North's biggest jiu jitsu event hits Cambrian (3 photos)

Northern Ontario's largest Brazilian jiu jitsu tournament is returning to Sudbury for the second year in a row.

Close to 200 martial artists from across the province will gather at Cambrian College for the Budo Open BJJ tourney on July 25.

Jiu jitsu practitioners as young as four and as old as 70 will take part in the day-long tournament.

Brazilian jiu Jitsu was popularized in professional mixed martial arts, on the strength of practitioners like Royce Gracie, whose family enterprise turned the martial art into a global phenomenon.

So, as mixed martial arts has grown steadily in popularity, the popularity of Brazilian jiu jitsu has grown right alongside it.

“We have a lot of people at Sudbury MMA who do kick boxing and muay thai, but we definitely have a lot who do Brazilian jiu jitsu,” said Natalie Goudreau, volunteer at Sudbury MMA, whose son, Peyton, and daughter, Kierston, will both be taking part this weekend.

“This tournament is a chance to showcase BJJ in Northern Ontario.”

What makes BJJ different from mixed martial arts is how fighters are stacked up. Rather than in MMA matches, where it's simply weight classes that define who you fight, the Budo tournament will be aligned by age, weight and ability in the younger age groups, but with little to no restrictions for the absolute division.

“In the absolute division, you can have a 130-pound person fighting someone who weighs 220 pounds,” said Goudreau.

While this event is listed as an open tournament, participants must be registered members with the Ontario Jiu Jitsu Association (OJA), as this tournament is in conjunction with that organization.

Spectators who would like to check out the competition are welcome to come on out on July 25. There is a $10 entry fee.

Children under eight are free.

For more information visit BudoOpenBJJ.com or SudburyMMA.com.