Carlson Gracie London’s Mateusz Flaga secures blue belt Europeans package

The BJJ247 Birmingham International open attracted high level blue belts from across the Jiu-Jitsu landscape on Saturday, with a special prize package awaiting the winner of the blue belt absolute

An all-expenses paid package accompanied the gold medal, supplied by sponsors thebjjshop.co.uk and who ever emerged top of the pile would find themselves on an plane to Lisbon in January.

Twenty year old lightweight, Mateusz Flaga was handed the package to complete a triple gold swoop in Birmingham, taking gold in the gi, nogi and absolute divisions.

Speaking minutes after claiming his medal, Mateusz Spoke to BJJ247.com with a beaming smile on

“I like to compete a lot.” Flaga said. “This year I have compete nine times already, I have won a couple of gold medals but there was never any kind of big prize. This is the first time I’ve won something significant.”

Flaga has already mixed with the best lightweights in Europe, competing in Lisbon last year, but declared himself as “very happy” with the fruits of his labour, securing a page in the BJJ247 history books to be the first to win the new belt colour Europeans packages that will take place in upcoming events throughout the country – including Blackpool, Brighton, Liverpool and the Northwest Open.

“I have been to the Europeans last year, but it was not a good competition for me. I cut a lot of weight and made a lot of mistakes during my fights and I lost my second match. But this year, I am coming back stronger and for a gold medal so I am very happy that I won this trip. I am even happier to be the first guy to win this.”

Flaga was happy to have experience ‘a good day’ in Birmingham and credits his coaches and team mates in Hammersmith.

“It depends on the day and today was a good day. I train with a lot of tough, young guys and we do a lot of sparring, a lot of positional sparring and I have a lot of good training partners with a lot of different styles so whoever I meet in a competition I am prepared.

“I train at Carlson Gracie London under Dickie Martin, Simon Hayes and Wilson Junior but I will be moving back to Poland soon where I will train at Copacabana in Warsaw

“We have no easy classes, there is no easy training and a lot of tough guys. Everyone is welcome to come and test yourself.

Mateusz also wanted to thank his friend and coach, Maciej Kozak, whom his history in grappling

starts with.

“When I started BJJ in Poland, in my town, we were just a group of people who liked Jiu-Jitsu and there was no regular coach. He started to come one, two times a month to our gym and pass his knowledge. Since the first time he asked who wants to compete I have only raised my hand.

He’s a very accomplished grappler in Poland, he has medals at WPJJC brown belt level and lots of grappling competitions. I still work with him, I send him my fights and we speak about competition. He is still my coach and I hope will be forever.”

BJJ247 are delighted to see Mateusz travel to Birmingham and are looking forward to seeing him compete in Portugal next year.

The purple, brown, white and mixed blue and white women’s packages are yet unclaimed and will be up for grabs in the next few months.