UAEJJF Rankings Race Nearly Settled

As we enter the final leg of the UAEJJF 2017-2018 the rankings, the final rankings have nearly been decided.

Jan 31, 2018 by Chase Smith

As we enter the final leg of the UAEJJF 2017-2018 season, the final standings for the black belt rankings and $25,000 cash prize have begun to take shape.

Igor Silva has worked hard throughout the entire season to maintain a strong hold on the first place position. He currently sits at the top of the leaderboard with 1,360 points.

He’s also registered for the next six UAEJJF events — that's nearly every tournament before World Pro, and each of them serves to further establish his lead.

Igor Silva's Win Stats

Graphic: UAEJJF

Adam Wardzinski is the only athlete who is within reach of Silva. Wardzinski has accumulated 1,020 points over the season, keeping him within range of the first-place position, but he has only registered for three events ahead of World Pro.

To have any chance of catching Silva, Wardzinski will not only have to enter more UAEJJF events but also move up a weight class and challenge the Brazilian in the 110kg division in an attempt to eliminate the opportunity for him to earn gold.

However, that will be no easy task — Wardzinski met Silva in 2017 in the absolute division of the Spain National Pro and lost by submission.

Adam Wardzinski vs. Andre Reis 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam

Adam Wardzinski's Win Stats

Graphic: UAEJJF

Though first and second place are essentially spoken for, the race for third is highly competitive. Jose Lima from GFTeam currently occupies the rank at 600 total points, but Joao Miyao, Isaque Bahiense, and many others are only 60 points, or one first-place performance, behind.

With several national pro and continental pro events, the London Grand Slam, and the Abu Dhabi World Pro in April still on the schedule, third place remains anyone's game. We're excited to see how this one plays out over the next 12 weeks.