A much-improved Faisal Al Ketbi of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Team took gold in the -83kg (183lb) no-gi division at the Rio Grand Slam, making this his first black belt title in a major tournament. 

The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam World Jiu-Jitsu Tour Rio de Janeiro is the third event of the 2016-2017 UAEJJF season following events in Los Angeles and Tokyo. 

Al Ketbi competed in both the gi and no-gi divisions over the two-day event. Last season, Al Ketbi had competed in the -94 division. 

The UAE team member defeated Pedro Agrizzi of NAS Brotherhood in the final, winning 2-0 (accumulated via stalling penalties against Agrizzi). 


This marks the first time Al Ketbi has followed the same success he enjoyed as a brown belt by winning a major black belt title. 

I feel good, I feel satisfied. Yesterday I couldn't even make it to the semi-finals, but today I played carefully and with more strategy. My coaches told me who to play with him, we played with his nerves and we pushed to the limit. After that we saw him angry and we saw him nervous, and that was the strategy.

He has shown substantial development since working with team coach Roberto 'Gordo', a veteran black belt considered the innovator of the half guard in jiu-jitsu. 

"You can see the difference," says Al Ketbi. "I used to play 94kg, and after the last one Coach Gordo said 'You can do better if you move to the next category'. Now I'm starting to feel better and I didn't have experience to lose weight without muscle, but with the support of my family, the federation and my coaches I can lose weight without suffering." 

Al Ketbi's plans include continuing with the Grand Slam Tour in Abu Dhabi in January, and London in March before rounding out the season with the World Pro in April.

"We prepare ourselves for Worlds, this is the target," says Al Ketbi. 

Final Result Male No-Gi / Adult / Black / 83kg Bracket
1: Faisal Al Ketbi, UAE Jiu-Jitsu Team
2: Pedro Agrizzi, NS Brotherhood 
3: Rodrigo Barbosa, Alliance