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Fouzan Al-Sabej

Fouzan Al-Sabej is a Kuwaiti black-belt teacher who competed abroad and helped assemble a Kuwait jiu-jitsu team.

Biography

Fouzan Al-Sabej is a Kuwaiti Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor and black-belt teacher. His competition history spans blue-belt podiums in 2009 and black-belt medals in the Master divisions by 2017. A 2019 KUNA report, published by Kuwait Times, dates his international competition to 2004. Contemporary reporting places him on the blue-belt under-98kg podium at the 2009 World Pro, sharing bronze. Later that year, Graciemag recorded another joint third place at the Asian Super Cup, in the combined white-and-blue-belt over-92kg division. By September 2012, he was competing at purple belt. Al Bayan’s account of the Arab Open named him as the under-92kg gold medalist on the no-gi day, when athletes competed without the traditional training jacket. His European results at brown belt came in the age-group Master 1 divisions. In 2014, he shared bronze at super-heavy in the IBJJF European Championship and took silver in the same weight division at the European No-Gi Championship. The Rome International Open listed him first at Master 1 brown-belt super-heavy that year. In 2015, the London Winter International Open recorded first place at super-heavy and joint third in the open-weight division, again at Master 1 brown belt. During those brown-belt years, Al-Sabej helped assemble a Kuwait team for competition abroad. Writing in May 2015, Ray Elbe credited his work behind a seven-athlete delegation announced for the West Asian regional championship in Beirut. The lineup covered four weight classes, from 62 to 94kg. Elbe described an effort with several contributors: Sheikh Fahad Talal Al-Sabah backed the team, while team board member Khalid Al-Saleeh was in Lebanon to attend a rules clinic. By the 2017 Munich International Open, Al-Sabej was competing at black belt for Kuwait Jiu-Jitsu Academy. He shared third place in both Master 2 medium-heavy and the open-weight division. Earlier IBJJF entries had listed him with Brasa or Brasa Caio Terra. In the 2019 KUNA interview, Al-Sabej described grappling as a way to bring an opponent to submission while conserving energy. He welcomed anyone prepared to learn and observed that more women were taking up jiu-jitsu in Kuwait. One example he cited was MMA fighter Seham Al-Kharyef, who used BJJ alongside other combat disciplines. His academy work includes administration as well as instruction. AJP’s Kuwait Jiu-Jitsu Academy page lists Al-Sabej and Jassem Alduwaisan as administrative contacts at Baitak Tower. The academy’s public profile uses the Brasa name and identifies its Baitak Tower branch with Fifty50. Fifty50’s coach list continues to identify Al-Sabej as a black-belt jiu-jitsu instructor at that location.

Sources for this profile

  • Kuwait Times, KUNA report, 2019.(opens in a new tab)

    • KUNA’s March 2019 report identifies Al-Sabej as a Kuwait Jiu-Jitsu/Brasa black belt.

      Where in the source: Opening Al-Sabej interview.

      Accessed:

    • The report dates his international competition to 2004 and credits two bronzes, two Asian golds and two Arab golds, without specifying years or divisions.

      Where in the source: Competition background paragraph.

      Accessed:

    • Al-Sabej described energy-efficient grappling, welcomed willing learners and noted more women entering BJJ, citing Seham Al-Kharyef’s use of grappling within MMA.

      Where in the source: Teaching and women’s participation.

      Accessed:

  • AJP, Kuwait Jiu-Jitsu Academy.(opens in a new tab)

    • AJP’s Kuwait Jiu-Jitsu Academy page names Fouzan Alsabej and Jassem Alduwaisan as people in charge and administrative contacts at Baitak Tower.

      Where in the source: Club location and contacts.

      Accessed:

  • Kuwait Jiu-Jitsu Academy, public profile.(opens in a new tab)

    • The academy’s public profile uses Kuwait Jiu-Jitsu Academy/Brasa and identifies Baitak Tower’s branch with Fifty50’s account.

      Where in the source: Visible academy profile biography.

      Accessed:

  • Fifty50, Fouzan Alsabej coach profile.(opens in a new tab)

    • Fifty50 lists Fouzan Alsabej as a black-belt jiu-jitsu coach; his profile is dated 29 May 2020 and gives the Baitak Tower location.

      Where in the source: Named coach profile and footer.

      Accessed:

  • Grappling-Italia, World Pro results, 2009.(opens in a new tab)

    • Grappling-Italia’s 2009 World Pro results list Fawzan Al Sabej of Kuwait joint third in the blue-belt under-98kg division.

      Where in the source: Complete blue under-98kg podium.

      Accessed:

  • Graciemag, Asian Super Cup report, 2009.(opens in a new tab)

    • Graciemag’s December 2009 Asian Super Cup report places Kuwait’s Fouzan Alsabij joint third in the combined white-and-blue-belt over-92kg division.

      Where in the source: Complete combined over-92kg podium.

      Accessed:

  • Al Bayan, Arab Open report, 2012.(opens in a new tab)

    • Al Bayan’s September 2012 Arab Open report names Kuwaiti Fouzan Al-Sabej as the no-gi purple-belt under-92kg gold medalist.

      Where in the source: No-gi day and purple-belt results.

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, European results, 2014.(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF’s 2014 European results place Alsabej of Brasa Caio Terra joint third in men’s Master 1 brown-belt super-heavy.

      Where in the source: Master 1 / Brown / Super Heavy.

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, European No-Gi results, 2014.(opens in a new tab)

    • At the 2014 IBJJF European No-Gi Championship, the results list Alsabej of Brasa second in men’s Master 1 brown-belt super-heavy.

      Where in the source: Master 1 / Brown / Super Heavy.

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, Rome Open results, 2014.(opens in a new tab)

    • IBJJF’s 2014 Rome International Open results list Alsabej of Brasa first in men’s Master 1 brown-belt super-heavy.

      Where in the source: Master 1 / Brown / Super Heavy.

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, London Winter results, 2015.(opens in a new tab)

    • The 2015 London Winter International Open results place Alsabej of Brasa first at men’s Master 1 brown-belt super-heavy and joint third in open class.

      Where in the source: Both Master 1 brown divisions.

      Accessed:

  • IBJJF, Munich Open results, 2017.(opens in a new tab)

    • The 2017 Munich International Open results place Kuwait Jiu-Jitsu Academy’s Alsabej joint third in men’s Master 2 black-belt medium-heavy and open class.

      Where in the source: Both Master 2 black divisions.

      Accessed:

  • Ray Elbe, Kuwait delegation account, 2015.(opens in a new tab)

    • In May 2015, Ray Elbe credited brown-belt Al-Sabej with work behind an announced seven-athlete Kuwait delegation to Beirut’s West Asian championship, covering four weight classes from 62 to 94kg. He separately described Sheikh Fahad Talal Al-Sabah’s backing and Khalid Al-Saleeh traveling as a team board member to attend a rules clinic.

      Where in the source: Delegation introduction and seven-name list.

      Accessed:

Lineage

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Open lineage