Dubai to host Vice President’s Jiu-Jitsu Cup

DUBAI: The Vice President’s Jiu-Jitsu Cup will take place on May 2-3 at Shabab Al Ahli Club in Dubai, the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation has announced.

The championship, which brings together nine of the UAE’s leading clubs and academies, offers a prize pool of more than $270,000 (AED 1 million) for the top three clubs across all divisions.

Preliminary rounds will take place on Saturday, with finals scheduled for Sunday. The team-based competition will feature four divisions — adults, U-18, U-16, and U-14 — with formats varying depending on the number of participating clubs, including best-of-three matchups and round-robin stages leading to the final rounds.

The event is regarded as one of the key competitions on the local calendar. Last year’s edition saw four different clubs claim titles across the divisions, with Sharjah Self-Defense Sports Club winning the U-14 category, Al-Ain taking U-16, Al-Jazira securing U-18, and Baniyas claiming the adult title. The spread highlighted the depth of competition across clubs and points to a more competitive edition this year.

Fahad Ali Al-Shamsi, secretary general of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, said: “The Vice President’s Jiu-Jitsu Cup is a key fixture in the local season. It brings together the country’s leading clubs in a team-based format that emphasizes collective performance and gives athletes a valuable opportunity to test their readiness in a strong competitive environment.

“Domestic competitions play a central role in expanding participation, strengthening pathways across age groups, and reinforcing the role of clubs in developing athletes. This ultimately supports the national teams and enhances their ability to compete at