Japanese martial arts promotion QUINTET has announced its official entry into the Middle East market, with its inaugural regional event, QUINTET 5, set to take place in Dubai on October 23, 2025.

The announcement came during a press conference held this week at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, as part of Fight Week — a major sporting initiative featuring international MMA events hosted in the UAE capital. The event was led by Kazushi Sakuraba, QUINTET’s legendary founder and one of the most iconic figures in Japanese MMA history, alongside Tarek Suleiman, QUINTET’s regional partner and veteran martial artist. Mr. Yanagisawa, General Manager of QUINTET Japan, also attended the announcement.

The event drew wide regional and international media coverage and was attended by prominent figures from the MMA community, including Ali Al Qaisi, one of the Arab world’s most accomplished featherweights, and internationally renowned referee Marc Goddard.

Known for its distinctive five-on-five team grappling format, QUINTET eliminates points and judges entirely — matches end in submission or draw. The format blends tactical team strategy with traditional martial arts spirit and has already gained significant traction in Japan and the United States.

“For Japanese martial artists, Abu Dhabi is a name we’ve always held in high regard,” said Sakuraba, who was met with applause as he addressed the crowd. “We watched from afar how the UAE embraced Jiu-Jitsu and elevated it into something bigger than just a sport — a cultural and national movement. To launch QUINTET here is not only symbolic, but meaningful. The people understand the art. The government supports it. And the athletes here live it.”

Suleiman, a former QUINTET competitor himself, emphasized the vision behind this move. “This isn’t just a one-off. We’re here to build something lasting,” he said. “The UAE has become a global destination for combat sports, and now it will be the home for team-based grappling in the region. Through QUINTET, we aim to provide athletes with a new platform — one that prioritizes cooperation, strategy, and team pride.”

QUINTET 5 in Dubai marks the start of a broader roadmap to establish a sustainable grappling ecosystem in the Middle East. Teams from across the MENA region are expected to participate in the October event, as organizers work toward building a long-term league and talent pipeline that aligns with the region’s growing combat sports ambitions.

Both Gurgel (L) and Bernardo Faria travel the world. Photo: Ivan Trindade

A large part of the black belts under Fabio Gurgel’s command are crisscrossing the planet. The team’s champions are all off teaching their techniques and, when they get back, already looking to prepare for the 2011 season, they will have a new home. “General” Gurgel comments:

“In December Alliance will inaugurate its new home base in São Paulo. It will be the biggest Jiu-Jitsu center in the country. We’re putting together a surprise for everyone and GRACIEMAG.com readers will be the first to know!” he guarantees.

Gabi and Luanna were in NY and now head for Ecuador. Photo: John Lamonica

Enquanto a nova casa não fica pronta, os campeões da equipe não param.

While the new home comes together, the team’s champions keep busy.

“With this little interval between official competitions, or at least the big gi tournaments, Alliance is doing its homework and sending stars to seminars around the world. Thus our branches abroad keep up to date with the best of what is going on in the team,” explains Gurgel, who is pleased with the exchange:

This year, for the first time, our girls (Gabi Garcia and Luanna Alzuguir) repeated the success of the men with seminars in New York and Atlanta. Now they are heading for Ecuador. The boys are off in Europe and the Middle East. (Bruno) Malfacine is in Finland, Bernardo (Faria) and Léo Nogueira are in Germany, Alex Monsalve is in Bahrain, and Sérgio Moraes just got back from Finland and is already heading for San Diego, to Minotauro’s academy.”

Fabio will meet up with Jacaré (L). Photo: Alicia Anthony

And Gurgel himself is in the travel marathon.

“I’m in Miami, where I’m teaching at Tarsis’s academy. Tomorrow I’ll meet with Romero Jacaré and then we’ll head for Atlanta, New York and Pennsylvania. Then I fly out to Finland, where I’ll teach in Helsinki and Turco. Michael Langhi will go to England at that time, so we’ll only meet up again at the end of November, refreshed for the start of another competition season in pursuit of ever better results,” he says in closing.

To find out more about Jiu-Jitsu, stayed tuned to GRACIEMAG.com.

The Arab world has embraced Jiu-Jitsu once and for all, and on the 24^th and 25^th of September it will be the kids’ turn in the spotlight, at the Arab Cup for Kids event. The tournament will take place in Amman, Jordan, with kids between four and fourteen years of age competing. And there’s much more than mere medals on the line.

“For the first time, we’re rewarding the first-place winners with Playstation III’s and Keiko gis to the runners-up, as well as medals,” remarks brown belt Mohammed Bilbeisi, the event’s organizer.

Another piece of news is the Arab world’s participation en masse.

The event has been around for seven years and this time, we decided to open it up to the other Arab nations. We have athletes from Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Palestine all confirmed. We already count 120 participants,” adds Bilbeisi.