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.

Photo: IBJJF/Facebook

Nivaldo Oliveira, also known as Nil, has lots of history in BJJ. A black-belt since 2007, when he was promoted by Leo Vieira, Nil has won important titles like the absolute in the CBJJ’s Brazilian Nationals, and the IBJJF’s European Championship – two of the toughest competitions on the calendar.

With wins over Rômulo Barral and Murilo Santa, in a recent interview Nivaldo remembered his important triumph from 2012, a landmark in his career as an athlete.

“The title of Brazilian champion in my weight and in the absolute was incredible to me,” he said. “The Brazilian Nationals are the biggest championship in Brazil, and I was able to write my name in the history of the sport. It was a title I had been seeking for some time, and I got it. I was coming off good results in previous years, reaching consecutive finals in 2010, 2011 and 2012, the year I became champion. I gained confidence upon beating tough athletes and world champions; that’s how I knew I was on the right path.”

Now, at 38, Nil resides in Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, where he helps propagate the benefits of BJJ, the sport that changed his life from the moment he first stepped on a mat at the age of 16.

“Fortunately, today, I can say that I make a living 100% off Jiu-Jitsu,” said Nil. “I have a comfortable life and a very good quality of life. Yes, I feel fulfilled, but I still have other goals that I want to reach. I want to have my own gym. Here, in Abu Dhabi, it’s incredible how the sport and the professionals are valued. We have big competitions with prize money.” He added: “I’m always training and studying.”

An avid follower of the competitive scene, Nil is keeping an eye on BJJ Stars, the Brazilian organization, in particular. “I always watch these superfight events. It’s super-important for the growth of the sport, especially now, because of the pandemic that struck and we were left without frequent championships. Since I’m already a master, it would be cool to fight again in this event. I hope to have an opportunity to fight again.”

Pablo beat Saggioro 5-3 to become the champion in the Professional black belt lightweight division. Photo: Personal archive

After succeeding in structuring his personal life in Abu Dhabi, in the UAE, Pablo Mantovani resumed doing what he has always done well: competing. A teacher and athlete full-time, Pablo proved, in practice, that he is sharper than ever as he won the Grand Slam in Moscow, Russia.

In the tournament held by the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro Tour (AJP), Pablo conquered the 69kg division when he defeated Leonardo Saggioro (BTT) in the final, scoring 5 points to Saggioro’s 3, with a guard pass and a back-take. Pablo’s path was not easy: he also had to eliminate Abubakar Khadaev and win a tough battle against Raul Basílio in the semifinal, where the score was 4-4.

In a recent interview, Pablo analyzed his fight with Saggioro, one of the biggest names in the division.

“I’ve been following him for a while,” said Pablo. “He’s done a World Championship final with Rubens Cobrinha, he’s done several tough fights with Rafael Mendes, and because of that, I knew I couldn’t afford to make mistakes. I left my comfort zone, and since I’m a guard player, I decided to take on his guard and try to pass. He has a good guard pass; that was when I decided to move away from his strong game. In the fight, he pulled; I accelerated to pass and take the back. Later, I ended up losing the back adjustments, and he put pressure to try to pass, but I managed to contain his impetus.”

Victory against great athletes, a Grand Slam title and lots of confidence once again. But how did Pablo keep his mind strong even after going a fair bit of time without competing? He explained:

“I believe that now, at 26, I’ve reached the maturity of an adult. What do I mean by that maturity? I mean not feeling pressure. Many times, I lost tournaments due to feeling pressured to win or because my opponent was tough. This time was different; I ignored that factor. I simply went there to have fun. I didn’t put pressure on myself before fighting; I was just a lot more focused this time. I fought moving forward because I wanted to win. Maturity was a determining factor in my victory.

“I read a few times that other athletes became world champions when they lost the fear of making mistakes. I just did what had to be done: I believed in my game and my potential. It made a big difference. I was ready to become champion — that’s my mindset. It’s to fight moving forward, whether on top or on the bottom, without the fear of making mistakes.”

It’s worth noting that when Pablo isn’t teaching at Baniyas Sport Club, he’s training with the Abu Dhabi national team, led by Ramon Lemos, which brings together some BJJ fighters that reside in the UAE. All the methodology that was being used at Atos Jiu-Jitsu gets applied to the team.

2016 WPJJC opening ceremony at the IPIC Arena. Photo: UAEJJF

The 2016 World Professional Jiu-Jitsu championship is in full swing in Abu Dhabi.

The event kicked off this Monday, April 18, and goes all the way to next Saturday, April 23.

The black belts step on the mats on this Thursday, the 21st.

They first will compete all the way until the finals are set for the male and female divisions.

On Friday, they are back for the weight classes, also fighting until the finals are set.

The finals take place on Saturday both for the weight classes and the open class.

Click here for the complete schedule.

Click here for the brackets.

Follow the complete coverage of the black belt division and more on GRACIEMAG’s social media channels.

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Marcus Buchecha at the 2015 WPJJC

The 2016 World Professional Jiu-Jitsu championship is less than a month away.

This years’ edition is scheduled April 19-23, once again at the IPIC Arena, in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

As usual, hundreds of competitors will clash for big money prizes, totaling US$680,000.

The adult black belt division is already attracting some huge names in search of glory.

Here are some of the biggest ones registered to compete.

MALE

+94kg: Gabriel Fedor, Jon Satava, Alex Trans, Marcus Buchecha, Roberto Cyborg, Mahamed Aly, Igor Silva, Ricardo Evangelista.

-94kg: Jackson Santos, Keenan Cornelius, Erberth Santos, Felipe Pena, Andre Galvão.

