Local School boy to represent England

Perton Schoolboy Selected to Represent England at World MMA Championships

A local Perton schoolboy has achieved something truly special — ten-year-old Santiago Lopez has been selected to represent England at the IMMAF Youth World Championships in Abu Dhabi this summer.

Santiago, who lives in Perton and attends Perton Middle School, is one of only two boys in the whole country chosen for his age and weight category. He will proudly fly the flag for England — and for our village — on the international stage in July.

Santiago’s martial arts journey started with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the age of five. Over the past 18 months, he’s competed in more than 180 bouts and claimed numerous titles at events across Europe. He now travels three times a week to train at Matratz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Manchester, training with some of the top junior athletes in the country.

Closer to home, Santiago trains at Intensity MMA in Willenhall under Head Coach Dan Cassell, a former professional fighter. He made his amateur MMA debut in Wolverhampton last September and has already secured two wins in the Golden Ticket Fight Promotions (GTFP) series.

Incredibly dedicated, Santiago has also travelled internationally to develop his skills — training in Brazilan Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling and mixed martial arts in Chile, Sweden and Georgia.

Speaking about his selection, Santiago said:
“I love everything about this sport — the training, the challenge, and how much fun it is. I’ve made so many amazing friends through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA. I’m really proud to be representing England and I want to thank my sponsors Empire Grappling, Bunchi, Love Belfast, Mr Bassetts Grapplers Soap, Crossface and Youth Ambitions for supporting me.”

Santiago shares updates from his training and competitions on Instagram at @santi_theorangewolf_lopez.

With the cost of international competition being so high, the family is hugely grateful for the support Santiago has received. Any local businesses or individuals interested in sponsoring or supporting Santiago are warmly encouraged to get in touch via his Instagram.

We wish Santiago the very best of luck as he prepares to represent Perton — and England — in Abu Dhabi this summer!