Matt Thornton

I’ve had the pleasure of spending the last week with Matt Thornton. We spent two days at the SBG UK Camp at SBG Manchester⁠, followed by a seminar on Monday at SBG South Shields⁠. It was great to show him the gym—a place that forms part of his and Karl’s legacy. We spent plenty of time talking about Karl, martial arts, coaching, and family life. Matt’s influence on the way we teach and train continues to shape what we do every day, and it was a privilege to spend time together. Both Camp and the time with Matt made me appreciate how fortunate I am to be part of something much bigger than just owning a gym. This is SBG, You will be okay! KT

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What a fantastic weekend. It was an absolute pleasure to once again welcome SBGi founder and president Matt Thornton to Manchester. Remarkably, this marks 26 years of Matt travelling here to teach, a tradition that has helped shape not only SBG Manchester but the entire SBG UK organisation. Matt’s sessions on closed guard and open guard for Vale Tudo and MMA were outstanding. Simple, functional and immediately applicable—the kind of material that reminds you why he remains one of the most influential coaches in martial arts. The SBG UK Camp continues to be one of the highlights of the year. A weekend of learning, training, catching up with old friends and strengthening the bonds that make this association so special. With over 20 SBG black belts on the mats, the level of coaching and knowledge sharing was exceptional. We’d like to thank all of our coaches who gave their time and expertise throughout the weekend: 🥋 Matt Thornton 🥋 Chris Coltrane 🥋 Davey Grant 🥋 Casey Jones 🥋 Saul Rogers 🥋 Matt Inman 🥋 Glyn Powditch 🥋 Alex Enlund 🥋 Kevin Macaloon A huge thank you to every coach, every attendee and every member of the SBG tribe who helped make this such a memorable weekend. Finally, a special mention to the man who made all of this possible—Karl Tanswell. Without Karl, there would be no SBG UK. His influence was felt throughout the weekend, on every mat, in every conversation and in every coach and student who came together to train. Thank you everyone. We can’t wait to do it all again next year. #SBGUK #SBGUKCamp #SBGManchester #MattThornton #BJJ Grappling JiuJitsu OneTribeOneVibe

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As a coach, I’ve spent more than two decades watching people transform through Jiu Jitsu. I’ve seen shy people become confident, anxious people become calm, and individuals who doubted themselves discover strengths they never knew they possessed.

When Shannon first started her Jiu Jitsu journey, I saw many of the same doubts that I have seen in countless beginners over the years. Like many women, she questioned whether she was strong enough, tough enough, or capable enough to belong on the mats.

Jiu Jitsu didn’t change who Shannon is, it revealed who she has always been. Through every class, every challenge, every difficult round, and every small victory, she developed a deeper sense of confidence, resilience, and self-belief. I’ve seen her become more comfortable taking up space, trusting her instincts, setting boundaries, and embracing her own strength.

What follows in the link below is Shannon’s story in her own words. An honest reflection of what many women experience when they first step onto the mats and the lessons that can be learned through the process. The hope is that if you’re a woman who has ever wondered whether Jiu Jitsu is for you, you’ll see a piece of yourself in her journey and realize that you don’t need to become someone else to start, you simply need to take the first step.

Here is the link:

https://sbgsparks.com/2026/06/15/reclaiming-space-my-journey-into-jiu-jitsu-as-a-woman/