Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Awards Honour 20 Top Champions

The Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Awards 2025 took place on Sunday at Mubadala Arena, celebrating 20 outstanding winners from different parts of the sport. The event marked the end of the seventeenth edition of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, which continued for eleven days and welcomed more than 10,000 athletes from over 130 countries. The championship was held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

Abdulmunem Alsayed Mohammed Alhashmi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, expressed deep appreciation for the leadership of the UAE. He said that strong and continuous support from the country’s leadership has helped jiu-jitsu grow into a complete sporting ecosystem in the UAE. This growth, he added, promotes important values such as discipline, patience, confidence and resilience among young athletes.

The ceremony opened by honouring the best Emirati athletes of the 2025 season. In the Under 16 category, Sara Farook was named Best Emirati Female Athlete, while Hazza Alkaabi received the award for Best Emirati Male Athlete. In the Under 18 category, Aysha Aljneibi won Best Emirati Female Athlete and Obaid Alketbi was honoured as Best Emirati Male Athlete. In the adults division, awards went to Shamma Al Kalbani for Best Emirati Female Athlete and Saeed Alkubaisi for Best Emirati Male Athlete. All of them showed great skill and dedication throughout the season.

After receiving her award, Aysha Aljneibi said she was very happy because she had worked hard during the season to improve her performance. She added that this award motivates her to train even more and aim for the top positions in future championships. She also thanked her federation, her coach and her family for their constant support.

The ceremony then honoured international academies. Gracie Barra International won Best International Academy in the youth category. A historic moment followed when Commando Group won three awards in one season. They were recognised as Best International Academy in the Amateur, Masters and Professionals divisions, making it a major achievement.

The awards then highlighted continental champions from around the world. In Africa, Ahmed Al Oraibi won Best Athlete. In Oceania, the award went to Nikki Lloyd Griffith. Laurie de Oliveira won Best Athlete in Europe. In North and Central America, Thiago Macedo received the award. The South America honour went to Yara Nascimento, while Nurzhan Batyrbekov was named Best Athlete in Asia. These awards showed how widespread and competitive the sport has become globally.

In the international categories, David Fernandes won Best Rookie Athlete. Thiago Marques was named Best Athlete in the Masters division. Yara Nascimento received Best Female Athlete in the Brown/Black Belt category. The final award of the night went to Lucas Protásio, who was named Best Male Athlete Black Belt, confirming his strong performance throughout the 2025 season. Altogether, 20 awards were presented across different divisions.

Yara Nascimento said she was proud of her achievements and explained that her success came from a full season of hard work and learning. She thanked her coach and team for their constant support and said she wanted to continue growing and aim even higher in the coming years.

Lucas Protásio shared that each season brings new lessons and experiences that help athletes grow. He said he was grateful for all the support he received and was proud to finish the year with this major recognition.

The ceremony also included the Humanity Award, which was presented to Advance Ambulance Services for their important efforts in supporting athlete health and safety. Their role reflected the true spirit of sportsmanship and care.

The event ended by recognising key partners and supporting organisations that contributed to the growth of jiu-jitsu throughout the year. Their support helped strengthen the sport both locally and internationally and ensured the success of the championship.