Abu Dhabi, September: Preparations for the 18th Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship are gathering pace, with the Organising Committee outlining plans to accommodate more international athletes and global media, while advancing preparations for the opening ceremony. The championship will take place at Mubadala Arena, Abu Dhabi, from November 9-21.
The plans were discussed during a meeting chaired by H.E. Mohamed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation and Chairman of the Organising Committee.
The meeting was attended by, Mohamed Hussain Al Marzooqi, Federation Board Member and Vice Chairman of the Organising Committee; Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, Secretary General of the Federation; Fouad Fahmi Darwish, CEO of Palms Sports; Tareq Al Bahri, General Manager of the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro (AJP); and Abdullah Salem Al Zaabi, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications at the Federation and Championship Director.
The committee set out its priorities for the next stage of preparations, including increased outreach to athletes and academies around the world. Plans also focus on delivering high-quality experience for the growing number of participants, particularly those travelling to Abu Dhabi from overseas.
The committee discussed ways to increase local participation across the championship’s different categories.
Plans to expand the championship’s international media reach were also reviewed, including closer coordination with partners, outreach to international combats sports media and working with selected influencers to promote the event to a wider audience. The committee also reviewed plans for the opening ceremony.
H.E. Mohamed Salem Al Dhaheri said: “Preparations are moving ahead quickly as we get closer to the championship. Our focus now is on accommodating the increasing number of athletes and academies from around the world and working closely with our partners to expand the international reach of the 18th edition.
“The Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship has grown year after year and become one of the biggest events for leading athletes and academies. We want to continue delivering the championship to the highest standards, in line with Abu Dhabi’s position reputation as a global destination for jiu-jitsu.”
Mohamed Hussain Al Marzooqi added: “The meeting set clear priorities for the next stage of preparations. We will closely monitor registration numbers and identify categories that can include more athletes, while focusing on key regions from which we expect greater participation. We will also expand media access to welcome more international media and reach a wider jiu-jitsu audience around the world.
“We are also working to elevate the opening ceremony experience by using new technology in different parts of the programme. At the same time, we will welcome more members of international media across different channels. Our focus now is on putting these plans into action, following their progress and measuring the results.”
The 18th edition continues to attract registrations from around the world, with around 12,000 athletes expected to take part this year.
