May 3, 2023

Among the many athletes registered for the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam, the greatest tournament to come at the end of this season, Catriel Oliveira has one of the most interesting life stories when it comes to his relationship with Jiu-Jitsu. A 22-year-old athlete under Julio dos Anjos and living in Dubai for the last two years, the World Pro gold medalist and two-time Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Champion has seen a lot of success ever since his promotion to black belt, back in 2021.

Before moving to Dubai, Catriel was a brown belt living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Without a stable source of income, the Brazilian athlete went through a rough patch in which he was unable to provide for his wife and son. At one point, the situation was so dire that the future Abu Dhabi World Pro Champion had to move into his mom’s house, as he couldn’t even afford electricity for his own home.

It was then that fate smiled upon Catriel. His professor Julio dos Anjos, who had been training him since 2015, moved to the UAE in 2017 and, four years later, had his gym set up in Dubai and wanted Catriel to teach there. Heavily focused on his athletic life, Catriel was in many doubts about moving to the Emirates, but the dream of providing a better life for his family pushed him to take the offer and move to Dubai in 2021.

Life in the UAE, however, had a few surprises in store for Catriel. After a particularly hectic week, which saw him emerge as the winner in both Abu Dhabi World Pro and Grand Slam. Free from his debt and supported by a country and federation that invested in the sport he loved, Catriel saw his performance improve by leaps and bounds, an evolution that was shown through his rise in the AJP rankings.

Now a black belt and with stability in both his personal and professional life, Catriel has his sights set on a new target: Winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam for the third time and adding yet another title to his already stacked BJJ record.

“When I finally came to UAE, I felt happiness and comfort I had never felt. Through BJJ, I was able to provide a better life for myself and my family. I could finally relax and focus on my improvement.”