The Vancouver Jiu Jitsu League (VJJL) is the fight club the jiu jitsu community is talking about!
The VJJL is a event started by Matt Kwan, a well known local jiu jitsu coach and competitor. The event is a monthly competition where competitors can be booked for super fights and come out to test their skills. Matt started the league to bring the community together:
“I started the VJJL because I wanted a place for athletes to compete outside of tournaments. The idea is to bring the community together and create friendly competition between clubs, while featuring different gyms around the city as hosts. There aren’t prizes or buy ins (yet). Just matches of all different levels and rulesets, and a place for people to gain competition experience on a platform besides tournaments. The goal is to build competitors and the community. I compare it to a weekend game of streethockey.”
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CoQ_8zvBGFI/?igshid=NDk5N2NlZjQ=
Gyms and competitors all over the lower mainland have flocked to these events so far. On February 4th the league hosted its most recent event at Hero Academy in North Vancouver. The card had 20 super fights with competitors of all different ages, size, and rank competing. Matt talked about why it’s important for all competitors that these events happen:
“I suppose these events are important for athletes because they can gain competition experience and use it to succeed at an international level. Another huge benefit of these events is that athletes, coaches, and parents can network within the community and build relationships. Some of my favourite training partners are people I once competed against. It is important for us to have relationships like this, and to create exposure for our academies as entrepreneurs. People support this event because of the good intentions of the initiative; it’s about our passion and love for Jiu Jitsu.”
While competitors in Vancouver often find themselves trying to choke each other unconscious at these events it’s important to recognize the bigger picture and reasoning behind these super fights. The goal is for Vancouver to eventually be recognized as a “well known jiu jitsu destination, with athletes who can win at the highest level” said Matt. The only way this can happen is for the whole community to work together and sharpen their skills.
These events will continue to happen in the future to help BJJ in Vancouver reach the highest level.