Dom Szikora - Dave Speedy Elliot - Mark Walder - Mauricio Gomes - Rolls Gracie - Helio Gracie - Mitsuyo Maeda

Hello fellow grapplers. My name is Fabio and I am an Italian raised in Italy that sounds brutally north-eastern English (bizarre combination). I started Grappling in Italy at age 7 as a counter for being bullied for being the "English" in the school. My journey started with Greco-Roman Wrestling which I continued until my move to the UK at age 18. During my stint with the above the waist ruleset, I competed in Italy at regional and national level and tried to push into the Fiamme Gialle in an attempt to make it as a professional athlete. The plan did not come to fruition due to my move to the UK. Having moved to the UK, I took a leave of absence from grappling for 5 years during my university studies as I did not have a Greco-Roman academy nearby (and due to being disillusioned with how my plan panned out). During my last year at University I discovered a gym just round the corner, now called Five Elements JiuJitsu Ormskirk, where I dabbled in BJJ for the first time. Upon my return home from University I finally fully rekindled my love for grappling and took up Judo in 2012. I competitively obtained my black belt after two years, 2014, and was awarded it by the regional director at the time Dermot Heslop. I also obtained a coaching, kata and grading certification during this time. In 2016 a move from my family home to living alone landed me less than 200 metres away from my current grappling home Origin BJJ Darlington. Origin has been my grappling home ever since and I have slowly worked through the ranks to my current grade. My shameful admission: I have dabbled with competition, but after my a youth spent competing in Italy and being torn from a dream I think all aggressiveness has been sapped out of me. I much prefer over-philosophising the nuances of a technique and teaching to competing. I enjoy helping the competitive squad here at Origin train and ramping it up from time to time, but I am too much of an office worker for much else.