-85kg: Gustavo Campos, Leandro Lo, Claudio Calasans, Romulo Barral.

-77kg: Gabriel Rollo, Tiago Bravo, Kevin Mahecha, Lucas Lepri, Rodrigo Caporal.

-69kg: Isaque Paiva, Paulo Miyao, Brian Mahecha, Marcio Andre, Gianni Grippo.

-62kg: Hiago George, Wellington Lima, Jose Tiago.

FEMALE (Brown/black)

+70kg: Monique Elias, Tayane Porfirio, Ewelyn Arruda, Fernanda Mazzelli.

-70kg: Luiza Monteiro, Priscila Cerqueira, Luanna Alzuguir, Ana Carolina Srour.

-62kg: Bianca Basilio, Michelle Nicolini, Beatriz Mesquita, Nadia Mello.

-55kg: Ariadne Oliveira, Mackenzie Dern, Marina Ribeiro.

By the way, the registration period for the event closes April 10, so you can still sign up.

Click here to register now.

2015 WPJJC at the IPIC Arena in Abu Dhabi

The UAEJJF released this Wednesday in Abu Dhabi the pre-schedule for the 2016 World Professional Jiu-Jitsu championship.

The event will span throughout a 10-day period, with three different competitions and an invitational tournament.

Things start out with the Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu festival, for kids only, on April 15-16.

Then, it will be time for the Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Cup, for athletes under 18 years old, on April 17-18.

The 2016 WPJJC starts on April 19 and wraps up on April 23, with competitors of all belts from adult to master 2.

The adult black belt division will compete on April 21-23.

On April 23, the UAEJJF will hold the first ever World Jiu-Jitsu Legends, an invitational event.

The event wraps up on April 24, with the World Jiu-Jitsu Awards – Red Carpet.

Click here to register now for the 2016 WPJJC.

Four-time world champion Rubens Cobrinha travelles to the UAE for a series of seminars.

After the classes, he jumped on a boat and sailed to the ocean for some more Jiu-Jitsu.

Watch the video and see Cobrinha drilling off the coast of Dubai.

Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour Japan

The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam JJ World Tour is on.

Organized by the UAEJJF, the event is scheduled August 29th and it will take place at the Sumida City gymnasium, in Tokyo, Japan.

Cash prizes will be awarded for the top 3 athletes of each division.

For the first World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Tour, the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation will be implementing 4 Grand Slam Tournaments outside the UAE, paying up $1.5 million in cash prizes.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam is open for all nationalities and consists of 4 major events held in the following locations: Tokyo, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro and London.

All medalists will be listed in a world ranking and the best players will receive money prizes at the end of the tour.

The deadline to register to compete in Tokyo is August 24.

Click here for more info and to register.

Marcus Buchecha e Rodolfo Vieira após a pesagem. Foto: Ivan Trindade/GRACIEMAG

Alguns dos principais craques do Jiu-Jitsu escalados para o WPJJC 2015 passaram pela pesagem sem sustos nesta quarta-feira, 22 de abril, em Abu Dhabi.

Para outros, no entanto, a correria imperou. Gabi Garcia, Monique Elias, Mario Reis, Bia Mesquita, Leandro Lo e outros astros vindos de São Paulo ficaram no aguardo de um voo atrasado, mas acabaram de chegar aos Emirados, no início da tarde desta quarta (horário de Brasília). Agora está tudo pronto para a maior festa esportiva em Abu Dhabi.

Os faixas-pretas começam a briga pelo ouro nesta quinta-feira, 23 de abril, a partir de 2h da madrugada no Brasil.

Os ídolos Rodolfo Vieira e Marcus Buchecha deram exemplo hoje, e foram os primeiros a chegar na Arena IPIC, área reservada para a pesagem oficial. Logo depois de confirmarem o peso, os rivais e amigos tiraram a tradicional foto juntos.

Em papo com GRACIEMAG após bater os 95kg, Rodolfo falou que pode, pela primeira vez, ficar fora do absoluto faixa-preta. A razão é a antiga lesão na lombar, que atrapalhou a fera da GFTeam em sua rotina de treinos.

“A divisão até 95kg já é como se fosse um absoluto, tem muito cara duro”, disse o atleta da GFTeam.

Os irmãos Rafael e Guilherme Mendes também estão em Abu Dhabi, mas viajaram apenas para acompanhar os alunos. É a segunda vez dos Mendes apenas como treinadores em Abu Dhabi.

Para saber como assistir ao evento via internet, clique aqui.

The 2015 World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship is just around the corner.

Now a five-day event, this years edition is scheduled April 20-25.

Once again, the biggest names of Jiu-Jitsu will gather in Abu Dhabi to fight for medals and the money prizes offered by the event.

Even it’s impossible to know who’s going to be the standout in 2015, it’s pretty easy to know that we are going to witness epic battles and hair-raising thrills, just like in the five past editions.

GRACIEMAG was present in all five installments held since 2009 and we bring you some of the best images our photographers captured.

Relive the emotions and choose your favorite moments.

Pictures: Ivan Trindade, Luca Atalla, Dan Rod, Gustavo Aragão

It was the last chance for competitors to secure a travel package for the 2015 WPJJC, next April, in Abu Dhabi.

With all the spots filled, the organizers confirm that the champions of each division are already being contacted for travel arrangements.

Here is highlights video of the action in Tampa.

Confirme sua inscrição no site da IBJJF.org, aqui.

Para aquecer, relembre o duelo de astros entre Alexander Trans (Liga UAE) e Keenan Cornelius (Atos) no absoluto do Pan 2014.