Two of the most renowned martial arts academies in the world have joined forces to launch the largest No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) program ever seen in Asia. Evolve MMA has partnered with 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu in a deal which will see 10th Planet black belt Rick Marshall teaching full-time in Singapore.

The 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu system was developed by BJJ legend Eddie Bravo and focuses on training without the traditional BJJ Gi. It is taught at over 50 locations across the world and has earned a reputation as one of the most effective forms of grappling for competitive MMA.

Marshall, who received his black belt directly from Eddie Bravo, will be moving to Singapore in October to head the Evolve MMA No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program as a full-time instructor. He is one of 10th Planet’s most senior practitioners and respected figures.

Evolve MMA is already home to multiple BJJ black belts and world champions, as well as world champions from wrestling, boxing, Muay Thai, and MMA. Marshall will be working with the likes of Ben Askren, Shinya Aoki, Rafael Dos Anjos, Angela Lee, and Roger Gracie, as well as teaching students at Evolve MMA’s facilities in Orchard Road, Far East Square, and POMO Mall.

With the addition of Rick Marshall, Evolve MMA becomes the only martial arts academy in the world with BJJ black belts from the prestigious Renzo Gracie, Checkmat, and 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu systems.

Chatri Sityodtong, Founder and Chairman of Evolve MMA, is excited to be partnering with one of the most renowned BJJ academies in the world.

“Eddie Bravo has created one of the world’s most effective No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu systems,“ said Sityodtong. “It is an honor for Evolve Mixed Martial Arts to partner with 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu to give our students yet another avenue for learning and growth.”

Bravo himself will be heading to Singapore at some stage, and the 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu founder issued the following endorsement of Marshall:

“We are excited to launch 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu in Singapore. As one of my black belts, Rick is more than qualified to launch our program at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts. I will be coming to Singapore soon to celebrate this unique partnership.”

The Singapore Grand Prix will be celebrating a landmark 10th edition next year, as talks continue over extending its hosting rights beyond 2017.

While there was no confirmation between Singapore and the Formula One Group over the weekend, Minister for Trade and Industry S. Iswaran said that the new owners – who began their takeover of the business just two weeks ago-are already impressed with the Republic night race.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi-Singapore joint forum at the Economic Development Board office in Raffles City yesterday, Mr Iswaran added that the owners will need time to understand the sport.

He said: “Things are still in very early stages because the transaction had just been announced and Mr Chase Carey had been in the job for just over a week. This is his first race, so he is also trying to get a good feel of the circumstances.

F1 Singapore Grand Prix Day 2

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AFP

“I welcome his comment that he’s very impressed with the Singapore race. Indeed, he shared with me that he would like all the races to be like this.”

Two weeks ago, Liberty Media, an American conglomerate, bought the F1 business from CVC Capital in a deal valued at US$8 billion (S$10.9 billion). Liberty has since appointed Carey as Formula One Group’s new chairman.

Said Iswaran: “I think he remarked that Abu Dhabi, Singapore and Monaco had set the benchmark from F1’s point of view. And Mr Bernie Ecclestone’s (Formula One group chief executive) views on the Singapore race are well known.”

Ecclestone had famously labelled the Singapore race as the “crown jewel” of Formula One.

Also giving the race the thumbs-up is Khaldoon Al Mubarak, chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority of Abu Dhabi and of English Premier League football club Manchester City, who led the Abu Dhabi delegation at the forum yesterday.

He said: “It was excellent, it was quite a delightful experience for me. It was a wonderful race, exciting till the end. The organisation was perfect and the hospitality in Singapore is always quite exceptional.”

According to Mr Iswaran, there is no definite time frame to conclude the F1 deal.

F1 race heats up in Singapore Grand Prix

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The Straits Times, The Business Times, Reuters

He said: “It’s an early stage in the new configuration of F1, so we have to give them (the new owners) time to settle down and think it through in terms of what they would like to put forward.”

With 219,000 spectators at the Marina Bay Street Circuit over the three-day event, this year’s Singapore Grand Prix experienced a 15 per cent dip in average attendance, with a slowing global economy contributing to the drop.

Mr Iswaran explained: “It’s really more of a reflection of the global environment in terms of uncertainty and so on. Interestingly, the Paddock Club and the suites have done well, they held up. It’s more the broad-based areas (where attendances dipped).

F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2016

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Singapore GP

“That again suggests that at the premium level, the race continues to have very good traction with interested consumers and fans. It is perhaps with the broader-based level that we have some issues because of the economic cycle.

“For the tourists, interestingly, the proportion of visitors to locals has been fairly strong. In fact, it’s been growing over the years, it’s been 40-plus per cent.

“We should not draw major conclusions from one year. It’s like 2009, when there was a major global financial crisis, there was a major crash but then it went up again quite strongly. So I think we should wait for the economic circumstances to stabilise.”

This article was first published on September 20, 2016.
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