The Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship is back for another instalment under the guidance of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF).
Now in its 16th year, the championship has developed into the world's biggest and richest jiu-jitsu event and draws elite men, women, youth and veteran practitioners from far and wide.
What is it?
The Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, popularly known as the World Pro, is the highlight of the UAEJJF’s annual calendar of events.
The event had humble beginnings with just over 100 fighters but has grown enormously over the years. This year it has drawn over 9,000 entries from 137 countries. The winners in the elite class will receive the Abu Dhabi world championship belts.
It was renamed the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship in 2012. Then an Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro (AJP) world tour was introduced in 2022 for fighters from every region to qualify.
At the conclusion of the championship there is a gala awards ceremony to present various prizes including crowning the best male and female jiu-jitsu fighters in the world.
Where does it take place?
Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City.
When is it and what is the schedule?
Nov 6-7: Abu Dhabi World Festival Jiu-Jitsu Championship for kids.
Nov 7: Abu Dhabi World Para Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Nov 8-9: Abu Dhabi World Youth Championship.
Nov 10-11: Abu Dhabi World Amateur Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Nov 12-13: Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Nov 14-16: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Nov 17: UAEJJF Annual Awards Night.
The action takes place between 10am and 6pm every day.
What they said
Abdulmunam Al Hashemi, chairman of the UAEJJF, president of the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Union, and senior vice president of the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said: “We are delighted to welcome the athletes and fans to a championship event that has drawn a record 9,000 participants from 137 countries.
“This championship unites the world’s best talent to showcase their skills and elevate their global rankings, further establishing Abu Dhabi as a global jiu-jitsu hub.”
Saud Abdulaziz Al Hosani, undersecretary of the Department of Tourism and Culture, said: “Since the inception of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, the martial art sport has flourished in the UAE and around the world.
“Thanks to the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s efforts and our wise leadership's support, Abu Dhabi has become a global sports hub and the world’s jiu-jitsu capital.”
Aref Al Awani, general secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, added: “We commend the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation for their dedication to performing at the highest level, showcasing the exceptional skills of our young athletes as they compete alongside international contenders.”
Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, general secretary of UAEJJF, said: “The World Pro provides a platform for jiu-jitsu fighters at all levels. We have the elite who are full-time jiu-jitsu fighters, the veterans who are still very active and some even continue to compete as professionals.
“Then we have the rising stars in the Abu Dhabi World Youths, a championship for people of determination as well as the amateurs and those who practice the martial art for recreation and travel all the way from different parts of the world. The World Pro covers all areas and that's why it's so unique as a world event.”
Is there prize money?
Yes, there is a prize pot of three million dirhams.
Who are the fighters to look out for?
The men’s black belt Brazilians Meyran Alves (69kg), Uanderson Ferreira (85kg), Felipe Andrew Silva (94kg), Felipe Bezerra (120kg), and Emiratis Mohammed Al Suwaidi (62kg) and Zayed Al Katheeri (69kg) are among the top fighters.
In the women’s division, Ariadne de Oliveira and Maria Nunes (both 55kg), Sabatha Santos (70kg) and Leticia dos Santos (95kg) all from Brazil are expected to do well.
Are tickets available?
Admission is free at the venue.
Is it on television?
You can watch on Abu Dhabi Sports Channel, or on YouTube here.
'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Our legal advisor
Rasmi Ragy is a senior counsel at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Prosecutor in Egypt with more than 40 years experience across the GCC.
Education: Ain Shams University, Egypt, in 1978.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
The past winners
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2010 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2011 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2012 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2013 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2015 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2017 - Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 0
Liverpool 2 (Mane 50', 54')
Red card: Andreas Christensen (Chelsea)
Man of the match: Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Story%20behind%20the%20UAE%20flag
%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20flag%20was%20first%20unveiled%20on%20December%202%2C%201971%2C%20the%20day%20the%20UAE%20was%20formed.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIt%20was%20designed%20by%20Abdullah%20Mohammed%20Al%20Maainah%2C%2019%2C%20an%20Emirati%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMr%20Al%20Maainah%20said%20in%20an%20interview%20with%20%3Cem%3EThe%20National%3C%2Fem%3E%20in%202011%20he%20chose%20the%20colours%20for%20local%20reasons.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20black%20represents%20the%20oil%20riches%20that%20transformed%20the%20UAE%2C%20green%20stands%20for%20fertility%20and%20the%20red%20and%20white%20colours%20were%20drawn%20from%20those%20found%20in%20existing%20emirate%20flags.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
