This was the first event organised by Jim Mc Sherry of the UMA (United Martial Alliance) and consisted of both junior and senior weight divisions; the UMA have a full calendar of events, including Judo and MMA events planned throughout the year.

Injuries, the bane of all jiu jitsu players, had claimed a number of my students prior to the event, which culminated in three entrants across three brackets, -75, -85 and -95K respectively. After an easy drive to the event we arrived with the junior matches still in full swing and as you would expect, with so much energy in their little bodies, one could hear the screams of the excited junior team mates well before entering the doors to the club.

Two more BJJ clubs were in attendance both representing Gracie Barra, with Kevin Capel from Roger Gracie London and Ryan Hendry and Angelo Beales from GB Milton Keynes; local and national Judo clubs were out in force representing Erdington, Crewe, Glossop, Sandbach and Katana Judo Club.

Two mats were in action throughout the day, with the referees performing an excellent job ensuring a rapid fire turn over on both areas; in the adult -75 section Roger Gracie player Kevin Capel dominated his division easily taking the gold medal, whilst Fighting Fit’s Richard Hillis took the gold in a tough -85K division. GB Pendle’s John Stokes coasted to first place, winning all matches through submission and the giant Leigh Hitchen (all 125+K of him) took gold in the +95K bracket.

Fight of the day was in the Open division between the giant Hitchen and Richard Hillis; Hillis attacked from the start and had Hitchen on the defensive and turned up the pace by securing an arm and went for the submission. Hillis turned onto his front for a reverse arm bar and you could see the veins popping out of his forehead and neck; the crowds were screaming for both men, when Hillis finally succumbed to fatigue and lost the match to a pin down, yet took the moral victory over the giant Judo player.

Overall, the event was extremely well organised with over 100 competitors on the day, well judged and refereed, with the day finishing well before 4pm, with no excess hanging around for all competitors involved.

As stated earlier a full calendar of events is on offer throughout the year and as ever, if the Fighting Photographer can make it, expect a full report on all the action!

Check out www.umauk.co.uk


Results

Peewee Boys 10 years old and below
Under 20 kg

1st
Keenan Capel
Roger Gracie London

2nd
Edwin Knight
Amateur JiuJitsu Academy


3rd
Nicos Lea-Sproson
Silver Tigers Judo Academy

Peewee Boys 10 years old and below
Under 25 kg

1st
Daniel Hemming
Erdington Judo Club

2nd
Patrick Ryan
Erdington Judo Club

3rd
Liam Rowley
Silver Tigers Judo Academy

Peewee Boys 10 years old and below
Under 30 kg

1st Place
Ross Denham
Glossop Judo Club

2nd
Ashley Hughes
Erdington Judo Club

3rd
Eric Ham
Glossop Judo Club

Peewee Boys 10 years old and below
Under 35kg

1st
Tom Greenough
Glossop Judo Club

2nd
Alec Ranford
Erdington Judo Club

3rd
Adam Yates
Sandbach Judo Club

Peewee Boys 10 years old and below
Under 45kg

1st
Thomas Slack
Erdington Judo Club
2nd
Jordan Day
Katana Judo Club

Peewee Boys 10 years old and below
Open Weight

1st
Ross Denham
Glossop