Coach Stephen Fairbairn is a BJJ Black Belt under Peter Irving and Crezio De Souza — a lineage that goes directly back to Carlson Gracie. He founded Bedlington Fight Centre to bring world-class martial arts instruction to Northumberland, with a philosophy grounded in practical self-defence, honest coaching, and a gym culture that welcomes everyone.

Our philosophy of Itaipava Brazilian Jiu Jitsu treats BJJ as a fighting martial art rooted in self-defence. Our style revolves around top pins and top control leading to submissions — while also developing guard, sweeps, and escapes that are applicable in MMA and real-world scenarios