June Newsletter

Three Huge SBG Wins At Bellator 155!

SBG Idaho scored three huge wins at the Bellator 155 event in Boise, ID last month. The biggest MMA event in the state’s history, televised worldwide, saw Jesse Brock, Scott Thometz and Veta Arteaga all come away with great victories!

The event marked Jesse Brock’s thirtieth professional fight, and he celebrated in emphatic style. Brock won with a rear naked choke in the third round, and dominated proceedings up to the point of his opponent’s submission. Securing multiple take downs and constantly threatening with submissions on the ground, Jesse comfortably won both of the first two rounds. With a mere ninety seconds left in the contest and the fight all but won, Brock was relentless, landing another takedown and sinking in a rear naked choke to pick up an impressive submission win with just a minute to go. Jesse now has a professional record of 22-8, and extends his unbeaten run to six fights!

Thometz and Arteaga both won by way of unanimous decision. Thometz displayed the elite BJJ of a true SBG black belt on the ground, while Arteaga showed superiority in striking to nearly finish her bout early. Congratulations to all three competitors! Read more…

 Leah Taylor Wins Bronze At IBJJF World Championships!

Earlier this month a number of SBG athletes made the trip down to Long Beach, CA to compete in the annual IBJJF World Championships – the most prestigious BJJ tournament around. Testing their skills against the world’s highest level BJJ practitioners, just winning one match, or even having the will to compete, is worthy of praise. SBG Montana’s Leah Taylor, however, went further than that, bringing home bronze in the women’s medium-heavy black belt division. More impressive still, while she has picked up multiple medals at previous World Championships, this was Leah Taylor’s first World Championships competing at the black belt level! After 3 tough ten minute matches, Leah said:

“I still have a lot to learn!  It was amazing to have a match with a black belt I have watched since I started jiu-jitsu. I gained a lot of experience in one day. Thank you to my coaches Travis Davison and Matt Thornton teaching me all I know about BJJ and being in my corner. Thank you to my teammates for helping me train. And thank you to my family and those that supported me from far away”.

Her coach, and SBG’s Vice President Travis Davison added: “It is an honor and privilege to provide assistance for those willing to take risks in life and do the hard work. Hamilton (Ash) and Leah showed both grit and heart this weekend as they faced the best in the World. They did their best and gave 100% but their opponents were just better this time.

We will make adjustments and be back next year to risk it all again!”

Congratulations to Leah for an incredible achievement that took her to the podium of the World Championships! Congratulations also to every SBG athlete who stepped onto the mats that weekend. The tribe is proud of all of you for testing yourselves at the highest level. Read more…

Conor McGregor Makes Forbes 100 Richest List

Not content to take over the world of MMA, SBG has made forays into the financial world this month, as SBG Ireland’s Conor McGregor burst onto the Forbes Top 100 Richest Athletes for 2016 list! Beating out some major names from football, baseball and basketball, McGregor was the one and only MMA athlete to make the list. The ranking as the highest earner in MMA can surely be of little surprise given the incredible year McGregor has had. The time period, from June 2015 to 2016, encompasses McGregor’s appearances in three of the biggest UFC fights of all time; McGregor vs Mendes, McGregor vs Aldo, and McGregor vs Diaz.

Stories of Conor McGregor’s rise have been well told over the past year; from life as a plumbing apprentice training in unheated gyms to the bright lights of Vegas. But it is his ability to remain humble in victory or defeat, and desire to constantly learn and grow as a fighter, for which SBG is truly proud! McGregor’s rematch with Diaz is set for UFC 202 on August 20th, be sure to tune in!

John Kavanagh Releases Autobiography

At the end of this month, SBG Ireland’s coach of champions, John Kavanagh, releases his long-awaited autobiography. Aptly titled “Win Or Learn”, the book tracks Kavanagh’s rise from his first interactions with combat sports, and stories his critical role in the explosion of MMA in Ireland.

To celebrate the release of the book, SBG Ireland will be hosting “Win or Learn – An Evening with John Kavanagh”, at the Mansion House in Dublin, Ireland. If you are in the city, be sure to attend. At the event, SBG Ireland’s Head Coach will provide valuable insight into what it took to follow his dream and reach where he is today. Attendees will have the chance for a signed copy of the new book! Tickets for the event can be purchased here.

SBG Niagara’s Filip Laporcak Wins National MMA Championship

Last month one of SBG Niagara’s most exciting prospects took one step further in his MMA career by winning a tournament to become the Canadian National Amateur MMA Champion! After a first round bye, Laporcak secured two impressive TKO wins in the space of two days, beating the reigning champion in the final to win the title! The double win takes Filip Laporcak’s amateur record to an unbeaten 5-0. He adds this national title to his Ontario Provincial title, and will seek to go one step further when he competes at the World Championships in July.

