A GYM owner from Darlington has fought his way to victory in the British Open Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Champion.

Martin Wilby, 37, of The Lab Mixed Martial Arts gym, won the brown belt, middleweight division at a competition in Coventry at the weekend.

The Championship featured fighters from all over the UK vying to clinch the title of ‘best BJJ fighter in the country’, with Mr Wilby one of about 1,200 competitors heading to the event.

Mr Wilby said: “Becoming the British Champion in two different associations was the culmination of a lot of hard work and dedication.

“This is very much the ‘one to win’, so I was pleased to do it.

“Also, becoming the first brown belt champion from Darlington was great.”

Mr Wilby has been training in martial arts training since an early age, but only became interested in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu about ten-years-ago.

He said: “I used to watch Royce Gracie, a famous UFC fighter (Ultimate Fighting Championship), take on guys much bigger than himself, and beat them using Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

“It got me interested in this form of martial arts.”

Since then, Mr Wilby has trained in the ‘Gracie Barra’, a Jiu Jitsu centre in Brazil, with Royce himself.

His next competitive event will be in January next year, when he will travel to Lisbon, Portugal to take part in the IBJJF European Open Championship.