November 8, 2023

After an entire week of action with youths, amateurs, and masters, the professional category makes its way to the Mubadala Arena for the beginning of the long-awaited Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023. This Wednesday, November 8th, competitors from all over the world put their skills and training to the test on the country qualifiers, as they fought for a spot in the main bracket of the tournament.

While the purple and brown belt categories had plenty of action, the black belt matches were, as usual, a standout. Hungry to take a step closer to the coveted ADWPJJC title, athletes climbed the AJP mats and gave the crowds a taste of what they could expect for the following days of the competition. With its brackets always full of stars, the Brazilian qualifiers were a show in itself for the fans. Check out the highlights below!

In the men's 56kg division, Thalison Soares came out on top by facing and beating his four opponents in the round-robin to secure his spot in the main bracket. In the 69kg division, Israel Almeida and Alex Sodre had the classic Brazilian duel between GFTeam and Nova União, with Israel winning by a 3-2 score. Last year's champion in the under-85kg division, Fellipe Andrew faced the 94kg qualifier, beat Marcelo Gomide, and got himself into the main bracket. In the 120kg division, Master 1 champion Felipe Bezerra went full throttle and beat Matheus "Tá Danado" Xavier in the final to fight for the gold tomorrow.

In the women's under-49kg category, Mayssa Bastos confirmed her favoritism and beat Flavia Quintareli, saving her spot in the main bracket this Thursday. In the 62kg division, Larissa Martins beat Maria Luiza in an outstanding match to fight for the gold. After fighting in the ADXC, Vitoria Gabriella went all-in at the 70kg qualifier, saving her spot on tomorrow's draw. Meanwhile, in the 95kg division, Yara Soares won three matches and is now confirmed in the main bracket.

With the qualifiers sorted and the athletes who'll be fighting tomorrow unveiled, it's time to get ready for the main bracket. This Thursday, November 9th, the sport's elite will head to the mats and put on their best performance in hopes of making it into the finals of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023, which takes place on Friday, November 10th. Don't miss out on a second of the action and follow all the thrills of the ADWPJJC 2023 live on TX7.ae!