Baniyas top opening day at Round 7 of Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship

At Mubadala Arena Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club led the standings after the first day of Round 7, with Al Jazira second and M.O.D UAE third as Under-18, Adults and Masters athletes competed in the Gi division.

Baniyas lead after opening day at Mubadala Arena

Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club emerged at the head of the leaderboard on the opening day of Round 7 of the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship, held at Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Arena on 18 September 2026. Al Jazira Jiu-Jitsu Club placed second and M.O.D UAE were third after a full day of contests across the Under-18, Adults and Masters Gi categories.

The round showcased tightly fought matches in the Gi division as clubs and academies deployed a mixture of established competitors and rising talent to gather points ahead of the decisive stages of the season. The Under-18 fights highlighted emerging UAE athletes, the Adults sessions produced high-level contests between experienced fighters, and the Masters bracket contributed seasoned performers to the team tallies.

The event was attended by senior figures from Abu Dhabi’s sporting and philanthropic community, who also took part in medal presentations. Among those present were Mohamed Haji Al Khoori, Director General of the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation; Mohamed Hussain Al Marzooqi, Board Member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation; Humaid Ahmed Al Rumaithi, CEO of Food Security at Silal Group; and Hadi Al Askari, Vice President – Partnerships, Community Outreach & event at Mubadala.

Officials underlined the championship’s role in developing athletes across age groups and in providing regular competitive opportunities. Organisers and federation representatives emphasised that the mix of categories strengthens clubs’ ability to assess progress, build team spirit and prepare national athletes for international competition.

Coaches noted that with the season entering its later rounds technical preparation and match management become decisive. The coordinated contribution of Under-18, Adults and Masters competitors was described as central to a club’s capacity to accumulate points and sustain performance throughout the campaign.

Individual honours on the opening day included Saad Ali Abdullah of Al Jazira Jiu-Jitsu Club, who secured gold in the Masters 85kg division. Clubs will reconvene on Saturday to contest the remainder of Round 7 as they vie to improve their positions ahead of the championship final.

Source: WAM