vaht

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Number 25 - 2021

Masters, Color Belts and Teams

Weekend of Glory The athletes in the purple belt and the brown belt and also the black belts in the masters division gave their all on the mats of Moscow. New talent and seasoned warriors put in all the effort to reach the top of their divisions. Here are the champions.

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ADULT DIVISION

MASTER DIVISION

Female Purple Belt

BLACK BELT MASTER 1

55kg – Alena Polygalova (Russia)

77kg – Zagid Bagautinov (Russia) 85kg – Eldar Adilov (Russia) 120kg – Khasan Betelgeriev (Russia)

Male Purple Belt 56kg – Nursultan Arzymatov (Kyrgystan) 62kg – Omar Al Fadhli (UAE) 69kg – Ivan Popov (Russia) 77kg – Eduard Dimura (Russia) 85kg – Kirill Matyunin (Russia) 94kg – Artur Gareev (Russia) 120kg – Anton Dmitrakov (Russia)

Male Brown Belt 56kg – Gusein Guseinov (Russia) 62kg – Alexander Yakolev (Russia) 69kg – Gairbeg Ibragimov (Russia) 77kg – Bagir Gasratov (Russia) 85kg – Ibragim Ismailov (Russia) 94kg – Eldar Sayidov (Russia) 120kg – Guilherme Guedes (Brazil)

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Black Belt Master 2 77kg – Zaurbek Shekhinati (Russia)

Teams Podium 1st – Strela Team – 48800pts 2nd – Ludus Academy/Alliance BJJ – 31200pts

3rd – Checkmat International – 31000pts

ABU DHABI GRAND SLAM ABU DHABI

FINALLY AT HOME WORDS: Ivan Trindade | IMAGES: Ane Nunes, Ivan Trindade

The ADGS Tour landed in Abu Dhabi to celebrate the accomplishment of completing a season during unprecedented hardship The feeling was widespread. Mission accomplished! As soon as the final match of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tour ended in Abu Dhabi, on April , 2021, all of those involved knew they had completed a very special chapter of their lives. In a year that the world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AJP pulled through with all safety measures in place and delivered four world class events. The ADGS Abu Dhabi, at the Jiu Jitsu Arena was the grand finale! With athletes, officials referees and the media tested every day, the event ran smoothly. In the next pages, we celebrate those two days of magic.

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Number 25 - 2021

Adult Male Black Belt

Light-Featherweight Unbeatable With three athletes in the bracket, the division was fast and furious. Francisco Jonas Andrade fought twice to secure the gold medal. He first caught Finland’s Marko Oikarainen with a choke from the back. In the final, Jonas was able to catch Johnif Rocha with a foot lock to secure the gold medal.

The perfect season is the result of daily dedication Francisco Jonas Andrade

1st – Francisco Jonas Andrade (Brazil) 2nd – Johnif Rocha (Brazil) 3rd – Marko Oikarainen (Finland)

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Featherweight No Shortcuts Hiago George took the hard way to the gold medal. He first beat Pablo Dutra 1-0 in a tough match. The semifinal put Hiago against the division ranking leader Lucas Pinheiro and another 1-0 lead took George to the final. Old rival Diego Batista was waiting and a chess match ensued. A 3-2 lead was enough for Hiago to celebrate the title.

Never give up on your goals Hiago George

1st – Hiago George (Brazil) 2nd – Diego Batista (Brazil) 3rd – Lucas Pinheiro (Brazil)

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Lightweight Experience means Gold Leonardo Saggioro means business. At 32, he fears no young gun and proved that, in four matches. His way to the gold medal begun with a rear naked choke on Mauricio Ospina. Then he beat Daniel Vieira by referee decision and finished Gustavo Azevedo. In the final, Saggioro used up his experience to beat Israel Sousa 3-2 and secure the gold medal and the top of the division ranking in the season.

Age means nothing when you’re on the mats Leonardo Saggioro

1st – Leonardo Saggioro (Brazil) 2nd – Israel Almeida (Brazil) 3rd – João Gabriel de Sousa (Brazil) Jiu-Jitsu World

Welterweight Favorite Slayer The only way to become the favorite is beating the favorite. Luiz Paulo Medeiros did just that. After beating André Cantanhede 4-0 and Tiago Bravo by medical stoppage, he faced ADWPJJC and ADGS champion Espen Mathiesen in the semifinals. A choke from the back was Luiz Paulo’s passport to the gold medal match. A 3-2 lead was the narrow edge against Adriano Araujo that secured Luiz Paulo’s title.

