ADGS RIO: REMEMBER THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TOURNAMENT THAT OPENS THE AJP WORLD TOUR CALENDAR

ADGS RIO: REMEMBER THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TOURNAMENT THAT OPENS THE AJP WORLD TOUR CALENDARa year ago

May 17, 2023

Since 2015, Rio de Janeiro has been one of the greatest stages of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour. With our eyes fixed on the 2023 edition, which takes place between June 9th and 11th, and with registration extended until June 5th, we bring you some of the great moments that made this one of the most important tournaments in the Brazilian calendar.

The ADGS Rio gold medal has been tantalizing since the very first edition. If you’re looking for proof, look no further than 2015, when World Pro champions Erberth Santos and Tayane Porfírio rose to the top of the tournament’s podium alongside the likes of João and Paulo Miyao, Celsinho Vinicius, and other high-profile athletes.

In the 2016 edition, the first one held at the Arena Carioca (a gymnasium built for the 2016 Olympic Games that still hosts AJP tournaments in Brazil), a breathtaking final with Felipe Preguiça and Xande Ribeiro had everyone talking about it throughout the year. Faisal Al-Ketibe, black belt representing the UAE National Team, won that year’s gold in the under-94kg no-gi contest.

Isaque Bahiense was the big name at ADGS Rio in 2017. Just a few months into his black belt, he reached the final round of the under-85kg bracket and beat the resilient Gustavo Batista, taking the gold. Patrick Gaudio and Hiago George were also champions that year.

In 2018, it was Kaynan Duarte’s turn to shine in the 94kg bracket, while the young Gabi Pessanha took her first steps in the brown/black division, winning in the 90kg category. In the following year, Diego Pato, Ana Rodrigues, and Bia Basílio all won their first gold in the black belt division of the tournament.

Gutemberg Pereira led a star-studded team of champions in 2020, with well-known names such as Meyran Maquiné, Wallace Costa, and Julia Alves taking their first black belt golds in that year. As for 2021, Melqui Galvão’s boys reached the spotlight, with Mica Galvão, Diogo Reis, Fabricio Andrey, and Brenda Larissa becoming champions.

In 2022, the most recent edition of the event, AJP top-tiered athletes such as Lucas Protasio, Jansen Gomes, Leonardo Mario, and Yatan Bueno received the glory of the ADGS Rio title. And now, it’s time for a brand-new batch of champions to reach the spotlight in the Arena Carioca’s mats.