
AJP Newsletter January 2025: Your Monthly Recap of the Highlights from all over the world
February 1, 2025
After a stellar year of action and competitions worldwide, the AJP is back and ready to carry on its mission to improve people's lives through Jiu-Jitsu. In the first month of 2025, the tournaments returned on a smaller scale as the organization steadily completed its preparations for another season filled with Grand Slams, Continentals, Nationals, and all the other events that fight fans have come to know and love in the AJP roster. Without further ado, let's check out the highlights from January.
AJP Tour Zagreb International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025: Claudio Silva, Kamil Polak, and Vedran Cugalj take the Professional gold in Croatia
Taking place at the Sports Hall Jelkovec on January 11th, the Zagreb International was the opening tournament of 2025, setting the tone for the rest of the season with its action-packed duels and giving athletes of all ages and graduations the chance to become the first to conquer the coveted AJP gold this year.
Among the many athletes who rose up to the top of the podium with their skills and mettle, three Professional black belts managed to stand out as they showed their peers what it takes to compete among the elite of the sport. Starting in the 69kg division, the Brazilian Claudio Silva went up against the UAE's Said Almazrouie in a tough battle, taking the win via submission at around the four-minute mark.
Meanwhile, Poland's Kamil Polak conquered the title after two matches in the 77kg bracket, outscoring the Emirati Obaid Alkaabi and his compatriot Pawel Kozlowski. Last but not least, the local Vedran Cugalj went all out in a duel against the Croatian Alen Kontrec, taking and maintaining the lead on the scoreboard before landing a last-minute submission to emerge victorious from the tournament.
AJP Tour Mongolia National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025: Black belts conquer their weight classes in Ulaanbaatar
Held at the Wrestling Palace in Ulaanbaatar between January 18th and 19th, the Mongolia National was yet another successful competition in the AJP's roster, filling five fight areas on both days of the competition with local and foreign athletes giving their all to conquer the gold and the global ranking points.
With the Youth category taking over the tournament on the first day, the warriors from the Amateur, Master, and Professional category took the stage on Sunday, January 19th, with the latter group taking the spotlight as they fought tooth and nail to become champions in the event. Starting in the 77kg division, Davaadorj Munkhtur went up against Erdenebaatar Ulziitogtokh in the final round, showcasing his technique and strategy as he scored last in a 2-2 tie to emerge victorious.
Speaking of technical prowess, Ariuntsog Baasandorj had his Jiu-Jitsu shining in the 120kg bracket as he faced Ulziibayar Selemjav and took the title with a 6-2 score. Over on the women's side, Altai Batzul defeated Mongoljin Ganbaatar twice to take the top of the 95kg division podium, landing her first win by 4-1 and then becoming the champion with a 3-0 score.
AJP Tour Orlando International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025: Glaucia Braga and Kirk Huff reach the double gold in the US
Bringing the AJP mats to the American state of Florida, the Orlando International took place on January 26th and gave athletes a chance to visit the US for the first time to compete this year. With the competition taking place at the Edgewater High School, talented rookies and seasoned veterans clashed for a chance to become champions in the organization.
Among the many names who rose to the top that day, two black belts from the Professional category impressed fight fans by taking the coveted double gold in the event. One such athlete was the Brazilian Glaucia Braga, who started her campaign in the Master 1 95kg division and took her first title after a 3-1 win over Chile's Barbara Cuevas. Later on, they both ran into each other at the Professional Open Heavyweight final, with Glaucia taking and maintaining the lead until the end to conquer her second trip to the top of the podium with a 4-0 score.
The other powerhouse in the tournament was the local Kirk Huff. Starting in the Master 2 94kg division, Kirk got his first title after a tough battle against Puerto Rico's Felix Carrion, a final in which he emerged victorious with a 3-0 score. Still hungry for more, Kirk took off his cotton armor and entered the Professional No-Gi Open Heavyweight bracket, going up against the Brazilian Matheus Oliveira in the gold round and becoming a champion for the second time after a 7-2 win.
UPCOMING: ADGS Rome, Africa Continental, Nationals, and much more!
Coming as the most awaited tournament of February, the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Rome marks the first competition of the world tour this year. Set to take place between February 21st and 23rd at the Centro Olimpico Matteo Pellicone, the event is set to be a memorable one as it welcomes the Amateur category on its first day, followed by Youths and Masters on the second, and Professionals closing the tournament in its third and final day. With the registration window closing on February 18th, athletes looking to take part in the competition should not waste any more time and save their spot in the ADGS' big comeback.
Another big tournament taking place this February is the AJP Tour Africa Continental Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025. Held between February 21st and 22nd at the New Capital Indoor Hall, in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, the competition will open its doors for Amateurs and Masters on the first day, while the second one will be reserved for Youths and Professionals. With 1400 points on the line in addition to the glory of becoming a champion in the organization, the event stands to be a game-changer for all affiliated athletes and might just be what you need to take the top spot in the global ranking, but it's worth noting that registrations will only be available until February 16th, so save your spot now.
Alongside this month's heavy hitters, the AJP will also provide its usual batch of weekend tournaments, each offering the chance to improve your Jiu-Jitsu and climb the ranks in your category. On the National side, the organization will be visiting Slovakia on February 1st, Brazil between February 1st and 2nd, Russia on February 2nd, Jordan on February 7th, Greece on February 15th, and Moldova on February 22nd.
With a sole Regional taking place in Kyrgyzstan's Chuy on February 23rd, here's the list for this month's Internationals: Valencia (February 9th), Zurich (February 15th), Monterrey (February 15th), Mendoza (February 22nd), Guarapari (February 22nd-23rd).