Abu Dhabi – 27 March 2016: The extended programme of the eighth annual Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2016, held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, welcomes the best of historic heroes and future stars to the mat in Abu Dhabi from the 15th – 24th April.
Additionally, the Championship welcomes Legendary Jiu-Jitsu players back to the mat after time away coaching where they have come to be recognised globally as the top trainers in numerous Jiu-Jitsu federations. The UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation is proud to announce that Lightweight legends Alexandre “Soca” Freitas and Robson “Robinho” Moura, Middleweight legends Fredson “Paixao” Paixao and Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro and Heavyweight legends Marcio “Pe de Pano” Cruz and Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros will be gracing the global capital of Jiu-Jitsu with their presence for what will be an unforgettable day of competition.
Meet the legends:
Alexandre Freitas, nicknamed “Soca” – meaning puncher or striker – for his ferocious boxing skills, started playing Jiu-Jitsu in 1988 at the young age of 16. Under the tutelage of the famed Gracie Barra Academy in Barra da Tijuca, Brazil, he received his Black Belt in 1994 and went on to have an illustrious career as both a coach and a competitor; winning 16 fights in BJJ Mundials, and most notably being named Brazilian National Champion in 1996 and Pan American Champion in 2000.
Going head-to-head with Alexandre Freitas in the lightweight division is fellow Brazilian Robson “Robinho” Moura. Born in Brazil in 1978, Robson started learning Jiu-Jitsu at just 10 years of age. Following in the footsteps of his BJJ idols, Robson trained a minimum of 2-3 times a day and competed in his first competition at the age of 13. He went on to earn his Black Belt with the famous Nova Uniao before capturing the world of Jiu-Jitsu by winning a multitude of tournaments including the Jiu-Jitsu World Cup in 2002, and was named World Champion in the Black Belt division five times from 1997 – 2007. As well as enjoying an illustrious career as a player, the master competitor also enjoyed much success as a coach with the likes of Augusto Cruz and Ricardo Abreu being his standout students.
Stepping onto the mat in the middleweight division are Fredson “Paixão” Paixão and Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro. Fredson “Paixão” Paixão took up Jiu-Jitsu in 1994 at the age of 15, and after only four months of training was competing in his first tournament where he reached the semi-finals. Over the next eleven years he was named World Jiu-Jitsu Champion three times – in 2001, 2002 and 2005 – and was the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu National Champion from 2000 – 2004, retaining the title for five consecutive years. The legend is well known for his submission techniques, most notably using a certain technique called the wristlock.
Facing up to Fredson Paixão at middleweight is three-time Black Belt World Jiu-Jitsu Champion, Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Vitor started his BJJ career at 14 years-old in the famous Andre Pederneiras School, Nova Uniao. Reaching his Black Belt in record time – at just 18 years-old after only four years of practicing the sport – Vitor went on to win the World Championships in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Renowned as one of the best grapplers to have practiced Jiu-Jitsu, Vitor went on to apply these skills to MMA where they shone through as he went on to win several title fights before progressing to a career in coaching Mixed Martial Arts.
Moving up the divisions, heavyweight Jiu-Jitsu Legend Marcio “Pe de Pano” Cruz comes to Abu Dhabi for the second time having previously been named champion at the Abu Dhabi Combat Championships in 2003. With a career spanning back to 1996, when Marcio began learning Jiu-Jitsu at 17 years-old, the Brazilian won a number of titles and championships on the path to receiving his Black Belt in 2001. With 45 career wins and two World Champion titles to his name as a Black Belt, Marcio is renowned as one of the most gifted players the Jiu-Jitsu world has ever seen.
Matching up to his heavyweight counterpart, Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros began learning Jiu-Jitsu at age 16, at Romero Cavalcanti’s Academy where he quickly rose through the ranks and earnt his Black Belt under his master, Romero Cavalcanti. Rodrigo then went on to become Pan American Champion twice in 2007 and 2009 – other notable successes include being named Brazilian National Champion in 1999 and 2000, and World Cup Champion in 2002 and 2006. He later moved to the United States where he set up a Jiu-Jitsu academy in Chicago to focus on coaching BJJ and MMA, notably mentoring several Black Belts and Champions.
Welcoming international stars to the UAE from 15th – 24th April 2016, the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship is one of the region’s premier sporting events. With the introduction of the Legends Series on the 23rd April fans can now enjoy even more uninterrupted Jiu-Jitsu action with a host of action including the Black Belt Finals, Youth Finals, play-offs and the Open Weight Finals which will close out the day. With a raffle draw up for grabs to lucky entrants, fans and players alike have the chance to win either a Jaguar XE – available through the Abu Dhabi Sports Channel programme – a Land Rover Discovery Sport up for grabs to audience members who register in the IPIC Fan Zone, and a Jaguar XF – to be won by a member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation – so it is all to play for at the eighth annual Championship.
