My thoughts after receiving my BJJ Black Belt from John Will after so many years training is hard to put into words, but I’ll do my best.

I first met John Will in the mid 90’s while John was conducting one of the first ever BJJ seminars in Tasmania. I’d heard of BJJ and shootfighting before and was curious to see if it stood up to its then very underground reputation of being an awesome no-holds-barred style. As a blackbelt in Taekwondo, and despite having some fight experience “on the street”, in the security industry and through exposure training several other martial arts styles for most of my life, seeing authentic BJJ for the first time was a massive eye opener. It left me realising what a huge hole there was in my formal training, one that I simply couldn’t ignore. I wouldn’t be satisfied until I gleaned some level of skill in this new martial art.

Needless to say within two weeks I got on a plane and flew from Hobart to Melbourne.

It wasn’t long before I got onto the Geelong mat and had my ass handed to me by Melissa, who despite my 40 plus kilograms of muscle weight advantage tapped me out at least five or six times within a space of five minutes. It was a deeply humbling but inspiring experience. That first day was like standing at the base of an impossible mountain, putting my gi on, and beginning to climb.

Despite dodging syringes in the side streets and seeing someone smashed over the head with a club-lock in the carpark on the first night I stayed at the Geelong gym, somehow I knew I was in the right place, at the right time.

Little did I know how much John Will, shootfighting and BJJ would influence my life.

I treasure those early days of training, and after two years of travelling back and forth from Tasmania to Geelong, I finally moved over to train full time.

Since then Jiu Jitsu and MMA has become a central point in my life. I was always a martial artist, but BJJ added something that no other style at the time could offer. I’d made new friends, and in a very real kind of way found a new and extended family.

John’s influence became a guiding providence in my life, and despite my best efforts of going off the rails, his encouragement always brought out the best in me as it still does today. I have no end of gratitude for his influence.

In hindsight, teaching and training in Geelong were some of the best years of my life so far.

John also introduced me to Richard Norton, an impeccable martial artist who has also become an incredible inspiration to me. I feel blessed to be in such good company.

Several years later, through fate or coincidence, John also introduced me to Silvio Morelli of Blitz Magazine, just at a time in my life when I was ready for a new challenge.

It was there, while working on the magazines that I met the woman who would later become my wife.

I sometimes wonder what life would be like if I had looked up that mountain and then turned a different way.

Yet over the years I’ve steadily climbed forward, with BJJ and MMA becoming a second home, a fulltime job that is hardly ever “work.”

So when I accepted my BJJ BlackBelt from John, in the company of so many old friends and familiar faces, I realise how lucky I am to be where I am today.

At the time all I could say was, “This is what happens to a whitebelt who never quits,” but it is more than that.

I see now more than ever that a BlackBelt is just the beginning, a product of my students and training partners blood, sweat and tears as much as my own. It truly is a team effort. Climbing to the top can only be achieved with the help of others. Those others are our teachers, our training partners, our friends and our loved ones.

In particular I’d like to thank Dan Shaw, Daniel Keane, Stuart Allan and Ozgur Akdeniz who train and teach at my school in Malvern. I’d also like to thank my wife Leigh, and all my students and training partners over the many years, too many friends to name one at a time now. Those who know me know who you are. You have all made a difference whether it be to lend a hand, take me to the ground or to choke me out. Sometimes the simplest word of encouragement became a foothold on an otherwise impossible slope.

I feel this is a charmed life, and although my journey is far from over I’m enjoying the view from the top, and looking forward to new horizons and new mountains to climb in the years to come.

Thanks again to John, Melissa, and my friends and family in the BJJ community.

Regards,

Jeremy Ta’kody

Long time student and BJJ Black Belt, Anthony Lange was presented with his 2nd degree this weekend past. Anthony, alongside John Simon and Sean Kirkwood, was the original pioneer of BJJ in N.S.W. Anthony has not only been a driving force for BJJ in Sydney, he has been a role model for countless martial artists and fighters and has produced BJJ Black Belts of his own – further contributing to the growth and development of the art in Australasia. Anthony is simply one of the best coaches in the game.

Congratulations Anthony.

JBW

It was my honour and privilege to once again present the rank of BJJ Black Belt to another long-time friend and student at this years competition. This time the recipient was Jeremy Ta’kody who I met back in Tasmania some 10 or 12 years ago.

Jeremy has always been a passionate and highly creative martial artist, one who brings much to the martial arts community of Victoria. He has worked at Blitz magazine as an editor and now runs his own video production and distribution company. Jeremy is a perfect example of someone whose life is driven by must the right mixture of passion and purpose. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to award him his BJJ Black Belt in the presence of Rigan Machado.

Congratulations Jeremy!

John Will 2009

This years Will-Machado Asia-Pacific Championships was the best ever. With over 325 competitors, there was a huge variety in matches and some truly outstanding battles. Twelve Black Belts competed in two divisions – with the promise of even more competing next year. Rigan Machado refereed many of the Black Belt matches and later commented at how technical they were. On a personal note, I have received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback, with dozens of e-mails from both contestants and spectators alike.

One of the new ideas this year was to run the Black Belt and higher grade matches first. This allowed everyone to watch these matches at days  beginning and in a way it set the tone for the rest of the day. We will definitely repeat that formula next year. In 2010 we will also add in a number of new weight categories to bring ourselves in-line with international standards. Previously we have not done this, as we preferred larger brackets over smaller divisons with less competitors; but we have now grown to a size that will permit us this new change.

