The first day of the three-day Gi round featured Under-18, Adults and Masters competitors, with results across the divisions contributing to club standings as the championship approaches its eighth and final round.
Baniyas entered the weekend already leading the overall Gi standings, ahead of Palms Sports – Team 777 and Al Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club. Friday’s showing therefore strengthened its position at a stage when opportunities to recover points are narrowing and performances across age and weight categories carry increasing importance.
Competition was tightly contested across the three opening-day categories. The Under-18 contests brought together emerging athletes, while the Adults division featured more established competitors and the Masters field added experienced practitioners whose results also counted towards their teams’ totals.
Saad Ali Abdullah of Al Jazira Jiu-Jitsu Club won gold in the Masters 85kg division, helping his team secure second place for the day. He said every bout mattered because individual results fed directly into club points, placing an emphasis on consistency as well as personal medal ambitions.
Abdullah also highlighted the benefit of having athletes from different age groups competing within the same team structure, saying experienced competitors could pass knowledge to younger teammates while younger athletes brought energy to the group.
Mohamed Hussain Al Marzooqi, a board member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, said the seventh round demonstrated the championship’s ability to bring together athletes across age groups while giving clubs a regular measure of progress and readiness.
He said the competition had become an important part of the season because repeated competitive exposure allowed technical teams to assess athletes and helped prepare national team contenders for international events. With the championship entering its decisive phase, he added, every category had a role in supporting the overall team result.
Mohamed Haji Al Khoori, Director General of the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, said the range of ages and experience levels reflected the work clubs were doing to develop athletes and maintain competitive readiness. He said the format also helped identify talent capable of progressing to higher levels.
Al Khoori noted that the scoring structure meant young athletes and veteran competitors alike could influence their clubs’ positions, increasing the importance of each match and encouraging teams to draw on the depth of their squads.
Antonio Peinado, coach at Al Wahda Jiu-Jitsu Academy, said technical details become increasingly significant at this point of the season, including preparation, match management and the selection of athletes for different categories. He said the combination of Under-18, Adult and Masters competitors gave clubs a broader base from which to pursue points.
The seventh round is part of the championship’s third edition and is organised by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation. The event runs from September 18 to 20 at Mubadala Arena, with male and female athletes from clubs and academies across the UAE taking part.
The opening-day programme was attended by officials including Al Khoori and Al Marzooqi, along with Humaid Ahmed Al Rumaithi, chief executive for food security at Silal Group, and Hadi Al Askari, Mubadala’s vice-president for partnerships, community outreach and events. They were among those presenting medals to winners.
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