Faisal Al Kitbe

Faisal Al Kitbe is a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt under Alex Paz and Maiky Reiter, being known as the first high level grappler to come from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Al Kitbe made a name for himself in the lower ranks of the sport, conquering a staggering 6 Abu Dhabi World Pro titles before breaking into the black belt division (2015). Faisal Al Kitbe is also the adoptive son of his Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, a member of the ruling Al Nahyan family who was the driving force behind the implementation of jiu jitsu in the UAE as well as for the creation of the ADCC tournament.

Faisal Al Kitbe

Full Name: Faisal Fahad Al Ketbi

Nickname: n/a

Lineage 1: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Carlson Gracie > Murilo Bustamante/Ricardo Libório > Alex Paz > Faisal Al Ketbi

Lineage 2: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Carlson Gracie > Murilo Bustamante/Luis Duarte > Fabiano Scherner > Maiky Reiter > Faisal Al Ketbi

Main Achievements:

• 2nd Place UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Pro (2017 / 2019)
• 2nd Place UAEJJF Tokyo Grand Slam (2015)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Pro (2009 / 2010 blue, 2012 purple, 2013 / 2014** brown)
• 2nd Place UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Pro (2011 blue)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2013 brown)
• 2nd Place UAEJJF Tokyo Grand Slam (2015)
• 3rd Place IBJJF European Open (2013 brown)

* Absolute
** Weight and absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: Kimura Lock

Weight Division: Peso Super-Pesado (100kg/221lbs) & Pesado (94kg/208lbs)

Team/Association: UAE Jiu Jitsu

Faisal Al Kitbe Biography

Faisal Al Kitbe was born on the May 10, 1987 in Abu Dhabi – UAE.

In the mid-1990s his Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed started learning jiu-jitsu from Nelson Monteiro in California, US. When he returned to his home country, Sheikh Tahnoon was set to grow the martial art in the Emirates, starting by showing the Brazilian grappling style to those around him, this included his adoptive son – Faisal Al Kitbe.

Faisal Al Kitbe began his jiu-jitsu tuition at 11 years old, though only for 1 year. After this initial contact with grappling, Faisal became an avid freestyle wrestler, travelling the world with a small UAE wrestling team in search for the best training and the top tournaments to compete in.

Around 2009 Faisal Al Kitbe returned to jiu-jitsu, starting his service as a full-time athlete for the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Team. The Jiu-Jitsu program developed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed and later with the help of the United Arab Emirates Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF) provided Faisal and his UAE Team peers many top-level instructors, including Alex Paz and Maiky Reiter who awarded Al Kitbe his black belt on May 2014, shortly after Faisal’s double gold victory at the World Pro Championship.

Faisal’s success in the international grappling scene set the tone for the following generations of UAE grapplers, products of the jiu-jitsu program set by the Emirates, the largest government-funded set-up of this kind in the world.

Banner picture was taken by Callum Medcraft of Jiu Jitsu Style.

Faisal Al Ketbi vs Julio Magalhães

Faisal Al Ketbi vs Mansher Khera