After an entire afternoon of competition at the highest level, the second and final day of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour Rome 2024 is down for the count this Sunday, April 14th. The tournament started last Friday, April 12th, with the Youths warming the mats for the experienced Masters to put their skills on display the following day. Today, however, the action got dialed all the way up to eleven as the Professional category took the stage to fight for gold, glory, and those sweet AJP ranking points.

And of course, it is impossible to talk about today’s performances without mentioning the black belts. Living up to the title “Elite of Jiu-Jitsu”, the competitors pushed the martial art to its limit in the Centro Olimpico Matteo Pellicone, with standout performances on the way to the top of the podium. Without further ado, let’s check out how each of the Professional Black Belt finals played out, and click here for the full results!

MEN’S GI / BLACK

56kg – Welison Fernandes vs Frederico Guimarães

Leading man in the light-featherweight division ranking, Welison Fernandes showcased his skills in the ADGS Rome final against Frederico Guimarães, with the latter coming out ahead on the scoreboard and having victory in his grasp until the last moments of the duel. While Frederico earned five points throughout the bout by going up from the double pull and sweeping twice, Welison had also swept twice and played from below most of the time. With a good grip on his opponent’s lapel and pants, while keeping an eye on the clock, Welison went up and stabilized close to the end of the match, settling the score at a tight 6-5 to add another gold medal to his resumé.

62kg – Jefferson Fagundes vs Yuri Hendrex

Jefferson Fagundes was the standout name in the 62kg division. After beating his first opponent with a whopping 11-0 score, Jefferson went on to submit Kalel dos Santos in the semifinal and was set to face Yuri Hendrex in the gold round. However, Yuri was unable to fight in the final, so Jefferson rose as the division champion by default.

69kg – Diego Batista vs Dzhimsher Razmadze

Diego “Pato” Batista was like a force of nature in the 69kg division of the ADGS Rome. Arriving as the favorite for the title, Diego had three great victories before he reached the final, the last of which coming via points against the tough Florian Bayili in the semifinal. His opponent in the final would be the Georgian athlete Dzhimsher Razmadze, who had his fair share of rough encounters in the bracket, submitting Thiago Macedo and then outscoring Artur Oliveira in the semis. Unable to compete in the final, Dzhimsher had no choice but to hand over the top spot of the podium to Pato, who won the final and became the champion by default.

77kg – Felipe Ribas vs Luiz Paulo Medeiros

In the blink of an eye, the fight between Felipe and Luiz Paulo had a huge turnaround. Luiz Paulo started ahead on the scoreboard by fearlessly spinning and going up with two points, after pulling guard at the beginning. Meanwhile, Felipe played guard and tried some attacks from the x-guard, eventually managing to spin and go up trying a back take. When Felipe got one of the hooks in, Luiz Paulo spun out of the fight area, prompting the referees to give a penalty for him, while awarding three points to Felipe, two for almost taking the back and another one for going up at the start of his move. Luiz Paulo contested the final score and Felipe ended up taking the win by a 9-2 score.

85kg – Matheus Vetoraci vs Uanderson Ferreira

An exciting fight between two black belts who excel at fighting while standing up. Matheus kicked off the match attempting a takedown on Uanderson but didn’t complete the move, earning only a single point. Uanderson grabbed hold of his opponent’s waist and tried a takedown of his own, but Matheus took advantage of the movement to reach the side with three points, raising the score to 4-0. Uanderson lowered the difference to 4-3 after he reached the side and, when the fight slowed down, both athletes were punished by lack of combativeness. With the score at 5-4 for Matheus, Uanderson attempted another takedown and tied the score at 5-5, but Matheus attacked with an armbar at the very last second of the duel. While Uanderson defended, the referees decided that Matheus’ attack was worth a point due to the danger of submission. Thus, Matheus scored 6-5 to beat the favorite Uanderson for the 85kg division title.

94kg – Luiz Henrique Betta vs Marcos Carrozzino

Another well-balanced duel between the rivals Marcos Carrozzino and Luiz Henrique Betta. Marcos tried to sweep from the guard and Luiz responded with a good cross-choke attempt to tip the balance in his favor on the scoreboard. After a lack of combativeness between both competitors, Betta found enough room to grab Marcos’ waist from the back. Unable to complete the takedown, Luiz Betta jumped on Marcos’ back with a hook near the end of the fight. In the end, Luiz received the advantage for the move and won in a very strategic way, with a 2-1 score.

120kg – Felipe Bezerra vs Jean Maltese

The only local representative in the Professional finals, the Italian Jean Maltese had the rough mission of facing the current ADWPJJC champion Felipe Bezerra. With a solid game, Felipe almost passed and took the back, making it 2-0 on the scoreboard. Up-to-date on defensive moves, Jean avoided the dangerous attack but Felipe tried another pass and took aim at his opponent’s back yet again. Jean managed to defend once more, but Felipe took the win with a 4-0 score and added another high-profile title to his grappling record.

