Vitor Freitas 
Brazilian jiu-jitsu jewel in the Arab Emirates, Zayed Alkatheeri will start to give his first steps at IBJJF, at Pan Ams, which goes on in two weeks in Miami, in Florida. The athlete will compete at roosterweight, division which has 15 athletes subscribed.
Zayed acquired notoriety because of the titles he won in 2022, including the notorious achievement of being the very first emirati man to win the world tile in Abu Dhabi, at black belt. The local fans believe that he will be a big star in the future, because of his performance against big brazilian athletes likw Nathannael Fernandes, Carlos Samboni and Welerson Gonçalves.
In an interview for the VF Comunica Channel, Zayed details his career, talks about his idols on the sport and makes projection for the IBJJF Pan Ams 2023.
VF COMUNICA: You just achieved a big title in Abu Dhabi, the World Pro title. Does that make you confident for major challenges out of your country?
ZAYED ALKATHEERI: Winning the World Pro was a dream come true since I started training Jiu-Jitsu. I’m extremely proud to have been the first Emarati to win this title as a black belt, but I hope and believe that other Emarati champions will achieve the same feat in the near future. I say this because I know the value of the biggest Jiu-Jitsu project in the world supported by the UAE government, led by Sheik Mohammed Bin Zayed. They’re bringing together good professionals to make this great and successful project. Confidence is a consequence of daily work. Achievements are just a checkpoint confirming that we are going in the right direction.
How is your training schedule in Abu Dhabi?
My training schedule averages 6 hours of work per day with Commando Group. It’s divided between study, technical development, physical preparation, and sparring. I’ve been training Jiu-Jitsu for 5 and a half years. It may seem like a short time to many, but the volume of experiences and commitment has been intense so far.
Who are the athletes that inspire your game the most?
Many athletes from the past inspire me. My teacher always encouraged me to study Rubens Charles “Cobrinha”, and this impacted me a lot. Another athlete that inspires me a lot is UAE athlete Faisal Alketbi, not only for being the first athlete from my country to reach an international level of performance, but mainly for the good examples of commitment to success representing the UAE, which is something that inspires me and motivates me daily.
What’s your fighting style? What do you like to do the most?
Jiu-Jitsu is a Martial Art that teaches that we must be ready to interact technically in all possibilities and scenarios. That’s how I was taught by my teacher, and that’s how we train. I try to be effective at all levels of the fight, and thus be able to apply the technical connections correctly.
You are about to compete at Pan Ams. How do you feel before the competition?
This is my first year competing in the IBJJF, and I know that this is where the history of legends was written. The Pan American is a big challenge and I’m motivated to do my best. The Roosterweight category features athletes of high technical quality with lots of experience, and I know that whoever makes the fewest mistakes increases the chances of victory. I’m fully aware of the quality of my opponents, but I promise to do my best and I’m sure this experience will make me a better athlete.
