Club: Andy Roberts BJJ – Farnborough, England South
Belt: Black – 4th degree
BJJ has been at the centre of my life for over 25 years. As a lifelong martial artist and one of the UK’s earliest black belts, I have dedicated my career to building the sport from the ground up – developing successful academies, coaching international competitors, delivering national tournaments, and creating training programmes for the military, police, and private security sectors.
I have competed at the highest level, earning a silver medal at the IBJJF European No-Gi Championships as an adult black belt, alongside multiple IBJJF and British Open medals. I have also represented on major professional stages such as Polaris. I continue to compete at the highest level today. This journey has given me a deep understanding of the demands faced by athletes, while also strengthening my belief that elite performance must grow hand-in-hand with grassroots development.
Alongside my competitive career, I have seen first-hand the positive impact BJJ can have on mental health, confidence, discipline, and community. I have also witnessed how governing bodies in other martial arts have, at times, adversely affected growth and unity. BJJ must avoid these pitfalls. My leadership approach is therefore collaborative, transparent, and impartial. I believe the UKBJJA should serve all clubs and athletes equally, regardless of affiliation or politics. The association’s role is not to control the sport but to facilitate its growth — providing support, resources, and representation to help clubs thrive, whether they are competition-focused, self-defence oriented, or a balance of both. Above all, unity is key to our success.
Vision for UK BJJ
With recognition and governance already in place, the UKBJJA is now in a position to focus on growth, development, and impact. My vision is to establish the UK as a global leader in BJJ, with sustainable pathways for participation, coaching, and competition. This will be delivered through four key priorities:
1 – Grassroots Expansion & Accessibility
- Support school owners with resources, guidance, and tools to help them attract, retain, and inspire members.
- Strengthen links with schools, universities, and community programmes to widen participation.
- Promote inclusion, ensuring young people, women, and underrepresented groups all feel welcome on the mats.
2 – Coach & Athlete Development Pathways
- Enhance coach education and CPD opportunities, ensuring consistent quality and safeguarding standards across the UK.
- Create a transparent athlete pathway that nurtures talent from regional competition to international representation.
3 – Comprehensive Competition Calendar
- Grow a UKBJJA-recognised competition calendar in collaboration with event organisers. Work together to raise tournament standards and maximise benefits for competitors.
- Help reduce scheduling clashes where possible to support participation and fairness across the UK scene.
4 – Community, Tradition & Partnerships
- Preserve the tradition of BJJ as an effective martial art while supporting the continued growth of the sport — showing that doing both is possible.
- Build partnerships with sponsors, allied sports, and media to raise the visibility of BJJ nationally. Foster unity across clubs and regions, ensuring all voices are heard and represented.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in the UK is at a pivotal stage. Recognition and governance have laid the foundation – now we must focus on growth, pathways, and sustainability.
My goal as Chair is to ensure that BJJ remains accessible, safe, inclusive, and true to its roots as both a martial art and a sport, while uniting our community and positioning the UK as a respected force in the global BJJ community.
Qualifications/ relevant professional experience
- 4th degree black belt
- Owner of Andy Roberts BJJ, teaching martial arts professionally since 1999.
- UKBJJA Instructor.
- Head of BJJ for UFC Gym UK.
- Head Coach British Army Jiu Jitsu and helped get the sport recognised within the army.
- Still competing in BJJ for over 25yrs.
- Previously ran Grappling Arts Association.
Social media
Instagram – @andyrobertsbjj
Facebook – @andyrobertsbjj