By Michael Sears

The action kicked off Saturday at the fifth and final Grand Slam event of the UAEJJF season. The Copper Box at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park was electric as the race towards the World Pro and the end of season prizes is coming to an end. More than $125,000 in cash prizes will be given out to athletes at this weekend’s Grand Slam by the UAEJJF. Two black belt champions were crowned and the rest of the brackets went to the finals, which will take place Sunday around 3:30 pm London time.

Men

56 kg

Champion: Jose Lima (GFT)

The 56 kg bracket was a three-man round robin and was decided on Saturday. Currently ranked third in this UAEJJF season, Jose Lima defeated Joao Kuraoka and Andrea Verdemare to win his fourth Grand Slam of 2017-18.

62 kg

Final: Hiago George (Cicero Costha) vs Wanki Chae (John Frankl)

Photo by Michael Sears

George advanced to the final with a last second victory in the semi, after the ref ruled that Pedro Dias fled the mat defending a sweep and awarding George two points. Chae won by a score of 4-0 in both of his matches, including against Jorge Nakamura in the quarterfinal.

Photo by Michael Sears

69 kg

Final: Paulo Miyao (Cicero Costha) vs Victor Moraes (Cicero Costha)

The UAEJJF rules prohibiting closeouts means we will see a final between the Cicero Costha teammates. Miyao cruised through his half of the bracket as expected, winning by submission up 6-0 in the quarterfinal and by points 9-0 in the semifinal. Moraes had three fights to make the final, defeating Alex Cabanes 6-4, Eduardo Vieira by submission, and Alexandre Vieira 5-2 in the semi.

77 kg 

Final: Jaime Canuto (GFT) vs Marcos Costa (UAEJJ)

Canuto dominated the top half of the bracket, outscoring his three opponents 32-2. Two of his three matches were won by submission, including an armlock from mount on Kywan Gracie in the semifinal. Costa won four fights on Saturday to meet Canuto in the final, two by submission and two on points. In the semifinal Costa was victorious over NS Brotherhoods Rafael Mansur.

85 kg

Final: Charles Negromonte (Roger Gracie) vs Isaque Bahiense (Alliance)

Both men had two fights in order to advance to Sundays finals. Negromonte won by submission in his first match before getting a 0-0 referee decision over Swede Max Lindblad in the semi. Bahiense shut out both opponents, winning 4-0 and 2-0.

94 kg

Final: Jackson Souza (Checkmat) vs Paulo Pinto (Commando Group)

Jackson submitted both of his opponents to advance to the final. His quarterfinal match lasted only 14 seconds, with Souza finishing a vicious one handed toe hold. In the semi Jackson finished Ben Hodgkinson with a choke from the back while up 9-0, Hodgkinson had earlier upset Helton Jose Junior by advantages. After a no-show by his first opponent, Pinto started in the semifnal. Waiting for him there was current number two ranked black belt in the UAEJJF Adam Wardzinski. The two men were deadlocked for the entire match, with it finishing 0-0 and a penalty against Wardzinski giving Pinto the win. Wardzinski would win two more fights to take bronze.

110 kg 

Final: Thiago Sa (Checkmat) vs Gerard Labinski (NS Brotherhood)

Sa did not have much trouble on his way to the finals, winning by submission and by a score of 10-0 In his two fights. Labinski was victorious against top ranked American Matt Leighton by ref decision in a hard fought semifinal.

Women brown/black

49 kg

Champion: Serena Gabrielli (Flow)

Italian Serena Gabrielli came out on top of this three-women division after two victories. The 2018 European champion won her final by a 0-0 ref decision.

55 kg

Final: Amal Amjahid (CENS) vs Rose El Sharouni (Checkmat)

2018 European brown belt weight and open class champion Amal Amjahid gave GFT’s Amanda Monteiro her first loss as a black belt in the semifinal. The pair have fought twice before, with Monteiro earning close victories on both occasions. This time Amjahid finally got her hand raised in the rivalry  and will be fighting for a Grand Slam title on Sunday. Rose El Sharouni put on a dominant display in her semi, winning 7-2 on points with 5-0 on advantages.

62 kg

Final: Charlotte Von Baumgarten (Mathias Ribeiro) vs Larissa Paes (UAEJJ)

Germany’s Von Baumgarten took out Nadia Melo of GFT by armbar to advance to the final. Paes survived a 4-4 match in the first round, and was able to secure a guard pass in the semi to win 3-0 and make the final. Top ranked Paes came into the weekend up 600 points in the UAEJJF rankings and should have the top spot secured after London.

70 kg

Final: Ana Carolina Vieira (GFT) vs Thamara Silva (Cicero Costha)

Photo by Michael Sears

2017 World Champion Vieira is trying to win her third Grand Slam of this UAEJJF season, after already having won in Rio de Janeiro and Los Angeles. Ana Carolina dominated the competition in route to the final outscoring her opponents 28-0 and finishing both fights with submissions. Silva defeated three opponents to advance, including a 19-0 win in the first round and a submission in the semi.

90 kg

Final: Laila Carneiro (Marcao) vs Arizona Brodie (Macaco Gold)

Both women were flawless on the day, giving up zero points in their quarterfinal and semifinals matches.