A series of tournaments in six cities across four countries marked the successful organisation of the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro (AJP) Tour.

The cities were Prague in the Czech Republic, Macapá and Maceió in Brazil, and Astana in Kazakhstan.

The AJP also held national tournaments in Turkiye and the Philippines, which hosted national championship events with many participants in both the gi and no-gi categories. The events were well-received and well-organised.

A jiu-jitsu festival for children was also held in Prague, while the championships in Macapá and Maceió witnessed record-breaking attendance, surpassing all predictions.

The tournaments attracted participants from different levels, including many black belts and amateurs of various belt colours. Brazil is the world’s top jiu-jitsu nation, with almost 3 million competitors of both genders. It also has the highest number of black belt holders at around 28,000. Furthermore, Brazil has more than 35,000 academies for jiu-jitsu enthusiasts, mainly in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

The AJP Tour plans to organise more than 280 championships this year, building on its previous achievements and hosting tournaments in every city in the world, as Abu Dhabi is the global leader in promoting the sport.

Tariq Al Bahri, General Manager of the AJP, said that the AJP had grown considerably over the last two years, organising more championships in different continents.

The aim for the next two years is to organise 500 tournaments around the world and attract a million competitors every year, he added.