Issue 001
March 2005
Newcastle Mixed Martial Arts Club is the evolution of Gracie Barra Newcastle into a fully-fledged MMA club. The club — started by Dave ‘Speedy’ Elliot, one of the UK’s top lightweight No Holds Barred (NHB) fighters — has grown to include champions in MMA, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), Muay Thai and Submission Wrestling.
After relocating from Wallsend Boys’ Club to Barry Norman’s East End Gym, the club now benefits from added facilities such as a weights area, a boxing ring, punch bags and pads, and, of course, the added bonus of a top class Muay Thai club based in the same location (which runs on Tuesday and Thursday).
The basis of the club remains very much in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and fights under the banner of Gracie Barra Newcastle and now, of course, also NMMAC. Principle instructor Dave Elliot holds a purple belt with Gracie Barra and is the current Goshin Ryu lightweight champion and top UK under-70kg fighter. He is assisted by Peter Tiarks, the current Cage Rage under-65kg title holder and Gracie Barra blue belt; Peter Irving, the under-75kg gold medallist in 2004 at both Renbukai and Quannum submission wrestling tournaments; and Ian Malone, BJJ European silver medallist and regional gold medallist. Other members of the club include Gavin Bradley, the Ultimate Combat, Pride & Glory and Cage Warriors veteran and NEBJJ champion and Brian Blewitt, NHB veteran of many events.
The training is hard but informal and covers different aspects of MMA, including conditioning exercises, drills and sparring with an emphasis on learning, not just on fighting. The first half of the week concentrates on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gi work and the second half without the gi. When competitions/fights are coming up, training will gear towards the needs of the individual fighter. This is where the Three Musketeers motto of ‘All for one and one for all’ comes in to play, as an entire class can centre around the needs of one fighter if need be.
All members of the club are encouraged to compete in a variety of events. Dave Elliot’s simple and honest approach to training and excellent technical knowledge has made the club and its competitors well respected at both a local and a national level. Over the last couple of years the team has been to Ultimate Combat, Cage Warriors, Cage Rage and Sub Wrestling/BJJ competitions.
The club has a warm and friendly environment, where everyone is encouraged to contribute wherever they can. There are excellent instructors in individual disciplines and even though the facilities have been taken straight from a 1970s boxing movie set (leaky roof included), the club’s philosophy is, ‘it’s not what you train with, it’s who you train with’. The numerous awards displayed at the club are enough to convince anyone that this must be true. By Jeff Wilson
