BJJ & Jiu-Jitsu in Eastbourne
Gi BJJ runs at Rebel Combat Sports on Tuesday 9:00–10:30 and Friday 19:00–20:30, coached by Adrian Bradbury. Standard BJJ belts are earned against a written syllabus, and one rank covers gi and no-gi. Beginners are welcome; the first two weeks are free.
Positional control. Then the finish.
Jiu-jitsu is a submission art. The goal is to control your opponent's body — pin them, pass their guard, take their back — and then apply a finishing technique: a choke or a joint lock. The submission doesn't work without the position. The position is the point.
Gi and no-gi are two versions of that art that have grown into two sports. The gi adds a whole layer — collar and sleeve grips, control built on the jacket — with its own skill set and its own meta. We treat them as exactly that: separate sports, both running at Rebel.
The gi program
Adrian Bradbury runs the gi classes — BJJ purple belt, certified boxing coach, and the club's strength and conditioning lead. They run Tuesday 9:00–10:30 and Friday 19:00–20:30: one daytime session, one after work. You'll need a gi, and we'll tell you exactly what to get before your first one.
Belts work the way they should. Standard BJJ belts, earned against a written syllabus — performance criteria for every rank, not time served. Gradings are awarded by head coach Ben Zarif, a BJJ brown belt. One rank covers both gi and no-gi. No ceremonies, no politics, and the room is never organised by rank. The full syllabus is available to members, and so are written notes for each training block.
This week on the mat
- Gi BJJ
- Gi BJJ
The first two weeks are free, with no card needed. Parking is free, right outside. Full schedule and pricing
Train gi, no-gi, or both.
Our no-gi classes run three times a week with a free Sunday open mat, and everything you build there — positional control, escapes, submissions — carries straight into the gi game. The first two weeks are free, gi and no-gi both. See the schedule.
Modern, science-based coaching. No bowing, no mysticism, no cult of personality — just what works. And every class is beginner-friendly because the coaching scales to you.
What makes us different →What people who train here say
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★★★★★
Ben the head coach has an infinite knowledge of the art and technique of NoGi jiu jitsu. The Gi coach Adrian also has a great technical understanding of the Gi.
Charlie Dyer · Google review -
★★★★★
Ben and Adrian are great coaches and have a great method of teaching, lesson by lesson and in planning the wider programme.
Harry Burgum · Google review -
★★★★★
Super welcoming club for all levels of bjj, great environment and quality coaching!
Scott Bashford · Google review
Before you come
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Is this BJJ / jiu-jitsu?
Yes — both versions of it. Our no-gi classes are the modern development of it: the same submission art, plus wrestling, judo, catch and sambo where they intersect. Gi BJJ proper runs too, its own program, with coach Adrian Bradbury running the classes.
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What's the difference between gi and no-gi?
Gi grappling uses the jacket and trousers as grips; no-gi is shorts and a rashguard — faster, more scramble-heavy, nothing to hold but the person. They're two separate sports with separate skill sets, and we train both.
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Do I need a gi?
Not for our no-gi classes — they're shorts and a rashguard. For gi BJJ sessions you'll need a gi. If you don't have one yet, we'll lend you one for your trial.
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How do belt promotions work?
A coach assesses you against the syllabus as you train — there's no grading day to book and no test to sit. Gradings are awarded by head coach Ben Zarif, a BJJ brown belt. If you're not at the standard yet, you're told which criteria you're missing and what to work on. The syllabus is available to members.
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Can I train both gi and no-gi?
Yes. They're separate sports with separate skill sets, one membership covers both, and your rank is one credential across the two.
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I have a belt from another gym — does it count?
Yes. Your rank is yours — we don't take ranks away, here or from anywhere else. You train at the belt you hold and progress from it against our written criteria.