There are no obstacles for those who believe Luiz Paulo Medeiros

1st – Luiz Paulo Medeiros (Brazil) 2nd – Adriano Araujo (Brazil) 3rd – Espen Mathiesen (Norway)

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Middleweight The Leader on the Mat Isaque Braz had a lot at stake in Abu Dhabi. The leader of Dream Art travelled to Abu Dhabi with dozens of students and training partners. He needed to represent the school the best he could and so he did. In three matches, the first one was the toughest against Norway’s Tommy Langaker. A 2-2 tie with Isaque scoring last was the reason Isaque made into the semifinals. Then he caught Julio Junior with a kimura and secured the title with an armbar finish on Mauricio Oliveira.

I compete to set the example of excellency Isaque Braz

1st – Isaque Braz (Brazil) 2nd – Mauricio Neto (Brazil) 3rd – Tommy Langaker (Norway) 80

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Light-Heavyweight Three fights to Gold Patrick Gaudio fought three times in Abu Dhabi. He first beat Portugal’s Bruno Lima 3-2, then outscored Croatia’s Matko Kvesic 7-0. The final was the biggest challenge, as Patrick had to face fellow Brazilian Gutemberg Pereira. Luckly for Gaudio, a toe hold opportunity presented itself and he took it to secure the gold medal.

The mats are my comfort zone and I make my opponents uncomfortable Patrick Gaudio

1st – Patrick Gaudio (Brazil) 2nd – Gutemberg Pereira (Brazil) 3rd – Renato Cardoso (Brazil) Number 25 - 2021

Super-Heavyweight Champion’s Drive Roosevelt Sousa left no stone unturned on his way to the top of the podium. Always very intense, Sousa debuted with a 10-0 against division ranking leader Wallace Costa. In the semifinal, he beat Max Mendes 4-2. The final was short-lived. Roosevelt looked for a foot lock and it came before the first minute of match against Anderson Munis.

I know God believes in me. That’s all the strength I need Roosevelt Sousa

1st – Roosevelt Sousa (Brazil) 2nd – Anderson Munis (Brazil) 3rd – Erich Munis (Brazil) 82

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Adult FEMale Brown/Black Belt

Roosterweight Classico on the Mats The rivalry between Brazil and Argentina in South America is well known by everyone. Brazilian Brenda Larissa and Argentinian Eliana Carauni wrote another chapter of that rivalry in Abu Dhabi. Larissa made it to the gold medal match with a choke from the back on Isadora Maggioni. The final was very tactical and a narrow 1-0 lead granted Brenda the title.

I feel blessed to be able to do what I love everyday Brenda Larissa

1st – Brenda Larissa (Brazil) 2nd – Eliana Carauni (Argentina) 3rd – Vanderlucia Barbosa (Brazil) Number 25 - 2021

Light-featherweight Teary but Fierce The only thing Ana Rodrigues could not beat on the mat was her tears with the title won. In two matches, she first beat Estonia’s Liisi Vaht 6-1 to meet well known rival Amanda Canuto in the gold medal match. That’s when her guard game showed up and Ana managed a beautiful armbar to finish her opponent and secure the title. And then came the tears.

All my victories are made of blood, sweat and tears Ana Rodrigues

1st – Ana Rodrigues (Brazil) 2nd – Amanda Canuto (Brazil) 3rd – Ariadne de Oliveira (Brazil) 84

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Lightweight The best for a Reason Three matches, two arms and a neck. That’s a clever way to describe Beatriz Mesquita’s campaign for the gold medal. Dominant in every aspect, Bia showed once again why she is considered by many the best female Jiu Jitsu competitor of all times. Turkey’s Hind Charifi and Italy’s Margot Ciccarelli had their arms stretched, Brazil’s Andreia Cavalcante tapped to a choke from the back.

