AJP Newsletter December 2024: Your Monthly Recap of the Highlights from all over the world

January 1, 2025

Another year has come and gone here at AJP, with the organization holding steady in its mission to increase Jiu-Jitsu's influence through competition. In the last twelve months, the AJP has taken its many competitions far and wide, visiting new countries while giving athletes the chance to not only test themselves but also gain valuable experience as they faced their peers. Whether it was ADWPJJC, ADGS, Continentals, Nationals, or any tournament in the organization's roster, the AJP made sure no weekend went by without action, and the next year is set to bring even more of it. But before we look to 2025 and its many opportunities, let's take a moment to go over the highlights from December.

AJP Tour João Pessoa International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024: Local black belts take the gold via submission in Brazil

Held at the Ginásio Ronaldão in the Brazilian state of Paraíba on December 15th, the João Pessoa International was a show through and through, welcoming athletes of all ages and graduations to show their skills across nine fight areas for an entire afternoon of competition.

With a stacked roster and the coveted AJP gold on the line, the tournament had no shortage of highlights for fight fans, with black belts of the Professional category submitting all their opponents to seize the lead in their respective weight classes. Checkmat's George Vilar was one such athlete, taking the 69kg title after going through Gabriel Melo and Thiago Batista. Another Checkmat representative in the spotlight, Santiago Heitor had his skills on full display as he tapped both Arthur Lima and Thiago Galvão on his way to the top of the 85kg division.

Meanwhile, the No-Gi side saw memorable performances from the likes of Jhailson Alves, an Atos athlete who submitted Diego Santos twice in the 62kg division; Steffano Cavalcante, A Japanese representative fighting for South Zone Team who got two quick submissions over Matheus Carmo for the 85kg gold; and Victor Lima, another South Zone Team fighter who subbed both Marcelo Oliveira and Josenildo Júnior to reign over the 94kg bracket.

AJP Tour Madrid International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024: Lautaro Sanguineme and Tamara Toros fight tooth and nail for the title in Spain

Bringing the AJP action to the Pabellon Amaya Valdemoro on December 8th, the Madrid International marked the organization's return to Spain, with colored and black belts flocking over to the mats in hopes of reaching the top of the podium and the 600 global ranking points.

Between high-octane clashes and cerebral exchanges, the black belts from the Professional category highlighted the event with their mix of strength, technique, and grit. On the men's side, the Argentine Lautaro Sanguineme had an incredible campaign through the 77kg bracket, defeating both Gianfranco Marrone and Hugo Le Metour before taking the gold to the Association Aranha team in an incredibly balanced match by scoring last in a 1-1 tie.

Over at the women's side of the competition, the Hungarian Tamara Toros added another medal to her collection. A runner-up in the ADWPJJC 2024, Tamara is a tried-and-true powerhouse, and she confirmed her skills once again, this time in the 70kg division. After submitting Sandra Calero in the semifinal, Tamara reached the gold round determined to walk away with the title, and that resolve matched with her technical know-how proved to be too much for her opponent Emily Eyles, who fought well but was unable to stop the Atos athlete.

AJP Tour Turin International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024: Professional black belts reach the top of the podium in Italy

Coming to the Palazzo Dello Sport Ruffini on December 15th, the Turin International gifted Italian athletes with the chance to compete while easing on travel expenses while also providing foreigners with an excellent chance to visit the country while further honing their abilities on the mats.

Once again, the black belts from the Professional category stole the show and showed their peers what it takes to compete at the top of the competitive scene. Starting with the men, the Spaniard Jonas Andrade dominated Cristian Gaeta and took the 62kg title with a 17-2 score, while Brazil's Johnif Rocha submitted Bruno Megiatto and Luiz Barroso for the 69kg gold. The Brazilian Marco Alves found his way to the top of the 85kg podium after tapping Gabriel Chagny, Vinicius Giroto reigned over the 94kg division with a submission over Tamerlan Eslemesov, and the local Reald Turja became the No-Gi 85kg champion after scoring last in a 3-3 tie against Greece's Aristarchos Papadopoulos.

Over on the women's side, Switzerland's Laurie Rocha submitted both Marta Giaimo and Giulia Angiolini for the 62kg title, and the French Juliette Tarting outscored the Swiss Anais Vintalas twice to cement her reign over the 70kg division.

UPCOMING: Nationals and Internationals

As December bows out and gives way to 2025, January kicks off the organization's calendar once again. Coming on January 11th, the AJP Tour Zagreb International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024 heads to Croatia and lands at the Sports Hall Jelkovec, with registrations open until January 6th.

Later in the month, the AJP Tour Mongolia National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024 brings the fires of competition to the Wrestling Palace in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Held on January 18th and 19th, the event is set to be another explosive addition to the AJP line-up, and the registration window will remain open until January 13th.

Last but not least, the AJP Tour Orlando International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024 marks the organization's return to the USA. Coming to Florida's Edgewater High School on January 26th, the tournament will be another taste of the action brought by the AJP in 2025, and the registrations will remain available until January 21st.