Seven Competitors You Need To Watch At The 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam

The UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Grand Slam is just over a week out - it's a critical juncture in the 17-18 season.

Jan 3, 2018 by Chase Smith

Seven Competitors You Need To Watch At The 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam

The UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Grand Slam is just one week out, and it's a critical juncture in the 2017-18 season for both ranking points and qualification for the 2018 Abu Dhabi World Pro.

These are the seven athletes you need to keep an eye at the tournament, which runs from Jan. 12-13 at Mabudala Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Watch the UAEJJF 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam LIVE on FloGrappling

Alexandre Vieira - 69kg

Owner of one of the most savage finishes of all time, Alexandre Vieira is absolutely one man to watch. At 310 ranking points, Vieira is in the hunt for the second- and third-place season ranking — a strong performance in Abu Dhabi Grand Slam would help solidify that position. In his way, however, stands a group of tough competitors including UAEJJF standout Tiago Bravo and Rodrigo Cardoso.

Jaime Canuto - 77kg

We’ve profiled Jaime Canuto many times — with good reason. The GF Team representative is a human highlight reel. A great combination of new-school flair with an old-school mentality, Canuto loves to mix in flying attacks with a nasty closed-guard game. He’s already placed second and third at a previous Grand Slam events and is surely hungry to add some gold to his growing collection of UAEJJF medals.

Lachlan Giles - 77kg

Lachlan Giles has been on the cusp of a breakout for some time. A coach and training partner of Craig Jones, the Australia native Giles has won the ADCC Asia/Oceanic trials twice, among numerous local victories. Giles has a very crafty half-guard game and can be seen taking the back from just about anywhere. Don't sleep on him.

UNLOCKED: Lachlan Giles vs. Dainis Nguyen - 2017 World Pro

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Charles Negromonte - 85kg

Charles Negromonte is a Ze Radiola black belt and Roger Gracie Academy representative. A staple in the European jiu-jitsu scene, Negromonte holds wins over names such as Craig Jones, Diego Borges, and Marcos Tinoco. Negromonte has proven himself to be an excellent competitor in and out of the gi. Look out for his well-honed DLR guard and pressure passing.

Charles Negromonte vs. Santeri Lilius - 2017 UK Grand Slam

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Patrick Gaudio - 94 KG

Patrick Gaudio, GF Team’s lion, is a powerhouse competitor. This past year was incredible for Gaudio: He most recently took first at the Rio Grand Slam and achieved second place at Worlds in June. The results seem to indicate that Gaudio has begun to hit his stride as a seasoned black belt competitor, and he'll be looking to continue that momentum into the New Year. However, Gaudio is entered in the always tough 94g division and will likely come across a certain the Polish savage…

Adam Wardzinski - 94kg

Currently the second-place UAEJJF black belt, Adam Wardzinski's rise to prominence has been well documented through a string of gold medals and wins over huge names such as Xande Ribeiro, Mahamed Aly, and Vinny Magalhaes. Wardzinski's defense is poetry in motion, whether he's playing his patented butterfly guard or electing to go for spider. Wardzinski is always attacking and ready to capitalize on the smallest of mistakes.

Adam Wardzinski vs. Diego Herzog - 2017 World Pro

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Igor Silva - 110kg

Igor Silva is the No. 1-ranked black belt in the UAEJJF. He’s climbed to the top of the roster with 18 wins over the season, 10 by submission. Though it’s true that Silva's path to gold is generally shorter than, say, the 77kg title, he’s had to face (and best) the likes of DJ Jackson, Adam Wardzinski, Gustavo Dias, and Ricardo Evangelista along the way. Expect Silva to come out guns blazing in an effort to maintain his lead.