How gulf state royalty has been using combat sports as a political tool and what it means…
Is their support and sponsorship a positive thing for combat sports?
The UAE’s Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan may be the most influential figure in Jiu-Jitsu whose last name isn’t Gracie.
Not much is known about the Jiu-Jitsu story of this BJJ black belt that has been training since the mid-90’s:
The Black Belt Sheikh: The Incredible Journey of Tahnoon the Godfather of Jiu-Jitsu
UAE’s Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan regularly trains with all the top Jiu-Jitsu champions. He has them flown in for private sessions in his dojo:
Helio Soneca: ‘Sheikh Tahnoon is One of the Most Technical BJJ Black Belts in The World’
They are pushing for BJJ in the Olympics:
