Even though it’s December already, things don’t appear to be showing any signs of slowing down at AJP…
What’s more, this month has already started off with a bang – with four tournaments during the first weekend!
Here are the highlights from each of the championships, as brought to you by AJP.
AJP Tour Slovenia National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023: Pawel Kozlowski takes the gold in Ljubljana
On Saturday, December 2nd, the Sport Hall Vižmarje Brod opened its doors to athletes from all over the globe, setting four fight areas and kicking off an entire afternoon of fighting for athletes and fight fans. Among the many champions that emerged from those mats, the Polish Pawel Kozlowski was a highlight.
Representing Gremlin Jiu-Jitsu, Pawel has been on a roll since the season 2023-2024 began. Before making his way to Ljubljana for another top-notch performance, the Polish fighter used his technical know-how to conquer the coveted double gold in Spain. Now in the capital of Slovenia, Pawel added another win to further cement his status as #1 in the European ranking.
In the 85kg division, Pawel went straight for the final round, where he faced the Polish Lukasz Les (Team Sukata) for the gold. Warmed up from beating Fernando Nicolich by 6-3 in the semis, Lukasz could almost feel the gold medal in his grasp, but Pawel had other plans and locked a submission on his countryman to climb the podium for the third consecutive time this season.
Check out the full results here!
AJP Tour Chuy Regional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023: Saidzhamol Akbarkhanov and Elshat Madyaro conquers the purple belt gold in Kyrgyzstan
Still on that Saturday, colored belts headed to the 29 gymnasium, located in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek, for a shot at earning some valuable ranking points and the experience they need to advance in the journey through Jiu-Jitsu.
Among the many Kids, Youths, and Adults that stood on the battlefield that afternoon, two purple belts used their skills and training to conquer the gold medals. First, the local Saidzhamol Akbarkhanov (Checkmat International) used his know-how to face and defeat fellow countryman Askat Karabek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan Top Team) twice, first by 3-0 and then by 1-0, to climb the 69kg podium.
In the 77kg division, the Kazakh Elshat Madyaro (Samurai Academy Kazakhstan) fought for the title against the Kyrgyz Imankulov Marlis (Kyrgyzstan Top Team). The competitors found themselves evenly matched and the duel ended up taking the entirety of the regulated time, with the scoreboard settling at 2-0 to raise Elshat as the division champion in the tournament.
Check out the full results here!
AJP Tour Salvador International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023: Rebeca Mendes conquers the double gold in Brazil
On Sunday, December 3rd, the Ginásio de Esportes do Colégio São José was the place to be in Brazil, and competitors from all over the country made their way to the AJP mats to fight for another chance to become champions in a worldly recognized organization.
Many champions rose that day, but the 23-year-old black belt Rebeca Mendes (Nordeste Jiu Jitsu MMA) was the highlight. Her journey through the tournament began in the 70kg division, where she scored a 7-0 before ultimately submitting Natalia Machado (Corpo e Mente) to take her first gold medal. She later returned to the mats, this time aiming at the Open Heavyweight title, but this time things wouldn’t be as simple.
Rebeca had to fight twice to take her second gold, but both her opponents were also division champions, creating a more leveled battlefield that produced some very well-balanced matches. First, Rebeca faced the 55kg gold medalist Erika Machado (Arka BJJ), taking the win by a tight 1-0 to reach the final round. The last match of the bracket saw Rebeca go toe-to-toe with the 95kg division reigning champ Danielle Cruz (Escola de Jiu-Jitsu Rafael Arara) and the battle was a tough one, with both athletes attempting to gain the upper hand but with no points scored. By the end, the referee decided that Rebeca was the most combat-effective fighter, landing her the second gold medal of the day.
Check out the full results here!
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AJP Tour Tallinn International Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2023: Purple and brown belt Masters show their experience in Estonia
Still on Sunday, colored belts from all over the world were welcomed at the Play Arena, in the city of Tallinn, for another round of high-octane competition. But while athletes of all ages and graduations were ready to fight for the gold, the Master 2 category held the most memorable duels of the tournament.
First, the Latvian brown belt Vitalijs Smolakovs (Achilles Sport Club) showed his talent in the 77kg division, where the Canadian Robert Montes (Brazilian Top Team Estonia) awaited to fight for the title. Throughout the duel, Vitalijs managed to gain the upper hand and gave very little ground to his opponent, a situation that was reflected in the 8-2 score, but that wasn’t enough for the Latvian, who managed to lock a submission halfway through the match and took the gold medal.
Meanwhile, the local purple belt Stepan Skarbanov (Gracie Barra Brasa Latvia) faced the Finnish Vladislav Veidenbaum (Sambo Espoo) in the 120kg division final. While both athletes successfully avoided any submissions, Stepan managed to gain and maintain the lead throughout the five minutes of regulated time, ending the bout with a 3-0 score to climb the podium and become the champion.
Check out the full results here!
