Earlier this month, the UKBJJA proudly organised a special International Women’s Day Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu event at Royal Jiu Jitsu in Birmingham. The event brought together 65 women of all ages and experience levels — from white belt to black belt — from across the UK for a full day of training, learning, and community building.

Participants had the unique opportunity to train with Samantha Cook, Nia Blackman, and Christine Martin — three of the UK’s top female BJJ athletes — who led technical sessions packed with elite-level techniques, strategies, and competition insights.

We’re incredibly grateful to Samantha Cook and Bradley Hill for hosting the event at Royal Jiu Jitsu and providing such a welcoming space. A huge thank you as well to our exceptional instructors for their time, knowledge, and passion — and to every participant who travelled, trained, and helped create such an inspiring atmosphere on the mats.

International Women’s Day

A Word from UKBJJA Non-Executive Director Lauren Brown on our International Women’s Day Event:

“We were delighted to have 65 women of all ages and skill levels on the mat for International Women’s Day. Training with so many other women is really special — we meet like-minded people, test ourselves against similar body types, and gain valuable female perspectives on techniques. Events like this build connections that strengthen with every shared seminar, open mat, and competition. The level of skill, strength, and resilience in the room was impressive. We’re very grateful to our accomplished instructors, to Sam and Bradley for opening their gym to us, and to all the participants who spent their Saturday celebrating women in BJJ. We hope to see even more women joining us next year!” – Lauren Brown

Meet the Instructors:

Samantha Cook is one of the UK’s most accomplished female black belts, known for her technical precision and international competition success.
Nia Blackman brings elite-level experience and a strong competitive record, inspiring women across the UK BJJ scene.
Christine Martin is a seasoned competitor with a wealth of knowledge and experience, passionate about growing women’s participation in BJJ.

International Women’s Day BJJ 2025 – video:

To capture the energy of the day, we’ve included a video recap of the event, which you can watch here https://www.instagram.com/share/BAYWmi_Q8A

The UKBJJA is proud to support initiatives like this that empower women and continue growing the female BJJ community across the UK.

If you enjoyed this event or missed it, keep an eye on the UKBJJA website and social channels for future women’s events, seminars, and competitions designed to strengthen and support the growing female BJJ community in the UK.

Read more: UKBJJA International Women’s Day BJJ Event 2025

Events like this are vital for continuing to grow and strengthen the women’s BJJ community in the UK. They not only offer access to high-level instruction but also create space for women to share experiences, inspire one another, and build confidence on and off the mats. The UKBJJA remains committed to supporting female-led initiatives and ensuring women have opportunities to train, compete, and connect. We look forward to hosting more events like this in the future — and welcoming even more women to experience the power of our BJJ community.
If your brand or organisation is interested in supporting or sponsoring future events like this, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with us at info@ukbjja.org to find out how you can help grow and empower women in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.