January Wins: Celebrating Evolve MMA’s Triumphs On The Global Stage

January was a remarkable month for Evolve MMA, marked by extraordinary achievements that showcased the talent, dedication, and spirit of our athletes. From the thrilling victory at ONE 165 to the impressive haul at the European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Evolve MMA athletes have once again demonstrated why they are among the best in the world.

Shinya Aoki‘s Stunning Victory At ONE 165

Shinya Aoki emerged victorious from the recent ONE 165 fight against John Lineker.

At ONE 165, Shinya Aoki from the Evolve Fight Team secured a monumental victory against former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion John “Hands of Stone” Lineker. The bout, contested in an openweight mixed martial arts format, saw Aoki triumph via submission in the very first round, moving his record to an astonishing 10 first-round submission victories in ONE Championship.

European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2024: A Testament To Excellence

The Evolve BJJ Competition team dominates at the European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship!

Under the guidance of BJJ Champion and Evolve Instructor Fabio Da Mata, Evolve MMA’s athletes made a strong impression at the European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship. The event was a testament to their hard work, with our competitors bringing home a collection of medals:

• Gold Medalists: Michael Griffiths, Tiffany Low, and Bruna Senato showcased the pinnacle of Jiu-Jitsu excellence.
• Silver Medalists: Luo Ling Ling, Michael Fan, Charlene Tan, and Sana El Aarbaoui demonstrated formidable skill and determination on their way to the podium.

Sana El Aarbaoui a blue belt, took the silver medal home in the feather division of the Master 3 category.

“My training is always adapting it to competitions so that I can be ready anytime, I didn’t have any special training for this. But being consistent, eating, and sleeping well was important.” Sana added. 

Michael Patrick Griffiths a brown belt, took the gold medal home in the Medium-Heavy division of the Master 6 category.

Even with adequate preparation, nerves, and emotions still ran high at the tournament, it was important for the competitors to remain composed and stick to their game plan. “In the days before my fights I felt quite nervous. At the big competitions, there is a lot of waiting around, so your mind has plenty of time to dwell on all the things that might go wrong. However, when it was finally time to fight and I was in the warmup room, I began to focus on my game plan and the nerves melted away.” said Michael Griffiths.

Luo Ling Ling a white belt, took the silver medal home in the light-feather division of the Master 2 category.

“I chose to represent Evolve because I made a choice that Evolve is my home academy. I am very grateful for the support of the Professors (especially Professor Fabio) and friends, who taught me and gave me a chance to work on my techniques,” shared Ling Ling. 

Michael Fan a white belt, took the silver medal home in the light division of the juvenile 1 category.

Competing at the same event was Luo Ling Ling’s son, Michael Fan. “I was more worried for my son and not nervous for my matches since I was fully prepared. My son’s matches were fixed around the same time as mine and I was watching him fight just before I fought,” Ling Ling shared. 

Representing Evolve MMA

BJJ Champion and Evolve Instructor Fabio da Mata with gold and silver medalists Bruna Senato and Charlene Tan Xuan Li.

With multiple competitors, all from Evolve MMA, Professor Fabio had to be laser-focused in watching the matches. “I knew how strong their [the students’] BJJ was, I just was waiting for them to turn on the competition mode and it happened for most of them, so at that moment I was the proudest coach,” he shared. 

Being the #1 Martial Arts gym in Asia, representing Evolve MMA in competitions is a significant honor and responsibility, entailing top-notch training, embodying the gym’s ethos, and enjoying professional growth opportunities. “It’s very gratifying to represent Evolve in one of the most important Jiu-Jitsu championships in the world, Evolve is a great team, and I’m very happy to have the opportunity to train in this great team.” Bruna shared.

“I’ve been training every day to improve my game and working on my difficulties. The day before my fight, my teacher adjusted some details in my half-guard that made all the difference in my first fight.” said Bruna, focusing on her areas of improvement. 

Along with the gold standard of training, the community plays an important role as well, as mentioned by Charlene, “Knowing that you have the support from your training partners back in the gym, gave me the extra boost in the competition.” 

Tiffany Low Hui Min a purple belt, took the gold medal home in the middle division of the master 2 category.

One thing to learn from the participants was that consistency is key when preparing for a tournament. Working full-time and preparing wasn’t easy as shared by Tiffany, “There wasn’t any specific training camp for this as I hold a full-time job like most and could only train once a day every day. That being said, consistency is key to growth and progress.”

“I feel proud and grateful to have the opportunity to compete and represent the gym. Despite it’s just me on the mats on comp day, it’s an accumulation of the great work that my professors and training partners have put in,” added Tiffany, fellow gold medalist.

Hard Work Pays Off

All of the big wins from Evolve MMA on the global stage!

It was nerve-wracking, to say the least, especially for Professor Fabio, who had multiple students competing. Eventually, the podium was set and the students emerged victorious. “All of them worked so hard to be there, they aren’t full-time BJJ practitioners, but I was impressed seeing them in the gym after a long day of working, or in the early morning sessions on the weekend, so I knew the results would appear, because hard work pays off,” Professor Fabio shared, feeling proud of his students. 

Emphasizing the importance of pushing on, Michael Griffiths shared that even after countless tournaments, he has finally managed to snag a place on the podium, “To be honest, the chief emotion I felt was relief.  I’ve been entering international BJJ competitions since blue belt and this was the first time I made the podium.” Goes to show that failures don’t matter, pushing on ahead does. 

“I felt energized and glad that hard work has paid off, along with all the body aches. I was also just excited to get back to training and continue to sharpen techniques and add new stuff to my game!” Tiffany shared, eager to get back in the game. 

“I was very happy after winning, but I was wishing for more as I only won a silver medal. I asked myself afterward, what’s the best way to improve and get the gold medal next time?” Sana shared, feeling empowered to press on and determined to get the gold medal the next time.  

The achievements at ONE 165 and the European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship are milestones in the ongoing journey of Evolve MMA. They reflect the hard work, perseverance, and spirit of our athletes and coaches. Once again to all the winners in January 2024, congratulations! 

Unleash The Warrior Within With Evolve MMA! 

Everyone at Evolve MMA, from our World Champion instructors to our dedicated staff, is here to support you on your journey of self-discovery. Together, we’ll help you push past your limits and unlock your full potential. If the inspiring stories of our students and instructors have sparked your interest in BJJ, Boxing, or Muay Thai, we invite you to join us for a complimentary intro class led by our World Champions!

Book your complimentary trial class with our World Champions below!

If you have any other questions regarding Evolve MMA and the programs we offer, you can get in touch with our membership executives at the following locations:

Evolve MMA (Far East Square)
26 China Street
Far East Square #01-01
Singapore 049568
Phone: Evolve MMA (Orchard Central)
181 Orchard Road
#06-01 Orchard Central
Singapore 238896
Phone: Evolve MMA (KINEX)
11 Tanjong Katong Road
#02-52 KINEX
Singapore 437157
Phone: Evolve MMA (Clarke Quay Central)
6 Eu Tong Sen Street
#04-18 Clarke Quay Central
Singapore 059817
Phone: Evolve MMA (Star Vista)
1 Vista Exchange Green
#02-26A The Star Vista
Singapore 138617
Phone: (65) 6539 9590