Timothy Spriggs Featured on DigitalSports.com

Timothy Spriggs AKA #1 Stunna was featured on the website DigitalSports.com which focuses young athletes.  #1 Stunna is one of our most dedicated students and his hard work paid off.  He recently set a school record: 13 months to Blue Belt division title (no previous grappling experience).  This is Spriggs’ last week here before he heads off to college so the timing of the article couldnt’ be more appropriate.

For Mount St. Joseph’s Tim Spriggs, Real Life Imitates T.V. ‘Martial’ Art “

Tim Spriggs already was involved in karate for about a year when he was drawn to mixed martial arts one night just over 13 months ago while watching a biography of a competitor on television.

“I was up late and watching television, and there was a story about Rorion Gracie on ESPN. I saw him demonstrate some moves and I was instantly hooked,” said Spriggs, 17, a June 2 graduate of Mount St. Joseph High of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association.

“A couple of months later, I viewed a 60 Minutes broadcast on mixed martial arts,” Spriggs said. “The next day, I called Julius Park of Crazy 88 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and started training that night.” Rest of the Article Here.

Team Lloyd Irvin Expands to Annapolis

New Team Lloyd Irvin Black Belt, Danny Ives opened his school TONIGHT in Annapolis. It will focus on No-Gi Grappling and Muay Thai. Ivey League Mixed Martial Arts (<– link to his website) will be located at:

Universal Gymnastics
2030A Industrial Drive
Annapolis, MD 21401

If you live in the Annapolis area, you need to check out Danny’s program! He is the ONLY competition-tested Black Belt in the area and actually has a proven track record for producing champions.

Congratulations to New Black Belts!

Team Lloyd Irvin held its annual team training today. It was over 4 hours of training with some of the most talented martial artists on the planet. The whole team was there, from UFC competitor Brandon Vera (sporting his gi) to Abu Dhabi medalist, Mike Fowler, to an army of White Belts.

I am happy to announce the following Black Belt promotions:

Danny Ives (LIMAA)
Don “SuperStall” Achnick (LIMAA)

Sharon “Meow” Bonewicz (BJJ United)
Brad Daddis (BJJ United)

Ed Clay (Nashville MMA)
Sean “Spyder” Pulizzano (Nashville MMA)

Congratulations to All!

2007 Year-End Award Winners Announced

Most Improved Grappler – Keith “Trainspotting” Cebula

Trainspotting transformed himself from the “chubby guy you want to spar with when you’re feeling down about yourself” to the “King of White Belts”, even beating a few records on the conditioning circuits along the way.

Rookie of the Year – Kwami Mensah

Kwami had an amazing push at the end of the year, competing in five tournaments and performing well in all of them. He finishes up his sixth month of training in December.

Competitor of the Year – Joshua Plashckes

Was a close vote between Josh and Mike Atkin but Mike cast the deciding vote for the new Blue Belt. Josh started the year sidelined with a shoulder injury, and ended it, having submitted all his opponents in the White Belt Gi and the Intermediate No-Gi. No one can question his heart after his match at the NAGA where he broke his foot and continued to fight. He now competes Advanced and has already been in there with some of America’s BEST grapplers (Bill Cooper). He is planning to build on that experience to move from the bottom step of the medal stand to the top in 2008.

2 of 3 Award Winners - Trainspotting, Malcolm, and Josh (all making funny faces)

Third Law BJJ Expands to New Location

Congratulations to Roberto and the rest of the Naples, FL crew