Brazilian jiu-jitsu leads to Las Vegas for Auckland fighters

The team from Combat Centre which travels to Las Vegas in July.
Photo: Jonty Dine

Their reasons for getting into Brazilian jiu-jitsu are many and varied.

From being bullied at school, to having excess aggression, to simply not enjoying more well known sports.

However, their reasons for continuing their Brazilian jiu-jitsu journey are much more aligned – wins, black belts and careers as professional fighters.

A group of blossoming mixed martial fighters are set to take on the world in Las Vegas next month.

Training out of the Combat Centre in West Auckland, Boston, Isaac, Noah, Kayden, Miller, Aryan, Meila, Thais, and Niko want to be the next generation of New Zealand combat sports stars.

Ranging in age from seven to 16, the diminutive but dangerous team of nine will compete at Jiu-Jitsu-Con 2023 which will feature some of the leading BJJ fighters in the world.

Combat Centre owner Sally Hemehema opened the business five years ago and has seen a steady stream of kids arriving ever since.

“We took the risk and pursued the dream and did it for our family, and something that I’m really proud of is the community that we have created.”

The centre offers training in boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, Jujitsu and wrestling.

“It’s become a real hub. It’s pretty cool.”

Hemehema said parents gravitate towards the sport due to its low risk factor and it favouring “the little guy.”

“We have about 190 kids participating in jujitsu. There’s no striking so jujitsu is more about grappling, there’s no kicking and punching, it’s about submissions and holds.”

The littlest of the lot is seven-year-old Milla Dwyer who will represent Samoa while in Vegas which she says is a very proud moment for her whanau.

“Especially for my family as some of them live in Samoa.”

Then there is the element of discipline, with many parents noticing a distinct shift in their children.

“They are super keen, you can’t stop them. There’s a ranking system so kids can see the steps and work towards stripes and then belts and that really sets them on fire and keeps them motivated to perform.” .

Noah Green, 14, concurs.

“This is very disciplined, you have to have a good attitude, I wouldn’t use jujitsu in a fight outside of the gym.”

There’s no striking involved as jujitsu is about grappling, submissions and holds.
Photo: Jonty Dine

Financing a team of nine kids with parents and support staff will be a major feat.

“We’ve raised about $60,000. We’ve been running fundraisers all over the show, glow discos, holiday programs, car washes, bake sales.”

It won’t be all business though with the kids getting the chance to see Disneyland and Universal Studios.

However, the are unanimous in their response as to which they are more excited about- the competition.

“They are little athletes, but at the end of the day they need to be enjoying themselves.”

Hemehema said they ensure cost is no barrier for the kids.

“We offer a sponsorship program so often we do we get referrals from people about a kid who can’t afford it, but man, he needs it. We have some lots of raw talent that just need some structure and discipline to to round off the gate and also to fight.”

Head coach Adam Halliday from Northern Ireland is training kids from the age of four.

“Seeing the kids have fun, and work as a team, even though it’s an individual sport, they work as a team, training each other and it’s great to see them grow with young people growing confidence growing.”

Halliday said his students quickly develop belief in themselves.

“I find that kids come in because they’ve been bullied or for different reasons, self confidence is like the first thing that we see change, and if they are like that situation where either there’s someone like picking on them at school, or they feel like vulnerable, even just being more confident being more assertive, gets them out of the situations a lot of the times”

He said the kids motivate the coaches.

“Once they get really into the sport, they just generally bring their own level of discipline. They show up to every training. I feel like sometimes push the coaches to show them more moves, put on more sessions.”

Halliday believes his students will hold their own in Las Vegas.

“I think that they’ll do really well. It’s like definitely a level up from anything that we’ve experienced here or even in Australia. You go over to America all the sudden the kids are very serious.”

The team still need about $10,000 in order to get to Las Vegas.

As Niko says, this will just be the start.

“After Vegas just keep doing competitions, the thing I use to set my medals out is getting really full and heavy.”

Training out of the Combat Centre in West Auckland, Boston, Isaac, Noah, Kayden, Miller, Aryan, Meila, Thais, and Niko want to be the next generation of New Zealand combat sports stars.
Photo: Jonty Dine

-RNZ