The secret for success is to face each match as the most important one Beatriz Mesquita

1st – Beatriz Mesquita (Brazil) 2nd – Andreia Cavalcante (Brazil) 3rd – Larissa Paes (Brazil) Number 25 - 2021

Middleweight Gold medal and Smiles Julia Boscher could not hide her happiness for being on the mat in Abu Dhabi. Smiling from ear to ear, the Brazilian built a solid campaign to win the gold medal and the division ranking for the season. She beat Priscilla Assunção 2-0 in the semifinals and met Rafaela da Silva in the gold medal match. After five minutes of regulation and an extra minute of overtime, a stubborn 1-1 tie was settled by the referees and Julia opened her smile with another win and the title.

I’m living my dream. A dream I worked very hard to live Julia Boscher

1st – Julia Boscher (Brazil) 2nd – Rafaela da Silva (Brazil) 3rd – Buyandelger Battsogt (Mongolia) 86

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Heavyweight Submit for Gold Yara Nascimento knew she was the favorite for the title. She performed accordingly and won both her matches by submission. She first caught Thaynara Dias with an americana from the mount and then choked Michele Xavier using the lapel from the north and south position. With the gold medal in Abu Dhabi, Yara also secured the top of the division ranking for the season.

Work hard and believe! That’s the recipe Yara Nascimento

1st – Yara Nascimento (Brazil) 2nd – Michele Xavier (Brazil) 3rd – Thaynara Dias (Brazil) Number 25 - 2021

Master, Color Belts and Teams

Thrills in the Desert The seasoned athletes in the master black belt division and the upcoming talents in the adult purple and brown belts delivered exciting matches throughout the weekend. Here we celebrate the champions.

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ADULT DIVISION

MASTER DIVISION

Brown Belt

Black Belt Master 1

Adult Male

Featherweight (62kg) – Gil Catarino (Brazil)

56kg – Italo Frota (Brazil)

Lightweight (69kg) – Thiago Marques (Brazil)

62kg – Leonardo Mario (Brazil)

Welterweight (77kg) – Hebert da Costa (Brazil)

69kg – Wilhiam Silva (Brazil)

Middleweight (85kg) – Sergio Dias (Brazil)

77kg – Micael Galvão (Brazil)

Light-Heavyweight (94kg) – Pablo Aragão (Brazil)

85kg – Catriel Rodrigues (Brazil)

Super-Heavyweight (120kg) – Igor Silva (Brazil)

94kg – Renan Cruz (Brazil) 120kg – Lucas Montalvão (Brazil)

Black Belt Master 2 Lightweight (-69kg) – Dzhamalutdin Dadaev (Russia) Welterweight (-77kg) – Lidio Santos (Brazil)

Purple belt Adult male 56kg – Zayed Alkatheeri (UAE)

Middleweight (-85kg) –Ingmar Santos (Brazil) Light-Heavyweight (-94kg) – Alexandre Moreno (Brazil) Super-Heavyweight (-120kg) – Paulo Pinto (Brazil)

62kg – Omar Al Fadhli (UAE) 69kg – Carlos Henrique (Brazil) 77kg – Mohamed Alamri (UAE) 85kg – João Silva (Brazil)

TEAMS

94kg – Luccas Lira (Brazil)

1st – Palm Sports – Team 777 - 107100pts

120kg – Kamran Huseynov (Azerbaijan)

2nd – Al Wahda Club Jiu Jitsu - 84600pts

Adult Female

3rd – Commando Group – 52200pts

49kg – Kacie Tan (Thailand)

NATIONS

55kg – Beatriz Campos (Brazil) 62kg – Lina Rodrigues (Colombia) 70kg – Larissa Santos (Brazil) 95kg – Tamiris Silva (Brazil)

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1st – Brazil – 308400pts 2nd – UAE – 92400pts 3rd – Colombia – 36000pts

ABU DHABI WORLD PROFESSIONAL JIU JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP

Jiu-Jitsu World

GRAND FINALE WORDS: Ivan Trindade | IMAGES: Ane Nunes, Ivan Trindade

The toughest season in AJP history ended with three days of gala when Jiu Jitsu elite athletes fought hard to become Abu Dhabi World Professional champions The weekend of April 7-9 was one for the history books. Despite all odds, the 12nd edition of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu Jitsu Championship was finally able to take place at the Jiu Jitsu Arena, in the UAE. Tested everyday for COVID-19, athletes from all over the world were put in a health bubble. With impeccable organization on and off the mats, the 13th edition was a complete success. In the next pages, we will relive this historic event.

