The two day event, which  pits martial artists of all disciplines against one another, is a grappling tournament where the ultimate goal is submission.

“We began the team training two months ago and it paid off,” stated Larry Canell. “We were in better shape than most of the competition and we were ready for battle.”

Larry was one of 15 local athletes from Spa City Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu who made the trip to Newark prepared to represent their school and Saratoga Springs. In the end, Larry came home with two gold medals and his teammates brought home another eight.

“I was very happy with the performance of all our students,” stated Spa City BJJ instructor Eddie Fyvie. “They all showed heart, honor and good technique.”

Although the final numbers are not in yet, this may have been the largest grappling tournament in history, indicating that this sport is on the rise.

“The average person may not know how to properly execute a straight arm lock or a triangle choke, but it doesn’t stop them from flocking to events like the UFC or signing up at their local martial art school,” stated Chad Beatty, head instructor. “This sport is exploding, we have students from all age groups and all walks of life.”

To find out more about Spa City Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, go to: www.spacitybjj.com