WOMEN’S GI / BROWN / BLACK

49kg – Brenda Larissa vs Diana Teixeira

Brenda Larissa got the better of her rival Diana Thais Teixeira for the 49kg title. After pulling guard, Brenda made a move from half guard to go up, with Diana promptly defended but still losing the lead on the scoreboard to Brenda, who earned a single point for the spin. The duel continued with an intense exchange standing up and Diana took control of the fight’s flow, pulling near the end of the match to sweep, attacking with a triangle, and shifting to an omoplata. Offering no risk of submission, Diana was unable to earn any points for her efforts and Brenda took the title by 1-0.

55kg – Ana Rodrigues vs Beatriz Campos

The reigning champ Ana Rodrigues once again put on a show with her Jiu-Jitsu at the AJP mats. Entering the final against Beatriz Campos, who started ahead on the scoreboard by rising from the double pull, Ana had to use her fearsome lapel adjustment to regain control in the duel. With her opponent’s lapel balled up between her legs, Ana knocked Beatriz off balance and attacked with razor-sharp precision on the foot, submitting to take the 55kg division gold.

62kg – Maria Delahaye vs Julia Alves

Overcoming the odds, Maria Luisa Delahaye got the better of her teammate and AJP multi-champion Julia Alves. After going up from the double pull, Maria spun to take the back, passed the guard, and ended up at Julia’s back. After that, it wasn’t long before Maria had the winning lapel choke in place to seize the title in Rome.

70kg – Ingridd Sousa vs Izadora Silva

Ingridd Sousa won another duel against Izadora Silva on the AJP mats. This time around, Ingridd started ahead on the scoreboard as she pulled and went up. Izadora responded by sweeping from the spider guard, but Ingridd stretched her opponent and managed to go up again, putting pressure to pass and settling the score at 4-2 to become the division champion.

95kg – Yara Soares vs Maria Carolina Vincentini

Yara Soares maintained constant pressure to beat Maria Carolina Vicentini in the 95kg final. After rising from the double pull and opening the score at 1-0, Yara made a good grip on Maria’s pants and put pressure on every inch of her opponent until she managed to pass. With 4-0 on the scoreboard, Yara put her knee on Maria Carolina’s belly without stabilizing to close the score at 5-0 and seize the title.

With another stellar tournament for the books, AJP has successfully added another chapter to the rich history of Rome, bringing some of the most talented athletes to show their prowess in the land that revolutionized sports. Missed out on the action? Just go to TX7.ae and relive the great moments of this weekend. Don’t forget to check us on our social media at @ajptour to watch highlights, learn about upcoming championships, and stay up-to-date on all things AJP!

Marking the tournament’s first foray into Italian lands, the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour is deep into its preparations to break new ground and make its debut in the famous city of Rome. The event will take place at the Centro Olimpico Matteo Pellicone, from April 12th to 14th and will welcome Youths, Amateurs, Masters, and Professionals to one of the most influential territories in the history of sports.

With such a powerful setting, it stands to reason that the Roman Grand Slam will have an equally stunning line-up to make this debut an unforgettable one. While the event is still a few weeks away, dangerous rookies and battle-hardened veterans have already registered for the competition, with the Professional black belt category bringing some of the very best athletes in the organization to fight for the gold in Rome. Check out the male and female highlights registered for the tournament!

Men’s GI / Black

Starting on the men’s side, the 56kg division brings Kalel Santos and Welison Fernandes as the favorites for the podium, followed by Finland’s Marko Oikarainen and the Italian Andrea Verdemare.

In the 62kg division, Cicero Costha’s team comes strong to fight for the gold, with Leonardo Mario, Yuri Hendrex, and Jefferson Fagundes joining the fray. Flying a little under the radar, Wagner Chrispim is another strong athlete who’ll be vying for the title.

Meanwhile, the 69kg division is highlighted by Thiago Macedo and Matheus Onda, closely followed by the Bahraini athlete Ali Monfaradi and his strong Jiu-Jitsu. Another solid contender for the gold is the local Luca Caracciolo, who’ll be heading to Rome to represent his country.

Among the competitors featured in the 77kg division, the highlight is the ADWPJJC champion and AJP Global Ranking champion Lucas Protasio. Igor Feliz also comes to compete for the title and threatens Lucas’ momentum in the season.

One of the most populated categories in the tournament, the 88kg division features the likes of Uanderson Ferreira, Pedro Neto, and Luan Carvalho among the highlights. The experienced Luca Anacoreta, from Italy, and Pedro “Bolo” Silva, from DreamArt, could also make it big in Rome.

