Latest news with #InternationalBrazilianJiu-JitsuFederation
Irish Independent
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Waterford girl shows heart, humility, and an unstoppable work ethic in film on her amazing Jiu-Jitsu journey
A Waterford girl who has risen to the top of Jiu-Jitsu will have her extraordinary life portrayed on the silver screen in her native city before going global at film festivals worldwide. A private screening of Freya – Beyond The Mat will take place on May 11 in Waterford. This powerful new feature documentary is directed by Arthur Lopes and produced by Alberto Rocha, chronicling the extraordinary rise of 11-year-old Irish athlete Freya Marsh in the international world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In Freya - Beyond The Mat, audiences are invited into the life of a prodigious young competitor who, at just 11 years old, is not only making her mark in martial arts but also inspiring communities across continents. Hailing from Tramore, Waterford, Freya brings heart, humility, and an unstoppable work ethic to everything she does, whether training at home, competing abroad, or balancing the demands of youth with the intensity of elite-level sport. This 80-minute English-language documentary, filmed between April and December 2024, follows Freya through a year of transformation and triumph. From local tournaments in Dublin to world-renowned competitions in the USA, Portugal, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates, the film captures her journey in vivid detail. Viewers will witness the fierce challenges she faces, the victories that shape her, and the tight-knit support system that makes it all possible. The film reveals Freya's world: the unwavering encouragement from her parents and sisters, her jiu-jitsu coach Wagner Luvezuti from Checkmat Waterford, her strength and condition coach Darragh Mulcahy from Raise The Bar, and the relentless preparation as she eyes future competitions in Brazil, the USA, and Abu Dhabi throughout 2025. As a two-time European Champion and a gold medallist at both the Abu Dhabi Worlds and London Open, Freya has already secured silver at the Pan Americans and a host of national and UK events. Freya is currently ranked the number one yellow belt female in her weight division and number three overall in the world by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. The documentary was produced by Jungle House Films, supported by K&F Concept and in collaboration with Checkmat Waterford. The filmmakers followed Freya and her family across four continents, capturing everything from sleepy Waterford mornings to electrifying moments on championship podiums. The result is a heartfelt, cinematic experience about grit, grace, and the extraordinary journey of an ordinary girl with an extraordinary dream. Director Arthur Lopes offers a deeply personal look at the making of the film, describing it as more than just a sports documentary, it is a story of coming of age, resilience, sacrifices, the silent battles and the quiet strength found in family and purpose. With honesty and care, Lopes brings Freya's world to life, honouring her determination and the spirit of those who support her. ADVERTISEMENT Commenting on the release of the film, Freya said: 'My ambition has always been to pursue my sport and discipline and to think this has been captured for a big screen showcase is really quite incredible.' This is a story that will resonate far beyond the world of sports, inviting audiences to believe in the power of passion, the strength of community, and the courage it takes to dream big. Freya - Beyond The Mat promises to inspire audiences with its powerful narrative of resilience and ambition, celebrating a local hero whose story is making waves far beyond Ireland's shores. Jungle House Films will now bring the film to global film festivals.
