Claudio Calasans, against Braulio, was the big name of the World Pro 2010. Photo: Luca Atalla
The World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Cup makes it to its third year of existence in 2011 with lots of news. The main event, in Abu Dhabi, kicks off April 8 and 9 with a no-gi tournament.
No, we’re not confusing things. Next season, besides the traditional Jiu-Jitsu event, from the 14th to 16th of April, the no-gi contest will take place. Competitors will be able to compete in both competitions. They will arrive the day before weight-in for the no-gi tournament and stay till the 17th of the month. Between the events, competitors will be entertained with tours and the likes. The no-gi tournament too will offer prize money to the champions.
It’s worth noting that the competitions (gi and no-gi) are open to all, not just to those who qualify at the tryouts to be held around the world. The tryouts are an option for athlete’s not wishing to spend on airfare, food and board. There are no restrictions to those who wish to pay their own way to compete at the main event, as Rômulo Barral did this year.
Big prize money is one of the draws. Photo: Luca Atalla
Speaking of tryouts, they too will reward the winners of the black belt absolute division with prize money. There are no restrictions on nationality for the tryouts. All athletes from whatever nation can compete in any of the tryouts. That wasn’t the case with last year’s tryouts, so this is news. The tryouts and the main event will be broadcast over Abu Dhabi Sportv channel. In all there will be eighteen tryouts divided into three categories:
3 stars: (Korea, China and Bahrain) each leg will reward four athletes with all-expenses-paid trips to the main event
4 stars: (New Zealand, Poland and South Africa) each leg will reward seven athletes with all-expenses-paid trips to the main event
5 stars: (Brazil, with legs in Gramado, Natal and Rio de Janeiro; USA, with legs in New York, Las Vegas and West Palm Beach; Canada; Australia; Japan; United Kingdom; Portugal; and Sweden) each leg will reward thirteen athletes with all-expenses-paid trips to the main event.
Gabi Garcia took top spot among the ladies. Photo: Luca Atalla
All the athletes (tryouts and main event) will figure in a ranking system (check the rules below). The first four athletes in the ranking will go straight to the quarterfinals of the main event, while the fifth- to eighth-place competitors will go straight into the round of eight. Submissions will count for more points in the ranking, and at the end of the season, an extra 5,000 will be rewarded the first-ranked athlete, 3,000 to the second and 2,000 to the third. In the coming years title-defenses will be held during the tryouts (champion versus first-ranked).
The organizers calculated that with the prize money from the main event, qualifiers and travel, food and lodging costs, total prize money comes to one million dollars. Plenty of cash!
Check out how the pay outs will be rewarded (in US dollars):
Ricardo Demente jubilant at World Pro. Photo: Luca Atalla
No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu
Brown/black belt
Absolute – 15,-000 to first place / 1,500 to second / 750 to both third places
Weight division – 4,000 to first / 1,500 to second / 750 to both thirds
Purple belt – 2,500 to first / 1,000 to second (no reward for thirds)
blue belt – 1,500 to first / 750 to second (no reward for thirds)
There will be no female no-gi category
Faisal Al Kutb secured gold in the Arab Emirates. Photo: Luca Atalla
Gi Jiu-Jitsu
Men’s brown/black belt
Absolute – 30,000 to first / 3,000 to second / 1,500 to thirds
Weight groups – 8,000 to first / 3,000 to second / 1,500 to thirds
Female purple/brown/black belt
No absolute
Weight divisions – 4,000 to first / 2,000 to second / 500 to thirds
Men’s purple belt – 5,000 to first / 2,000 to second
Men’s white/blue belt – 3,000 to first / 1,500 to second
Female white/blue belt – 3,000 to first / 1,500 to second
Trials prize money (only black belt absolute) – 4,000 to first / 1,000 to second
Australia's Kit Dale defeated Gustavo Silvestro. Photo: Luca Atalla
Ranking
The athletes are ranked according to their results since 2009
Main event:
Absolute
40 pts – 1st place
20 pts – 2nd place
8 pts – 3rd place
Weight divisions
20 pts – 1st
10 pts – 2nd
4 pts – 3rd
Tryouts
Absolute
20 pts – 1st
10 pts – 2nd
4 pts – 3rd
Weight groups
10 pts – 1st
5 pts – 2nd
2 pts – 3rd
Mendes brothers face off. Photo: Luca Atalla
After all that, first hand here on GRACIEMAG, who could possibly want to miss out? Athletes participating in any of the tryouts and the main event need to sign up on the event’s website. The cost is US$ 20 for the entire season. Here are the dates for the various qualifiers:
Korea – Bucheon – 3 stars
October 24, 2010
contact@axisjj.com
Brazil – Natal – 5 stars
November 6, 2010
fabio_holanda@hotmail.com
New Zealand-Auckland – 4 stars
November 13, 2010
douglas@douglasjiujitsu.co.nz
Sweden – Stockholm – 5 stars
November 20, 2010
blackwellpeter@hotmail.com
USA – New York – 5 stars
December 4, 2010
renatousaatt@hotmail.com
South Africa – Johannesburg – 4 stars
December 11, 2010
quantumtribe@webmail.co.za
China- Shanghai – 3 stars
December18, 2010
info@jjfcn.com
Portugal-Lisbon – 5 stars
January 15, 2011
Organizer contact: zemarcello@mac.com
Brazil – Rio de Janeiro – 5 Stars
January 22, 2011
lerjji@gmail.com
Gramado trials winners. Photo: Carlos Ozório
Brazil- Gramado – 5 stars
February 5, 2011
: feparadeda@hotmail.com
Poland – Warsaw – 4 stars
February 12, 2011
kuba@mantofight.com
Australia – Sydney – 5 stars
February 19, 2011
pratesalex@hotmail.com
Canada – Montreal – 5 stars
February 26, 2011
fabio_holanda@hotmail.com
USA – Las Vegas – 5 stars
March 5, 2011
renatousaatt@hotmail.com
Japan – Tokyo – 5 stars
March 12, 2011
contact@axisjj.com
USA – West Palm Beach – 5 stars
March 19, 2011
renatousaatt@hotmail.com
United Kingdom – London – 5 stars
March 26, 2011
zemarcello@mac.com
Bahrain – Manama – 3 stars
April 2, 2011
reza@batelco.com.bh
United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi – No-Gi Tournament
April 8 and 9, 2011
worldpro@uaejj.com
United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi – Gi Tournament
April 14, 15 and16, 2011
worldpro@uaejj.com