In addition to its high-quality tournaments and ruleset that favors athletes, AJP also takes pride in the number of championships it promotes every weekend, making sure that competitors have their pick when it comes to putting their skills and training to the test. This time around, the organization went above and beyond expectations, putting out no less than ten tournaments across eight different countries over the course of the last two days. We have a lot of ground to cover, so fasten your seatbelts, and let’s check out the highlights from each championship!
AJP Tour UAE National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024
Professional black belts shine as they fight for the gold in Abu Dhabi
With three days of fighting scheduled, the UAE National took over the Mubadala Arena and gave local and foreign athletes a chance to get a taste of glory in the organization’s birthplace, but while every single athlete that chose to face the odds in such a battlefield is praiseworthy, the competitors from the Professional black belt category rose to the mats and showed everyone why they’re part of Jiu-Jitsu’s elite.
Starting in the men’s side, the 69kg division was dominated by Omar Alfadhli (Al Wahda Club Jiu-Jitsu Academy), who submitted twice to reach the final and then outscored Diego Marinho (A.F.N.T) by 5-0 for the title. Jefferson Alves (Commando Group) scored 5-3 to beat his teammate Adriano Araujo in the 77kg division, while the 85kg bracket saw another battle between the team’s members, as Lucas Giraud landed a winning submission against Uanderson Ferreira for the gold. Another Commando Group representative, Dennis Souza overcame two opponents and outscored Jakson Bernardo (Palm Sports – Team 777) by 3-1 for the 94kg division title and, in the heaviest division, Wallace Costa (GF Team) submitted Ithalo Lopes (Al Wahda Club Jiu-Jitsu Academy) to climb the 120kg podium.
In the women’s brown/black category, the 55kg division saw Ariadne de Oliveira (Al Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club) scoring 6-2 against Asma Alhosani (Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club) for the title, while Gabriela Pereira (Vision BJJ) left no room for doubts and submitted twice to become the 62kg division champion. Last but not least, the 70kg gold medal was conquered by Rafaela Bertolot (Al Wahda Club Jiu-Jitsu Academy), after the athlete scored an astounding 16-2 against Marwa Alhosani (Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club)
Check out the full results here!
AJP Tour Amman International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024
Abdullah Jaweesh rises to the challenge and takes double gold in Jordan
On Friday, February 2nd, the Sports Palace Hall welcomed colored and black belts to its mats, where they put their training on the line as they fought for ranking points and glory, but one local brown belt stood out among his peers as he used his technical know-how to fight and conquer the double gold.
Representing Knights Martial Arts, 21-year-old Abdullah Jaweesh started off in the 69kg bracket, where he went toe-to-toe against Iraqi Mohammad Almishhadani (Samy Al Jamal/Fit Jiu-Jitsu). The battle was not an easy one, as neither athlete allowed themselves to be caught in a submission, but by the time the clock ran out, a 10-5 scoreboard pointed to Abdullah as the division champion, giving him the confidence he needed to advance for his next challenge.
That challenge, as it turns out, was even more difficult than the first. Abdullah took off his gi and stepped onto the mats to fight for the Professional black belt 69kg title. Standing across the battlefield, Jordan’s black belt Khaled Alharahsheh (Top Champion Academy) had experience on his side, but Abdullah did not falter and let his Jiu-Jitsu do the talking, overcoming the odds and taking the win with a 6-1 score.
Check out the full results here!
AJP Tour Brazil National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024
João Bezerra, Beatriz Mendonça, and Jeane Pinto conquer the double gold in Fortaleza
On February 3rd and 4th, the Ginásio Paulo Sarasate set up the AJP mats and welcomed athletes from all ages and graduations, giving one and all a chance to earn valuable points as they put their training to the test. Among the many champions that rose in the tournament, three Professional black belts stole the spotlight with their performances, which landed them the event’s double gold.
Starting in the 77kg bracket, João Bezerra (Bravos Fight Team) defeated two opponents before taking his place in the final, where outscored Israel Almeida (GF Team) by 4-2 for the title. He later returned to the mats for the Open Lightweight division, in which he submitted both Eduardo Forte (Gracie Barra) and Jonatan Souza (Commando Group) to seize his second gold.