A huge thanks to all the referees and officials who made the day what it was. A special thanks to Craig and Troy for their outstanding efforts in mat set-up and breakdown. I would like to thank our wonderful sponsors who added so very much to the day with their generosity and unflagging support. And lastly, a huge thank you to my wife (sorry if I come across as ‘gushy’) but she was there from midnight till nearly 4am on Friday, before the event started, setting everything up – with help from Hayden Wilson and the NZ crew. THANK YOU!!!

Best wishes all,

John Will

Competition Results:

Male White Belt

Superlightweight    1^st Ricky Budgen 2^nd Vishal Naidoo 3^rd Ryan Ford

Lightweight  1^st Jesse Yada  2^nd Drew Germaine  3^rd Ers Huseyian

Middleweight  1^st Paul Basterfield  2^nd Rhys Murray  3^rd Brayden Vallance

Light-heavyweight   1^st Raoul Smith  2^nd Bennet Gram  3^rd Sam Gallanos

Heavyweight   1^st Mark Dickinson  2^nd Nick Slattery  3^rd Matt Tatam

Superheavyweight   1^st Jai Smith  2^nd Matt Shell  3^rd Aaron Dawson

Female White Belt

Superlightweight    1^st Tina Anderberg  2^nd Samantha Lau  3^rd Lydia Green

Lightweight  1^st Adela Sukul  2^nd Sarah Langford  3^rd Chris Yeardley

Open White Belt   1^st Tracey Clayton  2^nd Melissa Spence  3^rd Lydia Green

Female Blue Belt

Lightweight  1^st Jennifer Torrance  2^nd Gabrielle Flugge  3^rd Rhiannon Thompson

Open Blue Belt 1^st Jennifer  Torrance  2^nd Rhiannon Thompson  3^rd Gabrielle Flugge

Male Blue Belt

Lightweight  1^st Travis Cook  2^nd Con Lazos  3^rd Lenny Palmer

Middleweight     1^st Stuart Allan  2^nd Warren Lambert  3^rd Sonny Brown

Light-heavyweight     1^st Daniel Keane  2^nd Kenton Campbell  3^rd Jose Gasset

Heavyweight     1^st Brent Lang  2^nd Hayden Wilson 3^rd Ben Keenan

Superheavyweight    1^st Josh Fraraccio  2^nd Kurt Andrews  3^rd Michael Mcivor

Male Purple Belt

Lightweight          1^st Ashley Powell  2^nd Regan Neof  3^rd Leigh Dunstan

Middleweight        1^st Lee Ting  2^nd Luke Gooding  3^rd Matt Monaghan

Light-heavyweight      1^st Daniel Okeeffee  2^nd Chris Stone  3^rd Troy Skidmore

Heavyweight           1^st Rory Cubitt  2^nd Martin Christensen  3^rd Daryn Daniel

Superheavyweight      1^st Bernie Florence  2^nd Leigh Barker  3^rd Leigh Impey

Open Brown Belt

Lightweight   1^st Lachlan Giles  2^nd Nathan Frost  3^rd Matt Cooper

Open:       1^st Byron Silvastin  2^nd Richard Sargeant  3^rd John Brown

Light-middle Black Belt

1^st Dave Hart  2^nd Cameron Rowe  3^rd Michael Johnson

Open Black Belt

1^st David Krstic  2^nd David Moore  3^rd Darko Zaric

Junior Division

15 yrs & under/Under 55kgs:  1^st Jake Rivett  2^nd Daniel Ting  3^rd Coralie Cornell

15 yrs & under/Over 55kgs:   1^st Oliver McRaith  2^nd Lorne Locke  3^rd Austin Jacobs

12 yrs & under/Under 34-42kg:   1^st Daniel Rivett  2^nd Liam Basan  3^rd Joseph Mole

12 yrs & under/Under 42-50kg   1^st Dominic Brew  2^nd Hollie Rochow  3^rd Deniz Ramadan

12 yrs & under/over 50kg  1^st Corey Enright  2^nd Jack Williams  3^rd Dertis Davtovic

10 yrs & under/Under 24-32kg  1stShannon Pickering  2^nd Kerin Davtovic  3^rd Jake Farnsworth

10 yrs & under/Under 32-40kg  1^st Masie Allen  2^nd Imogen Colls  3r  Deren Ramadan

7 yrs & under / under 20kgs:   1^st Will Murray  2^nd Destiny Jasmine Minh

7 yrs & under / 29- 28kgs:  1^st Jordan Allen  2^nd Matthew Mrzljak  3^rd Austin Brown

Special Winners:

Adult Encouragement: Marco Ebeyer

Female Encouragement: Gabrielle Flugge

Junior Encouragement: Lachlan Beckworth

Teenagers Encouragement award: Sarah Walker

Fastest Finish:  Josh Fraraccio – Choke 11 seconds

Another bonus this year will come in the form of a brand new pair of GLOBE shoes for EACH and EVERY PLACE GETTER! A huge thanks to our good friends at
GLOBE!

THIS YEAR WE ARE PROVIDING CASH PRIZES FOR OUR BLACK BELT DIVISION!
That’s right ­ this year we are offering cash incentives to show our appreciation for the achievements our Black Belts have made.

$2200 is prize-monies will be distributed between place-getters over the two Black Belt divisions. The weight break will be over and under 85 kg’s. This cash bonus will be added to our other prize-packs and trophies – making it an even better day for our Black Belts. With 12 of them competing this time round – it is shaping up to be our best event ever. Can’t wait.
JBW