Empire Grappling has been a standout presence in the BJJ world since its inception in 2012, when it was known as Sub North.
Rebranding as Grapple Nation in 2016, Empire now hosts top-notch BJJ events all across the country, including the recent launch of the All Ireland Championships on June 10th.
Empire Grappling: First Event of the Year
“The turnout for our first event of 2023 at the Yorkshire Winter Open in Leeds was incredible and a lot busier than we expected.
The sport continues to grow from a competitor and also a spectator standpoint with people wanting to bring down their family and friends to watch them compete or support their team.
It is truly fantastic to see and hope to help it keep building,” head of Empire Grappling Jake Cross said.
The event as a whole went very well, I am always honest with myself being a perfectionist that we could always do better.
I am happy to be like that as it means we continue to improve for everyone involved to make it as good of an event as possible.”
“We had likely over 700 matches on the day and we finished pretty much on time thanks to the hardworking staff and the great competitors and coaches involved.
With so much great feedback, it’s really humbling to see how much people enjoyed it,” Cross said.
Next up for us is the North East Open in Darlington which is already sold out and then the Northern Open in Leigh, Greater Manchester which is not far off being sold out too.
We are looking forward to putting on a great year of grappling events for everyone.’
Reporting From the Mat
As a novice in BJJ, I was eager to put my skills to the test and participate in a competition.
I recently had the chance to compete in Empire Grappling 29: Yorkshire Winter Open.
To my delight, Empire had created a beginner’s category specifically for those with less than a year of experience, taking away some of the nerves and pressure of going up against more seasoned competitors.
On the day of the tournament, I was filled with both nerves and excitement.
Following successfully making weight, I had some time to observe the other competitors and was amazed by the level of skill on display, particularly in the youth divisions.
The friendly and supportive atmosphere added to the positive energy on the mats.
Although I didn’t come away with a win, the experience was invaluable. The invaluable lessons I gained from the experience, transformed the loss into growth.
I am overflowing with gratitude towards the unwavering support of my teammates and coach who stood by me.
The tournament was perfectly executed and I must shout out the referees, who were beyond fair and remarkable.
Their impartiality elevated the level of competition and I am honoured to have been a part of it.
Competition is a crucial aspect of BJJ, as it allows us to track our progress, push our limits, and strive to become the best versions of ourselves.
Don’t miss out on Empire’s next event, the North East Open on February 12th.
Check out the full list of BJJ events here.