Another athlete who conquered both her weight division and the Open weight bracket was Beatriz Mendonça (Bravos Fight Team). The Brazilian athlete kicked off her campaign in the 62kg division, where she scored Eduarda Macena (Campeões do Amanhã) by 4-0 in the semis and then landed a 5-0 against Gisleine Pessoa (Karkara) to climb the podium. Later, at the Open Lightweight division, Beatriz beat Raissa Morais (CT UBT) by 8-0 and had a rematch against Eduarda Macena in the final, ending the bout with a 6-1 score.
Still in the women’s brown/black category, Jeane Pinto (Checkmat International) spared no efforts as she pursued gold and glory in her home country. In the 95kg bracket, she scored 7-0 against Leticia Correia (Ser Jiu Jitsu) in the semifinal and then submitted Monaliza Abreu (PSLPB Cícero Costha) for the title. Her second gold came at the Open Heavyweight division, where she first submitted Eudina dos Santos (Hope Jiu Jitsu) and then closed the day with an 8-2 score against Juliana Noronha (TFT Maranhão).
Check out the full results here!
AJP Tour Siberia Regional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024
Yaroslav Rymashevkii takes double gold in Novosibirsk
Also taking place on February 3rd and 4th, the Siberia Regional took over the Lokomotiv Arena and provided fight fans with two days of stellar performances and promising athletes in the city of Novosibirsk, but the ADXC 2 champion and brown belt Yaroslav Rymashevkii (Strela Team) had one of the most memorable journeys of the tournament, steeling his resolve after a setback in his weight division and then conquering the double gold.
After biting the silver medal in the 69kg bracket, Yaroslav returned to the mats determined to once again taste victory, and he chose to do so in the challenging brown/black Open Heavyweight division. He started by scoring last in a 3-3 tie against Iurii Kuznetsov (Checkmat International), followed by a submission over teammate Ignatiy Bufeev, and then took the title after a hard-earned 1-0 against Roman Savelyev, also from Strela Team.
With one gold medal hanging from his shoulders, Yaroslav returned on the following day, this time gunning for the No-Gi 69kg title. To reach his goal, he fought twice against Valery Gusarov (Academy Zenit Russia), winning first by submission and then seizing his prize after a 4-2 victory.
Check out the full results here!
AJP Tour Slovakia National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024
Luiz Henrique Betta and Eldar Rafigaev take the Professional gold in Bratislava
On Saturday, February 3rd, the Športová Hala was the stage on which athletes let the strength of their training and the might of their Jiu-Jitsu do the talking as they sought to both climb the podium and earn those sweet ranking points. Among the fray, two Professional black belts stood out with their performances and grit to reach the gold in the 120kg division.
First, the Brazilian Luiz Henrique Betta (Vision BJJ) fought twice to take the division title in the gi. His journey started with complete domination over the Polish Lukasz Przybylski (Checkmat International), scoring 14-2 before landing a submission to advance to the final against Moldova’s Eldar “Yakusa” Rafigaev (Jungle BJJ). This time, the opponent gave Luiz Henrique a run for his money and both athletes fought a well-balanced duel throughout the five minutes of regulated time, but the Brazilian came out on top with a tight 1-0 score to climb the podium.
Later, Eldar Rafigaev found his way back to the mats, determined to overcome his previous setback and leave the venue with the gold medal hanging from his shoulders. His goal now was the No-Gi 120kg division title and he had to go through Lukasz Przybylski to reach it. Having fought and beaten Lukasz in the gi, Eldar was more familiar with his adversary and was able to successfully use his game to earn a quicker win, submitting the Polish athlete and becoming the 120kg No-Gi division champion.
Check out the full results here!
AJP Tour Maintal International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024
Professionals Paulo da Silva and Jafar Bayudal Tamimi seize the gold in Germany
Still on Saturday, the Budo Arena Maintal welcomed athletes of all ages, graduations, and nationalities to put their skills to the test in a recognized stage. Youths, Amateurs, and even Masters fought valiantly, but the Professional division stole the spotlight as the fighters left their hearts on the mats to become AJP champions.
In the 120kg division, Belgium’s black belt Paulo da Silva (Gracie Barra Anderlecht) went toe-to-toe against the German Paul Schmidtke (Six Blades Jiu-Jitsu) for the title. With two minutes and 20 seconds on the clock, Paulo opened his toolbox and let his Jiu-Jitsu run rampant, scoring 6-0 before ultimately submitting to take the gold.
