August 1, 2023
Another month has come and gone, bringing with it another pack of tournaments to satisfy even the most tireless athletes around the world. As the weekends progressed and brought AJP’s on-brand action to many countries, competitors of all ages and graduations gave their blood, sweat, and tears to show what they’re made of. But regardless of how many matches were fought and medals were conquered, the horizon still holds many opportunities for those looking to challenge their knowledge and test themselves within the organization.
So without further ado, here are the highlights of July!
UAE National: Zayed Alkatheeri and Yara Kakish overpower their opponents in Abu Dhabi
From July 7th to the 9th, the AJP Tour UAE National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023 brought the organization back to the modern Mubadala Arena for another round of blood-pumping displays of technique. With the first and second days reserved for youths and masters respectively, the third and final day brought about a show of its own, as professional black belts made their way onto the mats to fight for glory in the heart of the AJP.
Fighting for the 62kg division title, Zayed Alkatheeri once again rose to the mats not only aiming to win but also to impress. After submitting Bernardo Moraes in the semis, the Emirati rising star went toe-to-toe against Sam Teague in the gold round. With flawless rhythm, Zayed swept, passed the guard, put his knee on the opponent’s stomach, and even took the back. When the match finally ended, Zayed was crowned the champion by a whooping 18-2.
On the women’s side, Yara Kakish had a great campaign in the 95kg bracket. First, she fought a balanced match against Priscila Assunção, coming out on top by 1-0. Then, in the final, Yara fought an intense duel against Stephany Vieira, taking the lead in the scoreboard after passing the opponent’s legs and landing at the north-south position. Yara stayed on top during most of the match and sealed the deal with a well-placed kimura to take the gold.
US National: Women steal the show with outstanding performances in Atlanta
On July 15th, spirits were high as athletes headed to Atlanta for the AJP Tour US National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023. The event, which took place at the Georgia Convention Center, received many promising competitors from the north american country and showcased how far the US has come since its humble beginnings in the gentle art.
While all categories had great duels, the women’s brown/black division had fans on the edge of their seats. First, Randryely Souza seized the initiative in the 62kg final and used an omoplata lock to go up and beat Leilani Bernales by 2-1. Then, 70kg Debora Alves used a guard pass that almost ended in a mount to score 1-0 over Devin Topping.
Finally, in the 95kg bracket, Brenda Palheta and Jennifer Case fought a balanced match for the division gold. A guard player, Brenda did her job and put a stop to Jennifer’s advances, resulting in a stalemate that was broken when the latter used an illegal grip on the pants, resulting in a 1-0 score and the gold medal for Brenda Palheta.
Portugal National: Pedro Cadete scores big in Cascais to keep the gold in Portugal
The AJP Tour Portugal National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023 took place on July 23rd, in the Pavilhão Guilherme Pinto Basto. As the seven fight areas were set up across the arena, athletes swarmed the city of Cascais to take part in the tournament and, hopefully, rise to the top of their respective podiums.
While fans at the arena and those that watched the competition live on AJPTour.tv saw plenty of action throughout the competition, Portuguese black belt Pedro Cadete was arguably one of the best warriors to step onto the organization’s mats. Fighting for the 120kg division gold, the 24-year-old athlete started his campaign by outscoring Eldar Rafigaev in the semis.
For the final round, Pedro’s skills were on full display as he went up against Marco Pereira in an explosive match that saw the former make two guard attempts and then promptly go for the mount. Marco even managed to escape and go up, but Pedro quickly landed a sweep and closed the scoreboard at a whooping 11-1 and rose to the top spot of the podium.
North America Continental: Yuri Hendrex takes the double gold in Cancún
In the paradisiac setting of Cancún, the AJP Tour North America Continental Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023 took place between July 14th and 16th. After hosting the youths on the first day and masters on the second, the three fight areas set up in the Poliforum Playa del Carmen were piping hot to receive the black belt professionals on the third and final day of the competition.
Among the many great battles fought that day, the 62kg division was a real show-stealer. The main reason for that was the performances put out by Yuri Hendrex, the PSLPB Cícero Costha representative that fought with and without the gi to take the coveted double gold. First, in the gi, Yuri submitted Rafael Gomez in the semis and then proceeded to the final, where another submission would defeat Enrique Guerrero and put the Brazilian atop the podium.
Later that day, Yuri returned to the mats without the gi and had to face Mario Navarrete twice to complete his flawless campaign. After submitting in the first bout, Yuri used his technical prowess to outscore Mario in the final match of the bracket, cementing his win with a 10-3 on the scoreboard.
