Dubai: The UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation has announced that the Vice President’s Jiu-Jitsu Cup will take place from May 2nd to 3rd at Shabab Al Ahli Club in Dubai, featuring nine of the UAE’s leading jiu-jitsu clubs and academies.
According to Emirates News Agency, the championship offers a prize pool exceeding AED1 million, which will be awarded to the top three clubs across all divisions. The preliminary rounds are scheduled for Saturday, followed by the finals on Sunday. The competition will include four divisions: adults, under-18, under-16, and under-14, with formats such as best-of-three matchups and round-robin stages leading to the final rounds.
The event is considered a key competition in the local jiu-jitsu calendar and reflects its competitive significance within the UAE. The previous edition saw four different clubs clinch titles across the divisions, with Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club winning in the under-14 category, Al Ain in the under-16, Al Jazira in the under-18, and Baniyas in the adult category. This distribution of titles highlighted the competitive depth across clubs and suggests a more challenging competition this year.
Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, stated, “The Vice President’s Jiu-Jitsu Cup is a key fixture in the local season, bringing together the country’s leading clubs. It emphasizes collective performance and provides athletes with a valuable opportunity to test their readiness in a strong competitive environment.” He emphasized the importance of domestic competitions in increasing participation, strengthening pathways across age groups, and enhancing the development of athletes, which supports national teams in competing at higher levels.
Ribamar Santiago, Head Coach of Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club, last year’s adult champions, noted, “Team competitions are built on a sequence of connected matches, not a single bout. That requires careful management of each contest within the overall team strategy. This year’s edition will be more demanding, given the level of preparation across clubs.”