October 2, 2023
Today we bid farewell to another action-packed month in which, following a standard that AJP has set throughout its many years in the gentle art, explosive tournaments were held and talented athletes rose to prominence with astounding performances. While October is already here, let’s take a moment to look back on the events and the competitors who made September a memorable month. Check out the highlights below!
ADGS Miami: Professional black belts steal the spotlight in Florida
On September 17th, the second and last day of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour Miami 2023 brought forth the elite of the sport to the Watsco Center, where the Professional black belt titles would be dueled over. Well-known athletes and talented upstarts left their hearts on the mats as they strived for the gold medal and the chance to add a high-profile title to their resumés.
While there was no dull moment as the black belts clashed in each category, some of the fights had the crowd and those who watched the tournament live at AJPTour.tv on the edge of their seats. Such was the case of the 94kg division, where old rivals Fellipe Andrew and Adam Wardzinski collided against each other in the final, which saw the former overcome the latter by 3-1 after a dangerous battle. Meanwhile, Roosevelt Sousa tore through the 120kg bracket and went up against Pedro “Bombom” Pimenta in the gold round, scoring last to become the division champion in Miami.
The women’s category didn’t fall behind in terms of action, with Duda Tozoni scoring last to beat Brenda Larissa in the 49kg division final, Beatriz Campos quickly locking an armbar against Thaynara Victoria to take the 55kg division gold, and Julia Alves also using an armbar to defeat Larissa Santos and take her place atop the 62kg division podium. But that wasn’t the end of it, as Ingridd Sousa attacked Izadora Silva’s foot to close the 70kg bracket and Giovanna Jara landed a bow-and-arrow choke, submitting Kauane da Silva and becoming the 95kg division champion.
Asia Continental: Samat Aitpanbet and Diana Teixeira impress with their performances in Dubai
Taking place at the Shabab Al Ahli Club from September 8th to 10th, the AJP Tour Asia Continental Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023 welcomed all to the city of Dubai, where athletes would not only represent themselves but also Jiu-Jitsu and the UAE’s potential for future seasons. The results surprised no one, as the competitors climbed the mats and showcased the fruits of their training while conquering the tournament’s titles.
With great skills playing with the deep half-guard, the Bahrain representative Ali Monfaradi sought the gold medal in his favor. In the final match, when his opponent Francisco Souza tried to pass the guard, he ended falling straight into Ali's half-guard, who managed to go up and sweep. With the score 3-1 for Ali, after the initial 1-1 due to lack of combativeness, Francisco tried the kimura from the guard and went up for a near takedown, accumulating two points to tie at 3-3 and have the partial victory in his hands. However, Ali returned to half-guard and, with the same position as at the beginning of the fight, swept to take the title with a score of 5-3 in a superb exhibition of technique.
Diana Teixeira was another of the Asia Continental’s highlights, with her technique landing her the 49kg title. The final match, which was fought against Souq Aldhanhani, saw Diana starting with a knee on her opponent’s stomach after the pull. Souq managed to put up a fight, but Diana had her path laid out in front of her, advancing to the north-south position and ending the bout with a collar choke.
Africa Continental: Sultan Alowais and Julia Alves submit to become champions in Egypt
In the latter half of the month, on September 22nd and 23rd, the AJP Tour Africa Continental Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023 landed at the Hall 1 Cairo International Stadium, in Egypt, bringing with it the organization’s trademark action and gifting athletes from all over the world with a chance to gain some valuable points and climb their respective rankings.
The Emirati black belt Sultan Alowais didn’t pass up this chance. Currently ranked #1 in the Asian ranking, Sultan fought twice against his countryman Haitham Hanawi to take the 62kg division gold. In the first match, Sultan started from the inverted triangle but quickly switched to an armbar, landing his first submission and giving the crowd a taste of what they could expect from the final. Similarly to the previous match, Sultan started the last round by going up from the double pull, but this time a bow-and-arrow choke spelled doom for Haitham and ended the match, putting Sultan on the top of the podium.
Meanwhile, Julia Alves was once again a stand-out in the women’s brown/black category. Also fighting in the 62kg division, Julia stepped into a round-robin and fought in the second match against Gabriela Pereira, sweeping to take her first win. She then went up against Dayane Bazzoni, taking her second victory and the division title with a well-placed armbar.
Peru National: Alfonso Estrada and Yuri Hendrex take the double gold in Lima
On September 2nd and 3rd, the city of Lima welcomed the AJP Tour Peru National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023 into the Coliseo Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola Pachacamac, opening the venue’s doors to athletes from all ages and graduations and promoting memorable duels on both days of the event.
The Peruvian black belt Alfonso Estrada was one of the highlights of the tournament. After starting his journey in the 77kg division and outscoring Nicolas Infante twice to take the title, Alfonso made his way to the Open Lightweight bracket, aiming to conquer his second title that day. In the bracket, Alfonso went toe-to-toe against the Ecuadorian Enrique Guerrero in a very technical final match, which ended with a 5-3 score giving Alfonso yet another gold medal.
Another stand-out at the Peru National was Yuri Hendrex. The Brazilian debuted at the event in the 69kg division, where he submitted both Julio Coelho and Jean Gomes to climb the podium. But one title wasn’t enough and Yuri returned the following day, this time gunning for the no-gi gold. In the 77kg final, Yuri completely dominated Abraham Alonso, scoring an impressive 24-2 to become the champion for the second time.
Upcoming: Europe Continental, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix No-Gi, Nationals, and much more…
In the month of October, European fight fans and athletes have a lot to look forward to. From October 6th to 8th, the AJP Tour Europe Continental Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023 will land in the city of Istanbul, Turkey, welcoming Amateurs and Masters on the first day, Professionals on the second day, and giving Youths the chance to close the event on its third and final day.
As if that wasn’t enough, the AJP No-Gi Europe Continental Jiu-Jitsu Championship will bring yet another chance to put your grappling skills to the test. On October 28th, the city of Vienna, in Austria, will be the stage of the tournament, which will welcome athletes from all over the world.
When it comes to Nationals, we have another stacked month in our hands. Throughout October, the following countries will host their local tournaments: South Korea (October 7th), Mexico (October 7th), Poland (October 14th), South Africa (October 14th and 15th), Czech Republic (October 21st), Denmark (October 28th), and Romania (October 28th and 29th).
Internationals, Regionals, Festivals, and a Grand Prix will also bolster AJP’s calendar this month, so don’t forget to check our website at ajptour.com regularly to stay informed about the registration dates and all the other details you’ll need to compete with us. Keep your eyes peeled and don’t miss a second of the action.
