Youth athletes test No-Gi skills as Dubai hosts final season jiu-jitsu rankings

Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club secured the top position on the opening day of Round 6 of the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship on Saturday, 29 August, at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex in Dubai. The first day of the final No-Gi event of the season featured youth competitors in the Under-12, Under-14, and Under-16 categories. Following Sharjah in the standings, ADMA Academy finished the day in second place, while Palms Sports claimed third. The tournament is a key fixture in the UAE jiu-jitsu calendar, serving as a platform for clubs to identify and prepare the next generation of athletes for international representation. Youth Performance in No-Gi Format The competition focused on the No-Gi discipline, which requires different technical adjustments compared to traditional Gi jiu-jitsu. Officials noted that the format demands faster decision-making and higher levels of adaptability under pressure. Among the individual successes, Matar Al Shamsi of Al Hamriyah Cultural and Sports Club secured a gold medal in the Under-12 Grey Belt 50kg division. Vitor Junior Teixeira, a coach at ADMA Academy, stated that training for these categories emphasizes control, discipline, and technical precision. The event was attended by Mohamed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, along with board members Yousef Abdullah Al Batran and Mohammed Bin Dalmouj Al Dhaheri. Season Final Standings Approach The tournament is timely as…