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ADULT Male Black Belt

Perfect Season After winning all four ADGS events in the 2020/2021 season, Francisco Jonas Andrade achieved the perfect record in the ADWPJJC. Jonas fought twice to secure his first ever gold medal in the black belt division of the World Pro. He finished Finland’s Marko Oikarainen and met up with Johnif Rocha 6-3 in the final.

Live your life like your goals are your oxygen Francisco Jonas Andrade

1st – Francisco Jonas Andrade (Brazil) 2nd – Johnif Rocha (Brazil) 3rd – Marko Oikarainen (Finland)

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Golden Debut Diego Pato beat teammate Hiago George 4-3 in the final to win his first title as a black belt in the ADWPJJC. Before that, he finished France’s Mohamed Ali-Hayat.

I’m blessed for the opportunity to make my dreams come true Diego Batista

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1st – Diego Batista (Brazil) 2nd – Hiago George (Brazil) 3rd – Mohamed-Ali Hayat (France)

A true samurai always choose the harder path Israel Almeida

1st – Israel Almeida (Brazil) 2nd – Ali Monfaradi (Bahrain) 3rd – Gabriel Sousa (Brazil)

Hard Path to First Gold Israel Sousa took the long route for the gold medal. He beat Yaroslav Blazhko (6-2), Juan Manuel Calderon (131), finished Gabriel Sousa and outscored Ali Monfaradi 6-1 in the final. Israel won his first ever gold medal as a black belt in the ADWPJJC.

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The Competent Intruder Argentina’s Pablo Lavaselli fought three times to win his first ever title as a black belt in the ADWPJJC. He beat Andre Luiz Cantanhede (2-0), Adriano Araujo (5-2) and Espen Mathiesen (5-4) in the final.

It’s an honor to be the first Argentinian ADWPJJC black belt champion Pablo Lavaselli

1st – Pablo Lavaselli (Argentina) 2nd – Espen Mathiesen (Norway) 3rd – Adriano Araujo (Brazil) Number 25 - 2021

Clash of Titans The most anticipated match in the finals was Isaque Bahiense vs. Tommy Langaker. A thrilling 1-1 tie meant the title for Isaque as he scored last. Before that, Bahiense beat Kevin Cuervo (2-0), Nathan Mendelsohn (3-0), and Jaime Canuto (6-4) to secure his second ever gold medal as a black belt in the ADWPJJC.

You only become the best if you beat the best Isaque Braz

1st – Isaque Bahiense (Brazil) 2nd – Tommy Langaker (Norway) 3rd – Nathan Mendelsohn (USA)

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Unbeatable What a ADWPJJC for Poland’s Adam Wardzinski. After winning the gold medal in the master 1 division, he came back to win also in the adult division. A 6-4 lead over Renato Cardoso in the final meant the gold medal, Adam’s first as a black belt in the ADWPJJC.

My day has come! Always believe in yourself ADAM WARDZINSKI

1st – Adam Wardzinski (Poland) 2nd – Renato Cardoso (Brazil) 3rd – Patrick Gaudio (Brazil)

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No Shortcuts Gutemberg Pereira fought his path to the gold medal all the way from the Brazil qualifier. In the main bracket, Pereira first beat Paulo Brasil (4-0), Rodrigo Ribeiro (DQ) and Thiago Borges in the final (12-0). It was Gutemberg’s first ever title as a black belt in the ADWPJJC.

The harder my bracket is, the sweeter the final victory gets Gutemberg Pereira

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1st – Gutemberg Pereira (Brazil) 2nd – Thiago Borges (United Kingdom) 3rd – Walter dos Santos (Angola)

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Female Brown/Black Belt

The Dethroner Brenda Larissa did what no else had done before. She beat Mayssa Bastos in the ADWPJJC final. In a sweep battle, Larissa built a 3-2 lead that secured her first ever gold medal as a brown/black belt division of the ADWPJJC.

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No one is unbeatable. That’s why I train so hard every day Brenda Larissa

1st – Brenda Larissa (Brazil) 2nd – Mayssa Bastos (Brazil) 3rd – Eliana Carauni (Argentina)

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A Tale of Rivals Fierce rivals, Bianca Basílio and Ana Rodrigues once again battled for the gold medal. Close as always, the match ended with a 1-1 tie and a referees decision win to Bia. Before the final, Basílio beat Amal Amjahid 2-0, Alexa Yanes (1-0) and finished Lisi Vaht.