For a great breakdown of the fights, and a fascinating look at the strategy behind defeating Filip’s two opponents, read this article from the SBG Niagara website. Not only does it cover the experience of the weekend, but also the coach’s eye view of how to find a game plan to ensure victory. Congratulations to Filip on this incredible achievement, and of course, good luck for the World Championships in Las Vegas next month! The whole tribe will be cheering for you!

SBG opens new gyms on 3 different continents

The SBG take over continues as new facilities have opened on three different continents in recent months! In the space of just a couple of months the doors were opened on new SBG gyms in Canada, Australia and Ireland. SBG Tallaght, in Dublin, is now Europe’s largest MMA gym, boasting over 15,000 sq ft of space. It houses state of the art facilities, including grappling mats, a striking area, a boxing ring and a full-sized MMA octagon, along with a free weights area, hot yoga room, coffee shop/juice bar and gym shop. It is run by none other than former UFC fan favorite, Paddy Holohan, in the hometown that he has always wanted to give back to. Despite the disappointment of being forced to retire, Holohan is excited about the prospect of coaching in his hometown:

“This has been a long time in the works. I always said that I’d open a gym in Tallaght when I retired. The retirement has come a lot sooner than I would have been planning but I’ve still managed to do that. But it was good timing that it came when it did so I’ve been lucky that way.”

Few would have thought that the small town of Tallaght would one day be home to Europe’s largest MMA gym, but now, with this facility, an elite coaching staff, and the support network of SBG Ireland and Head Coach John Kavanagh, it will be exciting to see what talent the location will produce.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, SBG Edmonton was opened recently by Owner and Head Coach Steve Winjet. They hosted a grand opening seminar with SBG founder Matt Thornton, before ramping up to daily classes in BJJ, stand up, and High Intensity Interval Training for athletes of all ages and fitness levels.

The newest country to be graced with its very own SBG gym will be Australia. Opening this month in Sydney, SBG Australia brings the top level coaching, delivery systems and special vibe of SBG to another corner of the world. The take-over continues! Read more…

 SBG PDX Promote Record Number At Ironman

Closer to home, at the SBG PDX headquarters, another record was broken, as the latest ironman belt promotion saw no fewer than eleven students promoted from white belt to blue! Never before has the Portland gym promoted so many names in one sitting, and it is a testament not only to the amazing dedication of the students in question, but also the ever-inclusive and welcoming environment that is the SBG tribe. The ironman itself represents the bond formed between teammates and the supporting role each tribe member plays in the development of one another. As such, whenever one takes place, it is a wonderful experience for all involved, bringing the tribe closer together each and every time.

Not only was the sheer number of promotions a record, but the promotion of Ella Prevost means that she becomes the youngest ever BJJ blue belt in the history of the SBG Portland HQ! Ella has only been involved with SBG a short while, but since joining she has become completely immersed in the tribe, taking part in BJJ, MMA and competition team classes, fitness boot camps, and is an assistant coach for the kid’s classes at SBG Portland. Congratulations Ella! Read more…

Coming Up: SBG Ladies Camp Next Month!

July 22nd is the start of the three day SBG Ladies Camp 2016! The third annual camp will most definitely be the most epic one to date! Not only is the SBG Ladies Camp home to world class coaching with some of the best and most exciting BJJ and yoga coaches around, but it is also a chance to interact with truly inspiring women with the drive to succeed and improve themselves every day. This year’s camp will feature coaching from names like Aisling Daly; a women’s MMA pioneer currently competing in the UFC. Oregon’s first female BJJ black belt, and elite BJJ competitor, Amanda Loewen. Kisa Davison, the founder and Head Coach of The Yoga Room, in Montana. Leah Taylor, BJJ black belt who just this month won bronze at the IBJJF World Championships. Lily Pagle, who is both a BJJ and Judo black belt, and co-owner of SBG Nor-Cal in Berkeley. Salome Thornton, who runs the Primate Yoga program at the SBG Portland HQ following over twenty years of yoga practice. If you haven’t signed up yet, do so today! The quality and quantity of coaching available for this weekend is truly inspiring, and unlike anything available anywhere else. Don’t miss out!

SBG Fall Camp Early Registration Opens In July!

It’s that time again, folks! Next month, early registration for the 2016 SBG Fall Camp opens! Be sure to sign up early to save big on registration costs. This year’s fall camp will take place in Berkeley, CA – home of SBG NorCal. SBG NorCal is an amazing facility in a wonderful part of the country, owned and operated by the ever-hospitable Lily & Alan Pagle. Both Pagle’s are judo black belts, and in 2010 Lily Pagle became SBG’s very first female BJJ black belt! These amazing hosts are just the start, as, like always, the SBG Fall Camp will undoubtedly include a long list of SBG royalty. SBG Camps invariably involve BJJ, MMA, yoga and self-defense coaching from those at the highest levels of their discipline. Don’t miss out! Early registration for SBG Fall Camp opens on Monday, 25th July, 2016, and will take place on October 7th – 9th, 2016. Visit sbgcamps.com, or contact Zach Thornton, for more information.