The highly decorated Jackson Sousa is one of the highlights registered in the 94kg division, with other well-known AJP names in the bracket, such as Marcos Carrozzino, Luiz Betta, and Roberto Dib Frias.

Among the heaviest warriors of the 120kg division, three athletes have great chances of conquering the gold medal: The current ADWPJJC Professional and Master champion Felipe Bezerra; Frates’ powerhouse Yatan Bueno with his takedowns and high levels of pressure from above; and Matheus “Tá Danado” Xavier, with his unpredictable game and dangerous submissions.

Women’s GI / Brown / Black

Moving on to the Women’s category, Italian athlete Serena Gabrielli highlights the 49kg division as she strives to show the strength of European Jiu-Jitsu in the lightest bracket of the tournament. Ready to thwart her efforts, Diana Teixeira and Brenda Larissa will also be fighting for the 49 kg division gold.

In the 55kg division, Anna Rodrigues and Alexa Yanes come as the favorites, with Larissa Paes and Beatriz Campos also eyeing the top of the podium.

Filled with challenging competitors, the 62kg division has the unstoppable Julia Alves as the favorite for the title, closely followed not only by the Italian Gabriella Ripepi but also by representatives of various nationalities competing at a high level, such as Spain, Poland, Greece, Norway, Ireland, Finland, France, and Switzerland.

Among the competitors of the 70kg division, DreamArt’s Ingridd Sousa and Izadora Silva have a great chance of reaching the podium, with Magdalena Loska, Nia Blackman, and Yara Kakish adding some spice to the bracket.

Finally, in the 94kg division, Yara Nascimento comes as a big name for the gold medal, followed by the likes of Maria Carolina Vicentini and Marcele Catanhede in the heaviest women’s bracket.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour Rome is scheduled to take place over the course of three days, with Amateurs fighting on April 12th, followed by Youths and Masters on the next day, and finally with Professionals showing their skills on April 14th. The registration window closes on April 8th, so don’t waste any more time and join AJP as the Grand Slam carves its name in the history of Rome!

If you had a blast in Lisbon this January at the 2016 European, what about spend a weekend in Rome at the beginning of April?

The 2016 European no-Gi championship is scheduled April 2-3, in the Eternal City.

Sign up before the deadline of March 24 and book your trip to have a blast in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Click here to register now!

After you compete (and hopefully win) stop by one of the thousands of restaurants in Rome and ask for a local specialty, the Cacio e Pepe pasta.

It’s awesome and also a great source of carbs for your tired body.

Rome is the newest city to host an IBJJF event

The schedules for the Rome International Open and the European No-Gi Championship are out.

The two events take place this weekend at the Pallazetto Dello Sport, in Rome, Italy.

Take a close look in the schedules and don;t miss out the time of start for your division.

Click here for the schedule for the Rome International Open.

Click here for the schedule for the European No-Gi Championship.

Click here for the brackets of both tournaments.

For more info, go to ibjjf.com

Ricardo Evangelista atop the podium in Rome

After a thrilling five days of Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship, all attentions turn to Europe, for the next big IBJJF event.

On April 4 – 6, Rome will host two Jiu-Jitsu champoionships.

On April 4 – 5, It’s time for the Rome International Open and on April 5 – 6, the European No-Gi Championship takes place.

All that action to be held at the Pallazetto Dello Sport.

You still have time to register and go compete in two of the most important events of the gentle art calendar in the old continent.

The deadline to register for both events is March 27.

Click here to register for the Rome Open.

Click here to register for the Euro No-Gi.

For more info, go to ibjjf.com

Watch last year’s black belt absolute final between Ricardo Evangelista and Alan Nascimento

Joe, Danny, Bryan show off their no-gi medals on the podium. Photo: Alvarez BJJ Instagram

Black belt GMA member Danny Alvarez of Alvarez BJJ in Arlington, Texas took a team of students to compete alongside them in Rome, Italy. Normally at most IBJJF events around the country including Boston Open, Houston Open, Las Vegas Open and more, Danny himself pushes for the best results to get onto the podium and shares the same momentum with every one of his students who express the same interest.

On June 29, the first IBJJF Rome Open gave the Alvarez BJJ army a chance to prove their skills in the gi. Here are the results:

Joe Gonzales placed third in his purple belt master medium-heavy division.
Danielle Alvarez placed second in her purple belt adult lightweight division and third in the absolute.
Danny Alvarez won gold in his black belt master featherweight division.

Daughter Danielle Alvarez was out of competition for 10 months as she moved a few hours away from home to attend her first year of college. Prior to becoming a first-year college student, she competed often since she was a juvenile racking up titles in IBJJF tournaments all over the world as an adult, winning a ticket to Abu Dhabi WPJJC and earning the title of best blue belt competitor in Texas two years in a row. This competition was a good start for her return to Jiu-Jitsu competition.