This is my spot and I work hard to keep it Bianca Basílio

1st – Bianca Basílio (Brazil) 2nd – Ana Rodrigues (Brazil) 3rd – Amal Amjahid (Belgium)

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Simply the Best Beatriz Mesquita was literally unstoppable. She fought seven times and finished five opponents. In the final, she needed less than a minute to catch Larissa Paes in an armbar. Bia reached her sixth gold medal as a black belt in the ADWPJJC.

Perfection is an unattainable goal I pursue in every match Beatriz Mesquita

1st – Beatriz Mesquita (Brazil) 2nd – Larissa Paes (Brazil) 3rd – Margot Ciccarelli (Italy)

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Fierce Beauty Julia Boscher could not contain her smile. The first gold medal as a black belt in the ADWPJJC came with a 2-0 win over Rafaela Bertolot. Before that, she beat Emma Kamaric 18-1 and finished Buyandelger Battsogt.

Enjoy your adventure and victory will be within your reach Julia Boscher

1st – Julia Boscher (Brazil) 2nd – Rafaela Bertolot (Brazil) 3rd – Buyandelger Battsgot (Mongolia) 104

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Gabi still on Top Another fierce rivalry, Gabi Pessanha vs. Yara Soares had another chapter in Abu Dhabi. A thrilling 3-3 tie in a battle of sweeps meant another title for Gabi as she scored last. Pessanha is now a back to back ADWPJJC champion as a black belt.

Every time I step on the match I know it’s going to be harder than before and I am ready for it Gabrieli Pessanha

1st – Gabrieli Pessanha (Brazil) 2nd – Yara Nascimento (Brazil) 3rd – Eleftheria Christodoulou (Cyprus)

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Masters, Color Belts and Teams

International Roster of Talents The international community was well represented in the roster of color belt medalists. No less than 15 nations were represented in the podium of the category. The list includes, UAE, India, Brazil, Tajikistan, Palestine, Denmark, Belgium, Ukraine, Portugal, Russia, Tunisia, Italy and the Philippines. The host country once again showed that the strategy of teaching Jiu Jitsu in schools is working, as Emirati athletes racked up 14 medals in total, three of them gold medals. In the Masters division, seasoned athletes showed once again that they still have what it takes to win on the mats. Here is the list of champions.

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ADULT DIVISION Brown Belt Male 56kg – Samat Aitpanbet (Kazakhstan) 62kg – Lucas Carvalho (Brazil) 69kg – Alessandro Botelho (Brazil) 77kg – Micael Galvão (Brazil) 85kg – Catriel Rodrigues (Brazil) 94kg – Renan Cruz (Brazil) 120kg – Guilherme Guedes (Brazil)

Purple Belt Male 56kg – Zayed Alkatheeri (UAE) 62kg – Omar Al Fadhli (UAE) 69kg – Carlos Henrique (Brazil) 77kg – Mohamed Alamri (UAE) 85kg – Uanderson Ferreira (Brazil) 94kg – Luccas Lira (Brazil) 120kg – Helder Rodrigues (Brazil) Female 49kg – Kacie Tan (Thailand) 55kg – Beatriz Campos (Brazil) 62kg – Sabrina Gondim (Brazil) 70kg – Larissa Santos (Brazil) 95kg – Tamiris Silva (Brazil) Blue Belt Male 56kg – Omar Ali Alsuwaidi (UAE) 62kg – Khaled Alshehhi (UAE) 69kg – Oilson Junior (Brazil) 77kg – William Tregart (Denmark) 85kg – Jose Nduazulu-Ndilu (Belgium) 94kg – Stanislav Shmargun (Ukraine) 120kg – Isa Isaev (Russia) Female 55kg – Aylla Silva (Brazil) 62kg – Shamma Alkalbani (UAE) 70kg – Sarah Fanizza (Belgium) 95kg – Stefania Brancato (Italy) Number 25 - 2021

