Big night for Emirati star Al Fadhli at Grand Slam World Tour

Elite jiu-jitsu fighters from around the world assemble for the final round of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Tour at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena at Zayed Sports City this weekend.

The three-day competition features the Youth, Masters and Professional categories in the Grand Slam World Tour, giving participants the chance to improve their world ranking and win a slice of the $225,000 prize fund on offer.

The competition kicks off on Friday with the Grand Slam for Youth and the Queen of Mats, followed by the Grand Slam Masters and King of Mats on Saturday, and the Grand Slam Professional on Sunday.

Emirati jiu-jitsu star Omar Al Fadhli will be one of the biggest draws on the second day as he will be the first UAE fighter and the first Arab to compete in the King of Mats.

“To get the opportunity to compete in the King of Mats is every Emirati player’s dream,” Al Fadhli said.

“This means facing the world’s strongest and toughest jiu-jitsu players, who are used to such an environment and have a lot of experience in the top flight on the mat.”

Al Fadhli, 21, holds several jiu-jitsu records and is the youngest Emirati to receive the black belt.“The King of Mats is another first for me and another opportunity,” he added. “I started preparing for this competition a long time ago.”

Balqis Al Hashemi is one of the up-and-coming Emirati female stars and will be among the athletes competing in the women’s division.

“We have a lot of international competitions coming up and this tournament will serve as a springboard for us to step up our preparations,” she said.