By Michael Sears

The final Abu Dhabi Grand Slam ahead of the 2018 World Pro will see some of the sport’s best female grapplers converge on London this weekend. 

Led by a strong contingent from GF Team, here is an idea of a few athletes to look out for in the women’s divisions. (For UAEJJF events, female black and brown belts compete in the same category.)

Watch the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam London LIVE or On Demand ONLY on FloGrappling

Ana Carolina Vieira 

GFT – 70kg

In 2017, GFT athlete Ana Carolina Vieira achieved the rare distinction of winning an IBJJF world title at all belts when she became a black belt world champion in May. The younger sister of legend Rodolfo Vieira is currently ranked eighth in the UAEJJF women’s rankings with 400 points from gold medals at the Rio de Janeiro and Los Angeles Grand Slams. 

Photo: Michael Sears

In those two tournaments, Ana Carolina submitted five out of six opponents, the sole survivor in these bouts losing by a score of 6-0. Vieira won the London Grand Slam a year ago and finished fourth in the 2016-17 UAEJJF season with 1,000 points and a World Pro title.

Amanda Monteiro 

GFT – 55kg

Amanda Monteiro has looked unstoppable since winning 2017 Worlds at brown belt and receiving her black belt from GFT founder Julio Cesar Pereira. The 23-year-old is undefeated at black belt throughout several major tournaments and 9-0 in the current UAEJJF season. 

Photo: Michael Sears

Monteiro has taken home gold medals at three Grand Slams so far in Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, and Abu Dhabi. Recently she won an IBJJF European championship in Lisbon, Portugal, defeating Bianca Basilio in the final. Monteiro is currently fourth in the UAEJJF rankings with 740 points.

Amal Amjahid 

CENS Academy – 55kg

Along with Monteiro, Belgium’s Amal Amjahid is also a contender in the 55kg division. The reigning brown belt queen of Europe recently crushed the competition at the 2018 Europeans, submitting five out of seven opponents and conceding zero points on her way to a second straight double gold performance at the tournament.

Photo: Michael Sears

The two women are no strangers to each other and have had some close matches, including wins for Monteiro by advantage in the 2017 World final and a ref decision win in the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam semifinal. Amjahid has been right there with Monteiro in both of their meetings. Perhaps London will be the tournament where she gets her hand raised in a rivalry we will surely be watching for years to come.

Mayssa Bastos

GFT – 49kg

Twenty-year-old brown belt Mayssa Bastos is sitting at second in the UAEJJF rankings with 940 points and has not lost in her weight category this season. Following up on an impressive 2016-17 season in which she won the World Pro, Mayssa has taken home gold at the Grand Slams in Abu Dhabi, Tokyo, and Los Angeles so far.

The 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam London takes place March 10-11 and is streaming LIVE or On Demand ONLY on FloGrappling.