MASTERS DIVISION Master 1 Male Black Belt 62kg – Paulo Miyao (Brazil) 69kg – Caio Silva (Brazil) 77kg – Alan do Nascimento (Sweden) 85kg – Jaime Canuto (Brazil) 94kg – Adam Wardzinski (Poland) 120kg – Ogor Silva (Brazil) Master 2 Male Black Belt 62kg – Ivanildo Lima (Brazil) 69kg – Elder da Silva (Brazil) 77kg – Samuel Canquerino (Brazil) 85kg – Wisam Ahmad (Jordan) 94kg – Alexandre Moreno (Brazil) 120kg – Antonio Peinado (Brazil) Master 3 Male Black Belt 69kg – Vinicius Cruz (Brazil) 77kg – Rodrigo Campos (Brazil) 85kg – Flavio Serafin (Brazil) 94kg – Thyago Fernandes (Brazil) 120kg – Nei Junior (Brazil) Master 4 Male Black Belt 62kg – Seena Monfaradi (Bahrain) 69kg – Marcio Carreira (Brazil) 77kg – Hassen Moussa (Tunisia) 85kg – Rogerio Maciel (Brazil) 94kg – Marcelo Toscano (Brazil) 120kg – Rodrigo Ribeiro (Brazil) Master 1 Female Black Belt 55kg – Ana Carolina Ardisson (Brazil) 62kg – Eloisa Perez (Spain) 70kg – Buyandelger Battsogt (Mongolia) 95kg – Katiuscia Dias (Guinea-Bissau)

NATIONS PODIUM 1st – Brazil – 22480pts 2nd – UAE – 19760pts 3rd – Russia – 3880pts TEAMS PODIUM 1st – Al Wahda Jiu Jitsu Academy – 13360pts 2nd – Al Ain Jiu Jitsu Club – 5160pts 3rd – Palm Sports – Team 777 – 4720pts

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AGDS RANKING WINNERS

HIGHEST ACHIEVERS WORDS: Ivan Trindade | IMAGES: Ane Nunes

Let’s celebrate the leaders of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour Ranking in the 2020/2021 season

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The size of the prize reflects the size of the challenge. To be a ranking leader in the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour the athlete needs tons of heart, technique and will power. In the 2020/2021 season, the challenge was even bigger, as the COVID-19 pandemic made training, traveling and competing much more difficult.

In the next two pages, we celebrate the seven men and the five women who made it to the top. Through their qualities, they were able to be constant presence in the acute phases of each championship. That’s how they earned the points that secured the top position at the end. Here are the winners.

ADULT MALE BLACK BELT Featherweight (62kg) Lucas Pinheiro (Brazil) – 3800pts – With a gold medal in the ADGS Miami, Lucas started the season in great fashion and then was able to keep the lead until the end.

Light-Featherweight (56kg) Francisco Jonas Andrade (Brazil) – 10,000 points – Four events and four gold medals. The perfect record in the 2020/2021 season granted Jonas the top spot among all athletes in the season.

Lightweight (69kg) Leonardo Saggioro (Brazil) – 4800 points – The gold medal at the ADGS Abu Dhabi was the high point in a consistent campaign by the veteran Saggioro.

Middleweight (85kg) Wellington Sebastião (Brazil) – 4200 points – Sebastião had the highest point in his campaign in Brazil. A gold medal in the ADGS Rio was responsible for most of the points he earned in the season.

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Welterweight (77kg) Lucas Nascimento (Brazil) – 3000 points – Lucas made his way to the top of the ranking with a gold medal in the ADGS Rio. He kept his performance consistent until the end of the season.

Light-Heavyweight (94kg) Gutemberg Pereira (Brazil) – 5400 points - Gold medal in the ADGS Rio and silver medal in the ADGS Abu Dhabi. That’s mostly how Pereira became the ranking leader in the division.

Super-Heavyweight (120kg) Wallace Costa (Brazil) – 6200 points – Two gold medals. First in the ADGS Moscow and finally in the ADGS Abu Dhabi. That’s how Wallace became the ranking leader.

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ADULT FEMALE BROWN/BLACK BELT

Light-Featherweight (55kg) Amanda Canuto (Brazil) – 4800 points – Amanda was consistent throughout the season. She was a constant presence in podium ceremonies and that’s how she won the race for the ranking.

Roosterweight (49kg) Brenda Larissa (Brazil) – 5400 points – Silver in the ADGS Rio and gold in the ADGS Abu Dhabi. That’s how Brenda made it to the top of the ranking in her weight class.

Lightweight (62kg) Andreia Cavalcante (Brazil) – 3600 points – Another upcoming talent, Andreia relied in a consistent campaign to reach the top of the podium. The strategy worked and she finished the season as leader.