Meanwhile, in the brown belt category, Palestinian Jafar Bayudal Tamimi (BJJ Team Basel) went all-out for the 77kg division title. His campaign started with an 11-2 against Brazil’s Chris Fritsche (GF Team), but soon he found his way to the final and scored last in a 1-1 tie against the local Nico Pulvermuller (Zr Team Association) to take his rightful place atop the podium.
Check out the full results here!
AJP Tour Bangkok International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024
Orapa Senatham takes the double gold in Thailand
On that same Saturday, February 3rd, the Island Hall in Bangkok welcomed one and all to its mats as competitors from all ages and graduations got ready for a memorable afternoon of fighting. The Professional black belt Orapa Senatham (JJAT) was a standout at the tournament, using her skills to conquer not just one but two gold medals.
First, in the 77kg division, Orapa had a challenging duel against teammate Onanong Sangsirichok. With neither athlete yielding to a submission, the fight took up the five minutes of regulated time and was well-balanced at all moments, but Orapa made key movements that awarded her a 2-1 victory and her first title on that day.
Later, Orapa came back for more and entered the Open Heavyweight division determined to once again climb the podium. She ended up facing Onanong yet again and another lengthy battle ensued, as the teammates sized each other up and took extra care to not let a quick attack spell their undoing. This time around, Orapa felt more comfortable during the match, which was reflected in the 6-0 final score that put a second gold medal around her shoulders.
Check out the full results here!
AJP Tour Bishkek International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024
Altynbek Abdraimov and Eldarbek Ergeshbaev take titles from one another in Kyrgyzstan
On Sunday, February 4th, the Gymnasium School 29 was the battlefield that received warriors from all over the world, each more hungry than the last for the glory of being called a champion in their respective categories, but two local black belts found themselves locked in a rivalry that entertained fight fans and promises to add even more fire to their future competitions.
The Professional 77kg division was the first time that Altynbek Abdraimov (Lion Academy) went up against Eldarbek Ergeshbaev (Kyrgyzstan Top Team). With his gi game on point, Altynbek gave his opponent no room for comfort, scoring 4-0 before ultimately submitting and taking the division title. But that would not be their last meeting on that day.
Their second duel came sooner than they expected, specifically in the No-Gi 77kg division. This time around, Eldarbek was determined to not be beaten again, and this resolve propelled him to a hard-earned victory over Altynbek. Their battle lasted the entirety of the regulated time and after those five minutes were up, Eldarbek’s efforts were rewarded with the 4-1 score that landed him atop the podium.
Check out the full results here!
AJP Tour Gramado International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024
Cintia Honorato conquers the double gold in Brazil
Still on Sunday, the Ginásio Municipal de Esportes Perinão opened its doors for athletes of all ages and graduations to show the fruits of their labor as they sought both their division titles and the points they need to climb the rankings. A standout among in the Professional category, the local Cintia Honorato (Equipe A) left no room for doubt when it came to her prowess and conquered the double gold at the tournament.
First, in the 95kg division, Cintia went up against teammate Vitória Pires for her first gold. Despite hailing from the same team, Cintia completely overpowered her opponent, landing the winning submission with less than a minute on the clock. She then returned to the mats with her eyes set on the Open Heavyweight division, where Kathiuri Novelletto (PCC Jiu-Jitsu) was ready to pump the brakes on Cintia’s advance. There were no submissions this time around but Cintia still dominated throughout the five minutes of regulated time, ending the match at a sound 14-2 to take the win and her second title on that day.
Check out the full results here!
AJP Tour Guarapari International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024
Leticia Wambier takes the triple gold in Brazil
On that same Sunday, February 4th, the Complexo Esportivo Maurice Santos was the stage upon which Brazilian and foreign athletes could showcase their talent and seek recognition as they fought to become champions. The highlight was the unstoppable Leticia Wambier (Striker JJ), a 24-year-old Professional black belt who made waves at the tournament by conquering no less than three gold medals on the same day.
Her campaign began at the 62kg division, where she took complete control of the bracket by submitting Camila Assis (Commando Group) in the semifinal and then scoring 13-1 against Samira Souza (Vinny JJ) for the title. She later returned to the battlefield for the Open Lightweight division, going through two tough battles as she defeated Grasielle Brandão (GF Team) via referee’s decision and then beat Samira Souza again, this time by a narrow 1-0 score.
Her final appearance at the tournament came at the No-Gi 62kg division, where she gave Camila Assis a rematch and landed yet another submission over her countrywoman to take her third and last gold medal on that day.
Check out the full results here!
