AJP NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2024: YOUR MONTHLY RECAP OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD

In the second month of 2024, AJP has dialed the action all the way up to eleven and showed just how much it means business when it comes to competition. With some of its best work done in February, the organization even went as far as reaching an internal milestone, hosting no less than ten tournaments across eight different countries in one weekend, totaling over seven thousand registered athletes to compete in that period. And 2024 has only just begun, so strap on and let's relive the greatest moments of February!

AJP Tour UAE National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024: Professional black belts show their skills in Abu Dhabi

From February 2nd to 4th, the UAE National completely took over the modern Mubadala Arena and put on another memorable show for the attending crowd. As expected, the Professional black belt went above and beyond when it came to showing skills on the mats, with both men and women leaving their hearts on the mats as they fought for glory and those sweet ranking points.

Starting in the men's side, Omar Alfadhli dominated the 69kg division as he submitted not once but twice to reach the title and the top of the podium. the 77kg division saw Jefferson Alves score 5-3 to overcome his Commando Group teammate Adriano Araujo to take the division gold, while the 85kg bracket final was fought between Lucas Giraud and Uanderson Ferreira, with the former landing a golden submission to defeat the latter. Speaking of Commando Group, representative Dennis Souza fought thrice to reach the title, outscoring Jakson Bernardo in the final to become the 94kg champion. As for the heaviest division, Wallace Costa got his spot atop the 120kg podium after landing a tight submission on Ithalo Lopes.

Meanwhile, on the women's side, Ariadne de Oliveira outscored Asma Alhosani for the 55kg title, Gabriela Pereira showed her prowess and submitted twice to reach the 62kg gold, and Rafaela Bertolot cemented her reign over the 70kg division by scoring a whopping 16-2 against Marwa Alhosani.

AJP Tour Brazil National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024: Double golds for João Bezerra, Beatriz Mendonça, and Jeane Pinto in Fortaleza

Over the course of February 3rd and 4th, the Ginásio Paulo Sarasate was the battlefield in which local colored and black belts put their training to the test, rising and falling as they sought the right to call themselves champions within the AJP. But while there were many contenders, three Professional black belts stood head and shoulders above the rest, putting on memorable performances and conquering the coveted double gold.

In the men's category, João Bezerra was unstoppable. Representing Bravos Fight Team, the Brazilian started his campaign in the 77kg division and defeated two opponents on his way to the final, in which he outscored Israel Almeida. With one gold medal resting on his shoulders, João decided to return to the mats and fight for the Open Lightweight division, reaching the bracket with Eduardo Forte as his sole challenger. Although both of the athletes were talented enough to find themselves in the final, João offered his opponent no quarter, submitting and seizing his second victory.

Another Bravos Fight Team double champion was Beatriz Mendonça, who started off in the 62kg division with two victories, first against Eduarda Macena and then against Gisleine Pessoa, to conquer her first title. The second one came about in the Open Lightweight division, in which Beatriz overcame Raissa Morais by 8-0 in the semifinal and made her way to the final, in which she had a rematch against Eduarda Macena. Both sides put up a fight, but Eduarda was again unable to fully keep up with Beatriz, with the latter unleashing her game and scoring the winning 6-1 to climb the podium another time.

Still on the women's side, Jeane Pinto was like a freight train in the Brazil National. A Checkmat representative with some mean tricks in her arsenal, she first conquered the 95kg division, outscoring Leticia Correia in the semis and submitting Monaliza Abreu in the final to reach the title. She later found her way back to the battlefield, with another target in her sights: the Open Heavyweight division. Her campaign here was no less victorious than the first, with Jeane first landing a submission over Eudina dos Santos and then moving on to the final round, in which she scored 8-2 to defeat Juliana Noronha and crown herself as the champion for the second time on that day.

AJP Tour Colombia National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024: Marcela Blanco conquers the double gold in Bogota

On the last weekend of the month, the Colombia National set the Palacio de Los Deportes ablaze with the fires of competition. Over February 24th and 25th, athletes from all over the world made their way to the venue and fought for the glory, prizes, and renown that the AJP provides to its champions. Among the warriors vying for the top of the podium, Professional brown belt Marcela Blanco was the most successful one, leaving no room for doubt when it comes to her skills as she conquered her weight division with and without the gi.

Hailing from Costa Rica, Marcela began her journey on the first day, donning her gi as she fought in the women's brown/black 70kg division. Despite having only one opponent in the bracket, the brown belt Marcela was set to face the local black belt Madeline Choconta, so it was an uphill battle from the start. Despite that, Marcela kept her cool and allowed her training to do the talking, giving Madeline absolutely no room to unleash her game and showcasing just how deep her know-how of the gentle art goes. When the clock ran out, Marcela stood as the winner, seizing her first title with an astounding 12-0 score.

On the second and last day of the tournament, Marcela once again stepped onto the mats to fight for the 70kg division, but without the grips and opportunities that the gi offers. Her opponent this time around was Samanta Saenz, an Ecuadorian brown belt who had conquered the 62kg division silver medal on the previous day. A fierce battle ensued, with both sides dishing out attacks while avoiding dangerous submission attempts, but Marcela once again had the upper hand as she kept her eyes on the prize and scored multiple times throughout the match. By the time the five regulated minutes were up, a 6-3 score landed Marcela Blanco once again atop the podium.

UPCOMING: South America Continental, Nationals, Regionals, and much more!

Starting on the very first day of the month, the AJP Tour South America Continental Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024 lands at the Expocentro as a part of the BC Fight Week. From March 1st to 3rd, the tournament will welcome Youths, Amateurs, Masters, and Professionals for three days of high-level Jiu-Jitsu competition. The tournament will take place in the Brazilian city of Balneário Camboriú and, like the other attractions of the Fight Week, comes as a collaboration between the UAEJJF and the local City Hall. The tournament will be broadcast live and free of charge on the streaming platform TX7.ae.

Meanwhile, the traditional Nationals are back again in March and will be giving athletes from all over the world the chance to fight closer to their homes. The Malaysia National lands at the MBSJ Stadium Serdang Jaya on March 2nd, followed by the Paraguay National (SND Arena), Serbia National (Sportska Hala Mika Antic), and Lithuania National (Kaunas Basketball School Zalgiris), all on March 23rd. Also starting on March 23rd but extending itself to March 24th, the China National takes over the Shougang Industrial Park Curling Hall in the famous city of Beijing for two days of competition.

March will also feature three Regionals, with the South Portugal Regional and the Bessarabia Regional both taking place on March 16th, followed by the Ural Regional on March 23rd. Lastly, here's the list of places that will host Internationals this month: Lubbock (March 2nd), Cape Town (March 2nd-3rd), Brussels (March 9th), Monterrey (March 9th), Johannesburg (March 10th), Prague (March 16th), Kyiv (March 16th), Luanda (March 23rd), Bern (March 30th), London (March 30th), Recife (March 30th-31st).