October 5th 2015: Canadian University Dubai (CUD) international business student, Mansur Makhmakhanov, has been making his mark on the UAE’s jiu jitsu competition circuit, collecting an armful of medals along the way.
Mansur’s most recent victory came at the Al Ain Open Championships when he secured two gold medals and one bronze across different categories of the competition.
Starting out by taking the top spot in his 94kg weight category, he went on to triumph in the competition’s absolute division, which pits winners across all weight categories against each other in the ultimate battle of tactics and skill. Mansur also secured an impressive third place in the event’s challenging No Gi category.
His recent wins come on the back of an impressive performance at the Ramadan Cup in Abu Dhabi, where he overcame an opponent almost 70kg heavier than himself to take the absolute division title.
Mansur, who has been taking part in jiu jitsu for four years, says the sport is more than just a physical contest, but a mental challenge too.
He said, “The competition is as much about mindset as athleticism, particularly in the absolute division, where you can be up against someone much bigger and stronger. It requires strategy and skill, as well as speed and dexterity to overcome such powerful competitors.”
Mansur, who undertakes daily crossfit and conditioning training, is part of a growing jiu jitsu movement across the UAE, which has seen the game designated as the country’s national sport. The UAE jiu jitsu teams are going from strength to strength in both domestic and international competitions and Mansur’s next ambition is to represent Dubai at the World No Gi Championships.
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