WJJF Grading Day - May 2026
On Sunday May 10th, nine students from Samurai Ju-Jitsu Academy attended the World Ju-Jitsu Federation Black Belt Grading Day held at WJJF Manchester.
As Club Sensei, I would firstly like to say how incredibly proud I am of every single student who stepped onto that mat.
Black Belt grading is not something that can be achieved overnight. It is the culmination of years of hard work, commitment, discipline and sacrifice. For many students, this journey takes between four and five years of consistent training, dedication and personal growth.
Out of the nine students attending, eight were successful in achieving their next milestone.
Unfortunately, one student was unable to complete the grading successfully after an old injury affected performance on the day. However, the courage it takes to stand in front of senior grades and put yourself through such a demanding process deserves enormous respect in itself.
I have no doubt they will attain the qualification on the retake in September.
As always, the grading day was conducted professionally by three senior WJJF Technical Officers, each holding a minimum rank of 3rd Dan.
Although it was a long and physically demanding day, every student from every club behaved impeccably throughout and were a true credit to both themselves and their instructors.
At Samurai Ju-Jitsu Academy, we often say that martial arts is about far more than punches, kicks and self-defence.
It is about growth.
It is about confidence.
It is about discipline, respect and leadership.
Watching students who once walked through the dojo doors nervous, shy and unsure of themselves now stand proudly wearing Black Belts is one of the greatest rewards any instructor can experience.
I would therefore like to offer sincere congratulations to:
Luca Costello: Junior Black Belt with Honours
Sammy Wiggett: Junior Black Belt with Merit
Kevin Ratnhnaweera: Junior Black Belt with Merit
Iyla Idrees: Junior Black Belt with Merit
Noeh Idrees: Junior Black Belt with Merit
Ismail Ahmed: Junior Black Belt with Merit
Aryaan Ahmed: Junior Black Belt with Pass
Allan Chetram: Shodan with Merit
Over the past twelve months, these students have undertaken an intensive preparation period from Brown Belt to Black Belt level.
As part of this process, Samurai Ju-Jitsu Academy ran an exclusive Sunday morning Black Belt Training Club, giving students access to additional focused tuition and all four weekly training sessions.
This wasn’t simply about learning techniques.
It was about learning commitment.
Learning resilience.
Learning how to keep going when things become difficult.
The club is immensely proud of every student who took part in the grading day and we look forward to watching each of them continue to grow both inside and outside of the dojo.
Because in martial arts, a Black Belt is not the end of the journey - It is the beginning of understanding.
“Your White Belt is the start of the journey — Your Black Belt is the start of Understanding.”
New website launched
We’ve launched our new website for Samauri Jiu-Jitsu Oldham.
It’s simple and honest, with class times, info on traditional Japanese Jiu-jitsu, membership details, and a bit about who we are. Nothing fancy — just what you need to join, learn, and belong.
We’ll update it as the club grows with new classes, events, photos, and member stories. Tell us if something’s missing.
Come check it out, book a trial class, or drop in and say hello.