Jose Junior returns to action a week after winning a gold medal in the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tokyo with the aim of deposing fellow Brazilian Gabriel de Souza from the top spot in the jiu-jitsu world rankings.
The Abu Dhabi-based jiu-jitsu instructor skips today’s No-Gi (without the traditional kimono) event to concentrate on tomorrow’s Gi competition at Al Ain University.
“It’s tough to come after a world event, but it’s a great opportunity that I won’t mind going the distance,” Junior said. “I have trained hard for this moment and the goal is to make the most of the opportunities.
“The plan is to take part in as many competitions as possible, including the Grand Slam events in Rio de Janeiro, Abu Dhabi and London, and culminating with the Abu Dhabi World Pro in April.”
Joining Junior in the fray are some of the members of the UAE national team who returned from Tokyo with medals. Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi, bronze medallist in the brown belt 110-kilogram, is among them.
The Emiratis returned with six gold, three silver and three bronze medals from Tokyo and more than half of the team are set to compete in the Al Ain event that has drawn more than 800 entries in the men and women’s categories.
“Following a remarkable performance by our young jiu-jitsu athletes last weekend, we are excited to witness the professional players square off against each other in what is going to be an exciting couple of days,” Abdulmunam Al Hashemi, the chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said.
“I am confident that the athletes will bring their superior skills and technique to the mats and showcase their incredible passion for the sport.”
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