Dai Ryu Aikido Club was founded on 21.08.2025 by an individual Emil Mammadov under the “Aikikai Aikido Clubs” Public Union. The club was granted the status of Dubai Aikido Representative Office of the “Aikikai Aikido Clubs” Public Union. The activities of the Representative Office are regulated by the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Non-Governmental Organizations (Public Unions and Foundations).

Chairman: Emil Mammadov
Vice Chairman: Faig Nuriyev
Secretary General: Fakhri Gafarli
Curator: Elnur Nematov
Technical Director: Faig Nuriyev
Chief Instructor: Emil Mammadov

Faig Nuriyev Sensei was born on August 18, 1972 in Baku. He began training in aikido on February 1, 1992. Faig Sensei is among the members of the team that received the first black belt in Azerbaijan, and he is considered the second aikido player in this team. This event took place on August 20, 1996. In general, it can be said that Faig Sensei taught the vast majority of those practicing aikido in Azerbaijan between 1994 and 2009. One of Faig Sensei’s first successful students was Emil Mammadov Sensei.

My first acquaintance with aikido began in April 1994, when I was looking for a judo hall, but I ended up in the aikido group of Farhad Alasgarov Sensei in the “Dinamo” society of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The hall was full, the pace of the training was different from wrestling or judo, and I became interested in aikido.

During the first training, I was assigned to teach Faig, who later became my second teacher, sempai, protégé, and older brother. At first, he was reluctant to explain the basic movements to me, because he wanted to train himself and thought that it would be a waste of another student’s time. But by the middle of the training, he was amazed at how quickly I learned and even asked: “Have you ever done aikido before?” From that moment on, his interest in teaching me never waned, and it was a great chance for me to train with one of the most technically knowledgeable and skilled teachers.

I also remember a funny incident: we came to the demonstration, but instead of a tatami, they brought an old, dusty carpet and spread it on the basketball court. Faig muallim and I winked, smiled and, with full ukemi, created a huge noise in that hall – the audience was shocked by this show.

Until I received the First Dan international black belt, Faig muallim accompanied me with his advice and training, and we participated in demonstrations together. His support was invaluable to me.

The Dubai Aikido Representation of the was allowed to independently take the exam for club members from 6th Kyu rank to 4th Dan gorge from 21.08.2025. The attestation rights for the 5th and 6th Dan degrees belong to the Aikikai Foundation – Kagami Biraki. In addition members, Mr. Kuribayashi Takanori Sensei, the Shihan of the union, has the right to participate in the Dan degree exams.

Biographical information

Full name: Emil Mammadov
Date of birth: 17 May 1976
Place of birth: Baku, Azerbaijan
Rank: Aikido instructor, 3rd Dan Aikikai

Key information

• More than 30 years of martial arts training (freestyle wrestling, Shotokan karate, Aikido).
• Practising Aikido since 1994.
• In 1998, awarded 1st dan by Shihan Nobueshi Tamura (8th Dan, Aikikai, Japan).
• In 2015, awarded 2nd dan by Shihan Jun Yamada (8th Dan, Aikikai, Japan).
• In 2025, awarded 3rd dan by Shihan ……………….. (8th Dan, Aikikai, Japan).
• Founder of the first Aikido club in Mardakan (Azerbaijan), trained students who became instructors and black belts.
• Founder and chief instructor of Busin Dojo (Dubai, UAE, 2006–2015).
• Since 2015, instructor at the UAE Aikido Association (Dubai).
• Since 2005, honorary instructor at Aikikai Aikido Azerbaijan.
• Guest instructor at the Baku Police Academy (2001–2002).
• Author of the ‘ABSI’ methodology for working with people who have experienced PTSD
• Author of the book on Aikido ‘Aikido: The Path to Inner Strength Power’
• Representative in Dubai, from Aikikai Azerbaijan