Sport360
19-02-2025
- Sport
- Sport360
Explosive rivalries, exceptional regional fighters - Five reasons why you need to watch ONE 171: Qatar
ONE 171: Qatar is upon us and the anticipation could not be higher. Headlined by Joshua Pacio and Jarred Brooks's trilogy fight for the ONE Strawweight MMA world title, and backed up by the enigmatic Jonathan Haggerty defending his ONE bantamweight kickboxing world title to say the card is stacked is an understatement. From top to bottom there are fights that can steal the show – and lots of local interest too with six fighters from the MENA region looking to make their mark. Here are five reasons you need to tune in. A score to settle at the top of the bill It was less than a year ago when Joshua Pacio and Jarred Brooks stepped into the cage at the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar. That night Brooks went into the bout as ONE Strawweight MMA world champion, but with only two minutes on the clock he was disqualified for an illegal spike on his opponent. Pacio ended up the new champion but, in an unrelated injury, has found himself on the shelf since. Now the pair get to run things back. Brooks has been busy since their last bout and finds himself with interim gold – but it's not the title he wants. It's time to unify one of ONE Championship's most hotly contested divisions. A huge night for bantamweight kickboxing While eyes might be drawn to the division's world title fight at the top of the bill, look just a couple of fights down the list and there is another with almost equal importance. Morocco's Ilias Ennahachi takes on Petchtanong Petchfergus in what could turn out to be a title fight eliminator. Ennahachi has what it takes to be a superstar and lays claim to being one of the best strikers in the world today. A former flyweight champion, he now seeks out gold at a higher weight class. Petchtanong however has ruled over the bantamweights before and is likely to give Ennahachi his toughest challenge to date. The title fight in questions places champion Jonathan Haggerty against China's Wei Rui. This will be Britain's Haggerty's first title defence and the test could not be more stern against a man riding a 21-fight unbeaten streak. Whoever wins will likely not have too long to bask in title glory with another huge test around the corner. UAE world champion makes his debut The UAE's Zayed Alketheeri might be making his ONE Championship debut, but brings a wealth of experience and accomplishment to the table. The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt became the first Emirati to win a gold medal at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) Pan American Championship at the adult black belt level. The 24-year-old took just five years to reach black belt under Ribamar Santiago and has since gone on to win the AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro. Now he gets to test his skills in the flyweight submission grappling division of the world's biggest martial arts organisation. Turkish pair look to push for title shots 10-0 Shamil Erdogan will want to further enhance his middleweight MMA credentials when he takes on former two-weight world champion Aung La N Sang. Erdogan already has a win over the Myanmar legend, but a second would certainly put him in contention for a shot at current divisional king Anatoly Malyakhin. Meanwhile Dagi Arslanaliev will take on Germany's Roberto Soldic in the lightweight MMA division. Soldic has dropped down a division for the fight against a man who looks to be a mainstay for years to come. Arslanliev has a 9-2 MMA record as a pro, with one of those losses coming against current lightweight champion Christian Lee. A win in Qatar might give him the opportunity to avenge that loss. A midcard sleeper With everything else going on elsewhere on the card, the clash between Shamil Gasanov and Martin Nguyen feels like it has gone under the radar somewhat. This featherweight MMA clash sees Russia's Gasanov look to extend his current three-fight win streak and in doing so further enhance his title credentials. But standing opposite him will be one of the legends of ONE Championship. Nguyen debuted in 2014 and six stunning finishes later stood as the first-ever two-division titleholder in ONE Championship history. If Gasanov wants a title shot, a win over a man with more than a decade in the upper echelons of the organisation is a good place to start. You can watch ONE 171: Qatar, which takes place on Thursday February 20th at 5pm Mecca at the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar. For ticket information, click here. Alternatively, you can watch the event live on BeIn Sports or at
Sport360
15-02-2025
- Sport
- Sport360
New opponent named for UAE's Zayed Alkatheeri at ONE 171: Qatar
Emirati champion Zayed Alkatheeri The UAE's Zayeed Alkatheeri has had a late change for his bout at ONE 171: Qatar. Initially scheduled to take on Jarrah Alhazzaa in a flyweight submission grappling match, the Kuwaiti has withdrawn, with Mohammed Hilal Ahmad Abu Rumuh from Jordan stepping in. Alketheeri might be making his ONE Championship debut next week, but brings a wealth of experience and accomplishment to the table. The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt became the first Emirati to win a gold medal at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) Pan American Championship at the adult black belt level. The 24-year-old took just five years to reach black belt under Ribamar Santiago and has since gone on to win the AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro. The finalising of this match now locks in the card for ONE 171: Qatar at the Lusail Sports Arena next Thursday. In the main event, ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Joshua Pacio will square off against interim titleholder Jarred Brooks for the third time in a bid to unify the belts. Then in the co-main event, reigning ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty will defend his gold against Chinese icon Wei Rui. You can watch ONE 171: Qatar on Thursday February 20th at 5pm Mecca at the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar. For ticket information, click here. Alternatively, you can watch the event live on BeIn Sports or at
