Amin Abbas

ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship (ADXC), a groundbreaking event in the world of combat sports that aims to channel the highest standards of jiu-jitsu, is coming this October as a part of Abu Dhabi Showdown Week.

The event will feature 13 rounds, including preliminary rounds and thrilling finales, bringing together elite jiu-jitsu and grappling stars from around the world.  

The ADXC adopts an innovative mechanism for selecting outstanding players, including invitation cards based on specific criteria governed by the tournament’s organizing committee regulations.

The championship has developed a set of innovative rules that focus on excellence in combat strategies, moving away from traditional standards. These rules aim to create an environment that motivates athletes to continue developing their skills and abilities. 

Abdel Moneim Al Hashemi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation and President of the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Union, expressed his excitement for the upcoming ADXC  “We are proud to introduce the unique Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship (ADXC), which represents Abu Dhabi’s contribution to the world of martial arts,” he stated.

“This event reflects the UAE’s commitment to supporting sports and their top athletes globally. The championship aims to make an unprecedented impact on the sector, expanding horizons and solidifying Abu Dhabi’s leading position in combat sports… (it’s) a new milestone for success and excellence in the capital of sports”, he added. 

The organizing committee has announced the tournament will also introduce several fan-oriented experiences, such as champion meet and greets, interactive activities, and behind-the-scenes tours. These initiatives align with the aim of providing an exceptional event experience. 

Rodrigo Valerio, the event’s technical partner and the operations manager at the ANJ Tour, provided details on the new championships that are coming this year to ADXC “(it) will attract a diverse group of athletes to showcase their skills inside the octagon,” he said. “We have adopted qualifiers and comprehensive weight categories, carefully choosing dates to ensure the participation of the most distinguished stars.” 

British mixed martial arts fighter Carl Booth “The Bomber” shared exclusively to Arab News Japan how excited he is for the upcoming event “ I’m really excited about the high-level fights inside the cage as a MMA fighter myself who had a lot of experiences fighting inside the cage, and it’s very interesting to see the fighters fighting in the first edition of this championship”. 

“I recommend all the martial arts fans around the world to stay tuned for this championship as they will see the exciting fights by the fighters, who will be awarded for their amazing skills in the upcoming fights in this championship,” he added. 

Abu Dhabi has been the home for multiple MMA athletes for years. It’s currently growing to not only be a destination for martial arts in the region, but also a global hotspot for professional combat sports.