The second day, on Sunday June 30 came the European No-Gi Championship and the time for the team to prove their skills without the gi. Here are the results:

Bryan Landin placed third in his blue senior 1 ultra-heavyweight division.
Joe Gonzales won gold in his purple master medium-heavy division.
Danny Alvarez won another gold in his black belt master featherweight division.

Congratulations to the team.

For more information about Alvarez BJJ you can visit www.AlvarezBJJ.com

Check out Danny Alvarez in action in his final at the European No-Gi Championship:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvvRgQBTl5k

Caio Terra and Alan “Finfou” at the 2013 European No-Gi Championship in Rome. Photo: IBJJF

The newest IBJJF tournament extended its reach to international soil all the way in Rome, Italy. The 2013 IBJJF Rome Open, a gi tournament, was held on Saturday June 29 with the European No-Gi Championship happening Sunday, June 30. One of the top stars present was that of 2013 rooster weight world champion Caio Terra.

While on his European seminar tour he made way for the IBJJF duo event and completed seven submissions for three gold medals. He won the black belt adult light-feather division for the Rome Open as well as the same division in the European No-Gi and the open weight. Proving his technique once again, he defeated larger opponents, even submitting them.

Watch this semi-final match in the no-gi light-feather division:

World 2012 IBJJF Jiu Jitsu Championship Photo: Dan Rod

The next reason out of our 18 reasons to follow the 2013 World Championship is the fact that it keeps getting better and better. What is “better” defined as? A well run organization with adherence to policies in place and a solid group of people working together seem to be prioritized. This year from May 29 – June 2 you can expect the most professional World Championship yet in its 18 years of existence.

Indulge in a well-run event as IBJJF raises the bar of successful opens around the country.

Over the past five months, the IBJJF has ran many different tournaments, adding more and more tournaments around the country. With certain cities now gaining two a year, like Vegas, Boston and Houston, some cities like Rome will have their first IBJJF tournament in June. This increase is giving athletes from all over a chance to compete in a regulated and professional event. With that, the experience level of the biggest and most prominent Jiu-Jitsu federation grows exponentially.

As we know, practice makes perfect. They continue to add more features, better procedures and are constantly improving the way they handle the smaller opens and especially the most prominent like the World Championship. You can check out all the tournaments that were held and their results by going to www.ibjjf.org/results.htm.

Register now for the 2013 World Championship celebrating its 18th year: www.ibjjf.org.

The BJJ community in Italy and Europe has a scheduled appointment next April 27-28.

The Italian Open BJJ will take place at the Palazzetto dello Sport, in Rome.

The event will feature adult, master and senior divisions.

The winners of all the open class divisions will get free enrollment to the 2014 IBJJF European Open Championship as a prize.

The registration period ends this Sunday, April 21.

For more info and to register, go to italianbjjopen.com.

Rome is the newest city to host an IBJJF event

The IBJJF keeps on expanding the annual competition calendar.

For 2013, the European continent will be the stage of four different competitions.

The largest one is the European Open Championship, on January 24th-27th, in Lisbon, Portugal.

The European Open is the first leg of the Jiu-Jitsu Grand Slam, composed also by the Pan, Brazilian Nationals and the World Championship.

Registration is already open to compete in Lisbon and it is scheduled to close January 16th.

Go to ibjjf.org to register now.

After that, Rome will be the next stop.

The capital of beautiful Italy was just announced as the newest stop for the gentle art world tour.

On June 29th, takes place the Rome International Open and on June 30th, it is time for the European No-Gi Open (transfered from London).

The last event scheduled for Europe in 2013 is the third edition of the London International Open, on October 19th-20th.

Stay tuned and don’t miss the registration period for each of the events in the Old Continent.

Rome is going to host the first edition of the Italian BJJ Open Championship.

It will be held on Saturday the May 12^th 2012.

BJJ is finally regulated and promoted by the newly born UIJJ (Unione Italiana Jiu-Jitsu) under request of the IBJJF (Internationl BJJ Federation).

UIJJ has chosen Rome and Palatiziano as location for the first Italian Open ChampionshipPalatiziano, the Palazzeto of the Sport in Rome will be the arena hosting this major event.

With its 3500 seats for the odeon, journalists spots with internet connection and a very powerful audio/video system with 120 linear meters of led displays and 2 huge video wall of 6 meters by 4 meters, this location with an historical value will be the perfect environment for a great event.

In this first edition of the Italian BJJ Open 2012 the winners of the open division will be awarded with a Voucher for a free registration at the European Championship 2013, in Lisbon.

All the first, second and third positioned in their categories will receive gold, silver and bronze medals conceived and realized for the event.

Master Jean Jacques Machado is coming to Italy and will attend the Championship awarding the most important prizes.

For more info, go to bjjopen.com.