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Paul Lloyd Davies with his medals at the World Masters Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championships
Paul Lloyd Davies with his medals at the World Masters Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championships

Renowned martial arts mentor Paul Lloyd Davies is celebrating becoming a world Brazilian jiu jitsu champion.

Paul, 61, who formerly coached Newark’s kickboxing and boxing stars Chad and Regis Sugden, claimed two gold medals at the World Masters Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championships.

A former Balderton resident now living in Oxton, Lloyd Davies won the masters seven blackbelt heavy and open classes at the competition in Las Vegas.

Last year he won a bronze in the masters six blackbelt division while awaiting two arm operations.

He said: “It was a great result and possibly a suitable end to a long competitive career.”

Lloyd Davies, who studies Japanese-based Yawara Ryu Jiu Jitsu, represented Gracie Barra academies.

“I have trained at Victor Estima’s club in Nottingham and been able to benefit from the specialisation on ground grappling and other techniques that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) offers in addition to my existing skills,” he said.

Lloyd Davies previously won three gold medals in Japanese-based jiu jitsu at the World Council of Jiu Jitsu Organisations Championships and also won the Brazilian European Championship gold in the masters six blackbelt division in 2016.

He said he had worked with British Special Forces in close-quarter battle techniques as well as taught self-defence to several thousand people.

'I believe in testing real fighting skills'

Lloyd Davies has trained a number of notable fighters who went on to win and compete for UFC world titles, including former British Ultimate Fighter 3 champion Michael Bisping and former UFC star Dan Hardy.

Semi-retired, Lloyd Davies now works with a few athletes and teaches a class at the Blidworth Leisure Centre gym.

“I believe in testing real fighting skills, while having regard to the physical welfare of the fighters,” he said.

“Yawara Ryu, which I founded in 1981, is a jiu jitsu-based on Samurai skills that was eclectic and incorporated wrestling and pugilistic elements.

“It was arguably the original mixed or multiple martial art based on combining grappling and striking skills.

“Its focus was all about personal defence rather than sport.

“Many successful athletes, however, have gone from this eclectic style to achieve great things in sport martial arts and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

“I have always sought to train and continued to develop. I have enjoyed taking part in the competition side of BJJ.”



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