May 29, 2023
Closing the month of May on a high note, AJP went all out and held no less than six events across six different cities. Athletes from all corners of the world had the chance to once again step onto the federation’s mats and fight for a better position in their respective rankings. Check out below the highlights of each tournament!
Juliana Brandão submits all opponents at the Macapá International
Gi or no-gi, it doesn’t matter: All were welcomed at the AJP Tour Macapá International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023 throughout the weekend. With five fight areas set up in the Ginásio do IFAP, Brazilian athletes of all ages and graduations duked it out to take the gold and show their dominance in each division.
Standing as the tournament’s highlight, 25-year-old Juliana Brandão was unstoppable in the Professional 70kg division. In a round-robin, Juliana's first match saw her going up against Eliane Saboia (Cova dos Leões), with the former scoring 16-0 before the winning submission. For her second and last bout, Juliana once again showed her prowess, with 11-1 on the scoreboard before she submitted Alcineia Santos (Rodrigo Aleixo Jiu-Jitsu RAJJ) for the gold.
Antonio Zuazo and Robert Oda take the gold in the Philippines
This Saturday, May 27th, the city of Manila hosted the AJP Tour Philippines National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023. With the Cuneta Astrodome as the battlefield, local and foreign competitors seized the opportunity to test their skills and climb even higher in their respective rankings.
Among the many warriors that found victory, two Professional black belts were the highlights of the tournament. In the Men’s Gi 120kg division, the American Antonio Zuazo (Six Blades Jiu-Jitsu) beat South Korea’s Yuchan Shin twice to take the gold, with the first match being won by 5-0 and the second win coming via submission.
In the Men’s Gi Lightweight Open, Brazilian Robert Oda (Carpe Diem) put the score at 9-0 before submitting the local Carlito Go Cedenio. Robert then reached the final, which would see him going up against the no-gi 77kg division champion Craig Hutchinson, but ended up winning by walkover.
Edis Bayraktar takes the double gold in Prague
Still on Saturday, the Czech Republic held two consecutive tournaments, for the joy of fight fans and athletes alike. First, young colored belts showed their promise at the AJP Prague Jiu-Jitsu Festival 2023. Then, with the mats all warmed up at the USK Praha Basketball, athletes from all ages dialed the heat up to eleven as they fought for glory across the three fight areas.
Brown belt Edis Bayraktar (Pound for Pound Team) was the big winner of the day. He started his campaign through the event in the Professional 94kg bracket, where he scored 11-0 against David Karnold (Jungle BJJ) to become the division champion. He then returned to the mats to fight in the Open Heavyweight bracket, which began by reprising his bout with Karnold, this time ending with the scoreboard at 11-2. In the final round, Edis quickly submitted purple belt Jakub Deska (Flow House Academy) to take his second gold.
Antonio Von-Buchwald and Felipe da Silva are the Professional black belt champions of the Mosquera International
Taking place on both days of the weekend, the AJP Tour Mosquera International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023 took over the Nuevo Coliseo de Mosquera, in Colombia. Divided into four fight areas, warriors went up against one another without the gi, grappling their way to the top of each category.
The tournament’s highlights rest with the Professional black belts. In the 69kg bracket, Ecuadorian Antonio Von-Buchwald (Art of Jiu Jitsu) fought twice against local Jairo Alejandro (Team FCJJ Colombia) to take the gold, winning the first by 7-0 and the second via submission. Then, in the 120kg division, Brazilian Felipe da Silva (Atrixion MMA) submitted Ecuadorian Adrian Almeida (Alfa EC JIUJITSU)
Local brown belts rise to absolute champions in Kazakhstan
On May 27th and 28th, the AJP Tour Astana International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023 brought the federation’s signature action to Kazakhstan. From Youths to Masters, fighters with all degrees of experience stepped onto one of the three fight areas set up in the Beeline Arena and gave the crowds a show to be remembered.
Two local athletes stood as the tournament’s highlights. First, in the Open Lightweight division, Aibar Orazaly (Satti Lux Stroy) defeated three opponents on his way to the finals, which saw him submitting his Brazilian Teammate Jhonatan Amorim to take the gold.
In the Open Heavyweight, Torekhanov Roman (King Kong Academy) made full use of the scoreboard to defeat his opponents, scoring 2-1 against Tair Assarov (Kazakhstan National Team) and 6-3 against Aziz Maniev (Armjj International Team). In the final round, Torekhanov scored last to beat Daulet Dyussekenov (Kazakhstan National Team) and become the absolute champion.
Bader Al-Kuzai conquers the double gold in Turkey
On a crowded Saturday, the AJP Tour Turkey National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023 landed at the Bağcılar Gençlik Ve Spor İlçe Müdürlüğü Olimpik Spor Salonu, in Istanbul, for yet another stellar competition. Between the eight fight areas, colored and black belts from all parts of the world pitted themselves against each other in a tournament that will remain in the memories of fight fans for the foreseeable future.
Among the many fighters that stepped onto the battlefield, Jordanian Bader Al-Kuzai (Checkmat International) was the name to look out for. First, in the gi, he submitted the local Mert Meric (Gokcehan Kirbac Team) to reach the finals, where he beat Russian Tamerlan Esanukaev (Brasa Felipe Costa) by 7-1 for the 77kg division gold.
Later, in the same division but without the gi, Bader stormed through the bracket, submitting Tamerlan in the Semis and then landing the golden submission against Brazilian Marcio Clother (Atrixion MMA).
