July 17, 2023
In addition to the intense US National, which took place in Atlanta, three other countries opened their doors to receive the action-packed AJP tournaments. Between Mexico, Brazil, and Malaysia, athletes and fight fans had a multitude of options to look forward to, whether in person or through the AJPTour.tv. Check out below the highlights of each championship!
Yuri Hendrex takes the double gold at the North America Continental
Taking place between July 14th and 16th in the beautiful Mexican city of Cancun, the AJP Tour North America Continental Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023 was the place to be this weekend. After welcoming the promising Youths on the first day and the experienced Masters on the second, the Professional category took over the three fight areas set up in the Poliforum Playa del Carmen to give a memorable showing of technique and mettle.
Among the great warriors that stepped on the organization’s mats on the final day, Brazilian Yuri Hendrex (PSLPB Cícero Costha) stole the spotlight by taking the coveted double gold. Yuri started his campaign with his gi in the 62kg division, submitting Rafael Gomez (Affinity Studios Colombia) in the semis before reaching the last match of the bracket. In the gold round, another submission, this time against Enrique Guerrero (Alfa EC JiuJitsu), would put Yuri atop the division’s podium and set the tone for his return later that day.
Brimming with confidence, Yuri stepped onto the mats once more, this time aiming for the no-gi title. On his way stood the local Mario Navarrete (Wolfpack Jiu Jitsu Mexico) in a best-of-three bracket, but Yuri didn’t slow down and submitted once again to take the first win. In the second and last bout, Yuri used his technical know-how to overcome Mario, landing a 10-3 score to take his second gold medal.
Check the full results here!
Muhamad Fikri wins two gold medals in Malaysia
On Saturday, July 15th, athletes of all ages and graduations were welcomed at the AJP Tour Johor Bahru International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023. With two fight areas positioned in the Educity Sports Complex, warriors from all corners of the world made their way to Malaysia, seizing yet another opportunity to test their skills and rise through the ranking.
The Indonesian purple belt Muhamad Fikri (Gracie Barra South Jakarta) rose to prominence after conquering two gold medals. First, in the 77kg bracket, Muhamad dominated Thanapat Detharn (Gato Studio BJJ) with a 16-1 score. Then, in the final, a well-placed submission gave Muhamad the upper hand against the Vietnamese Duc Lam (Gisdio) to earn his first title.
Later, in the Open Lightweight bracket, Muhamad started by submitting fellow countryman and teammate Willy Hong in the semifinals. In the final round, the Emirati brown belt Yousof Alhosani (ADNOC) posed a real threat to the Indonesian’s campaign, but Muhamad used his technical prowess to land the scoreboard at 4-1 and overcome the last obstacle in the way of his hard-earned gold medal.
Check out the full results here!
Iranslav Neoral and Daniel Martins take the absolute title at the South Brazil Regional
On Sunday, July 16th, Brazilian athletes swarmed the city of São José dos Pinhais for the AJP Tour South Brazil Regional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023. With six fight areas and 800 points in the ranking for each gold medalist, the Centro de Esporte e Lazer Max Rosenmann became a battlefield for colored belts looking to accrue the necessary experience to reach the next level of their training and black belts hungry to add another achievement to their names.
Iranslav Neoral (Alicerce Jiujitsu) and Daniel Martins (Alliance Mario Reis) were the highlights of the day after each fought hard and conquered their respective absolute divisions. In the Open Lightweight bracket, Iranslav began his golden path by submitting Lucas Baia (Ocsjj) in the semifinal. Then, in the final round, Iranslav fought a very balanced match against Gustavo Silva (Checkmat International), taking the top spot on the podium by a 5-4 score.
In the Open Heavyweight division, Daniel Martins had to face two opponents to reach the gold medal. First, he outscored Andre Luiz Catanhede (Al Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club) by 2-0 in the semifinals. In the last match, Daniel once again showed his technique and used the scoreboard to beat Itamar Biondo (Ocsjj) by 3-1, taking the win and the absolute title.
