ADULT MMA  

Roger, head coach — affectionately known as “Gramps” — began his martial arts adventure with Kyokushinkai Karate in 1986, back when shoulder pads were big and roundhouse kicks were even bigger. Since then, he’s built an impressive toolkit that includes Taekwondo, Kickboxing, Muay Thai and Japanese Jiu-Jitsu. In 2017, he discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and promptly developed what we can only describe as a completely reasonable, totally healthy obsession — one he is quietly determined to pass on to everyone who steps onto the mats. Warm, light-hearted and endlessly encouraging, Roger works hard to make sure everyone leaves smiling, slightly sweatier, and quite possibly plotting their next roll before they’ve even untied their belt. His defensive style can be wonderfully annoying to deal with, but the turtle is his spirit animal and best friend.

James has spent well over a decade politely folding people into shapes that medical textbooks still refuse to recognise, all in the name of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. A regular at BJJ Globetrotters camps, he has shared the mat with grappling legends and adventurous travellers.

His knees may now provide their own percussion section, but don’t let the soundtrack fool you: leave a leg unattended and James will repossess it with the calm efficiency of a very friendly bailiff.

Off the mats, James is laid-back, welcoming, and dangerously easy to chat to. On the mats, he is exactly the same, except the conversation usually ends with you questioning your life choices from a leg entanglement.

Mal has more black belts than most people have had hot dinners — and probably a dad joke for every course. A true master of martial arts and groan-worthy punchlines, he somehow manages to be both brilliantly funny and one of the kindest, most dedicated coaches you could hope to meet.

He holds black belts in Kickboxing, Judo and Karate, and has gathered plenty of experience competing across all disciplines — along with the sort of hard-earned wisdom that only comes from years on the mats.

Carl brings genuine passion and serious skill to Jiu-Jitsu, with local competition gold medals to prove he’s not just enthusiastic—he’s dangerous in Lycra. Thanks to his teaching experience, he has a real talent for coaching and encouraging students, building both confidence and motivation along the way. He also brings top-tier banter, booming laughter, and the kind of energy that makes even wrist locks feel slightly less like a personal attack.

Coach Mike — also known as Big Mike, because “mildly intimidating Mike” just didn’t have the same ring — is a formidable Polish force with the kind of presence that makes mats behave themselves.

By day, he’s a tech nerd. By night, he transforms into a Goth Lock master, collecting submissions the way other people collect loyalty points.

With experience in Judo, MMA and now Jiu-Jitsu, Mike brings a terrifyingly useful skill set to the room — and, just to keep things humble, he’s also reached gold-medal level in competition.

Coach Mikey Page is the kind of annoyingly capable person who somehow found extra hours in the day and used them better than the rest of us. He’s a lifelong Martial artist, training in Karate, Taekwondo, MMA, and now Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). Add in a military career and a master’s degree in sports rehabilitation, and you’ve got someone who knows exactly how to help you train harder, recover smarter, and stop moving like a broken shopping trolley.