A season title asks a different question from a single tournament: can a team keep producing when the next round comes around? In the UAE’s Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Baniyas and Sharjah Self-Defence supplied the answer again.
Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club retained the Gi season crown for a second consecutive year, while Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club made it three straight No-Gi titles. The third edition concluded at Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, October 18.
Eight rounds to get it right
The season comprised five Gi rounds and three No-Gi rounds across the UAE. Teams accumulated points in their respective formats, making each round part of a longer campaign.
That structure puts an academy’s work on display over time. Athletes have to return prepared, coaches have another set of results to work from, and the team’s position depends on what happens across the season.
The next group on the mats
The closing day featured the Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 categories, with families and supporters in attendance. A championship ending with younger athletes gives the season’s results another dimension: the clubs collecting trophies are also developing the competitors who will carry their programmes forward.
For Baniyas and Sharjah Self-Defence, the repeat titles mark sustained success in their respective formats. For the other academies, the completed season offers a practical measure of where their teams stand and what needs attention before they return.
Reporting based on the UAEJJF media release and Emirates News Agency’s report. Photography supplied with the UAEJJF media release.