Middleweight (70kg) Julia Boscher (Brazil) – 6000 points – With two gold medals in the season, in Rio and Abu Dhabi, Julia was able to lead the ranking and finish first. She’s an upcoming talent that will continue to leave her mark in the future.

Heavyweight (95kg) Yara Nascimento (Brazil) – 5400 points – Yara finished the season with a strong showing in Abu Dhabi, as she secured the gold medal. A silver medal in Rio was another huge result for the Brazilian talent.

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ABU DHABI

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WORLD TOUR

SEASON OF RESILIENCE

WORDS: Ivan Trindade | IMAGES: AJP

With hard work and dedication to Jiu Jitsu, the AJP was able to deliver local events all over the world in a year marked by unprecedented challenges The 2020/2021 season was special for many different reasons. The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic made the hosting of local events much more difficult. Even so, our team was able to power through the difficulties and able to follow local regulations to make events happen. The number of events was reduced when compared to previous seasons, but athletes still had the chance to test their talents around the globe. In the next pages, we will revisit each one of those events.

ZURICH

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AJP TOUR ZURICH INTERNATIONAL PRO

SWITZERLAND SEPTEMBER 12, 2020

UKRAINE

ODESSA

AJP TOUR ODESSA INTERNATIONAL PRO

SEPTEMBER 12, 2020

MOSCOW

AJP TOUR MOSCOW INTERNATIONAL PRO

RUSSIA SEPTEMBER 13, 2020

Jiu-Jitsu World

ALMERE

SHANGHAI

CUIABÁ

MOSCOW

Number 25 - 2021

AJP TOUR ALMERE INTERNATIONAL PRO

THE NETHERLANDS SEPTEMBER 19, 2020

BRASÍLIA

AJP TOUR CHINA NATIONAL PRO

CHINA NOVEMBER 21, 2020

RIO DE JANEIRO

AJP TOUR CUIABÁ INTERNATIONAL PRO

BRAZIL DECEMBER 20, 2020

AJP TOUR RUSSIA NATIONAL PRO

RUSSIA DECEMBER 20, 2020

GUARAPARI

AJP TOUR BRASÍLIA INTERNATIONAL PRO

AJP TOUR RIO DE JANEIRO INTERNATIONAL PRO

AJP TOUR GUARAPARI INTERNATIONAL PRO

BRAZIL OCT. 31 – NOV. 1, 2020

BRAZIL DECEMBER 4, 2020

BRAZIL JANUARY 31, 2021

113

AJP TOUR BRAZIL NATIONAL PRO

BRAZIL FEBRUARY 14, 2021

KYIV

AJP TOUR TOUR KYIV INTERNATIONAL PRO

UKRAINE MARCH 6, 2021

MOSCOW

AJP TOUR MOSCOW INTERNATIONAL PRO

RUSSIA MARCH 13, 2021

CURITIBA

SAINT PETESBURG

114

AJP TOUR SAINT PETESBURG INTERNATIONAL PRO

SYDNEY

ABU DHABI

UAE

AJP TOUR OCEANIA CONTINENTAL PRO

AUSTRALIA MARCH 6, 2021

AJP TOUR ABU DHABI INTERNATIONAL PRO

UAE MARCH 12-13, 2021

AJP TOUR UAE NATIONAL PRO

DUBAI JUNE 4-5, 2021

RUSSIA MARCH 20, 2021

Jiu-Jitsu World

BRUSQUE

AJP TOUR SOUTH AMERICA CONTINENTAL PRO

BRAZIL JUNE 5-6, 2021

BURGAS

GANEI TIKVA

BEIJING

AJP TOUR BEIJING INTERNATIONAL PRO

CHINA JUNE 19, 2021

GRAMADO

DUBAI

Number 25 - 2021

AJP TOUR BULGARIA NATIONAL PRO

BULGARIA JUNE 5, 2021

AJP TOUR ISRAEL NATIONAL PRO

ISRAEL JUNE 12-13, 2021

AJP TOUR GRAMADO INTERNATIONAL PRO

BRAZIL JUNE 19-20, 2021

AJP TOUR ASIA CONTINENTAL PRO

UAE JULY 9-10, 2021

115

ABU DHABI

116

Jiu-Jitsu World