Sam Gray

Rank: Black Belt under Damian Smith and Clark Gracie

Trains At: Gracie Allegiance Team New Zealand, Hastings 

Where it all began…

I first met Damian and started training BJJ at Allegiance in Hastings in 2012. I had lived on my parents farm a while out of town so this was the first time in my life I was able to commit and start training after a childhood of all ways loving martial arts. I got my blue belt in 2013 and then did my first international competition and training trip to Australia. I had such a good time on this trip and won my first international gold medal. I got my purple in 2015 and my brown in 2018. During these periods I spent more time travelling, training and competing in Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Mexico, America and all across New Zealand before getting my blackbelt in December of 2020. During my travels I have been fortunate to train with some of the best in the business including Clark Gracie, Craig Jones and Lachlin Giles.

I have been teaching at our home gym since I was a purple belt. I really enjoy teaching, coaching and learning from my training partners. Jiu Jitsu has given me a lot of opportunity to grow and challenge myself in many ways and I love training this martial art. Some of my closest friends and best memories come from the people I have met through training.

Going forward I want to continue competing and testing myself against the best guys I possibly can and develop as a coach to help grow the Art of BJJ in New Zealand.

Achievements...

2020 Full Force South Island Absolute No Gi Champion. Multiple Intermediate/Advanced Full Force North Island/Nation weight division Gold medalist. Multiple time Absolute silver and bronze.

2020 Mana championship 16 Open Weight Invitational Bronze

2020 2x Mana Championship Under 77kg Advanced Gold, 1x Silver.

2019 NZ Nationals Brown belt under 80kg Absolute champion

New Zealand Nationals - Gold, Silver & Bronze medalist through the ranks White through to Brown.

New Zealand Regionals - Multiple Gold medalist

Wellington Open Purple belt Champion     The Gathering Blue Belt Lightweight Champion

Hawkes Bay Open Double Champion