Bruno Borges targets the World Pro: “I will be putting my name in the history of the event”
The leader of the AJP ranking at under 62kg, a black belt from Almeida JJ, tells VF Comunica that the title in Abu Dhabi goes beyond a personal achievement
Bruno Borges, the leader of the AJP ranking in the under 62kg division, arrives at the World Pro 2026 with a chance to close the season with the biggest title on the tour. In an exclusive interview with VF Comunica, the Brazilian black belt talked about what that title would mean for his career.
The World Pro is the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, held every year in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.
“Being a World Pro world champion in Abu Dhabi goes far beyond a personal achievement. I will be putting my name in the history of the event, in the history of the division,” he said.
Borges is also thinking about what the title could mean after November. “This year will be marked with my name, and being able to pass this experience on will certainly be incredible,” he said.
Who is Bruno Borges
Borges represents Almeida JJ, the team led by Caio Almeida, who reacted to the interview in the comments on VF Comunica’s Instagram: “Bruninhoooo cria de casa” (Bruninho, homegrown). On social media, the athlete sums up his own path with the motto “De Vargem pro mundo” (From Vargem to the world).
His history with the World Pro started before the black belt. In 2021, still a brown belt, Borges won the tournament in the under 56kg division. As a black belt, he took bronze at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi in 2023 and silver at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam in London in 2025.
The title he himself called a milestone came in May 2025, at the Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi. “This falcon represents much more than a trophy, it is a dream come true!” he wrote on Instagram, talking about the falcon trophy given to the champions. In the same post, he said he has to balance work, family and training.
In May 2026, he won the Abu Dhabi stage again, according to the newspaper Gulf Today, and in September he won the Asia Continental Pro, also an AJP event, in both the adult and Master 1 divisions.
The champion to beat
The current World Pro champion at under 62kg is Zayed Alkatheeri, from the United Arab Emirates, who beat Brazil’s Anderson Duarte in the 2025 final, decided in golden score. Borges and Alkatheeri have already faced each other: in the semifinal of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi in 2023, when both competed at under 56kg, the home athlete won 4-3.
World Pro 2026: dates and registration
The World Pro 2026 takes place from November 19 to 21 at the Mubadala Arena, in Abu Dhabi. Registration is open until October 25, and the event has more than US$ 800,000 in prizes.
Read also: Jefferson Goteu: “The World Pro is among the biggest competitions in Jiu-Jitsu”.
Will Bruno Borges take the World Pro title at under 62kg? Leave your opinion in the comments.
