Ashley Jordan Williams

Ashley Jordan Williams was born on July 18, 1992, in Swansea, Wales, and grew up in the Morriston neighborhood — a community that laid the groundwork for his identity as a competitor. From his earliest years, Williams immersed himself in sport, competing across football, rugby, athletics, and gymnastics throughout childhood. Sport was not merely a pastime; it was a defining thread woven through every stage of his upbringing.

At the age of six, Williams took his first steps into the martial arts world through Japanese jiu-jitsu (ju-jutsu/traditional JJ), beginning a lifelong relationship with grappling. Over the years, he also trained sporadically in judo and kickboxing, broadening his understanding of combat sports. Alongside him through this entire journey was his twin brother Joshua Williams, who matched his dedication on the mat. Both brothers earned black belts in ju-jutsu, a testament to their shared commitment and natural aptitude for grappling.

Despite their accomplishments, the Williams brothers were driven by a competitive instinct that demanded a live, ruleset-based proving ground. At the age of 15, their coach Kelly Chambers recommended Brazilian jiu-jitsu as the ideal outlet for that ambition. Taking the advice seriously, both brothers enrolled at Chris Rees Academy (CRA) in Swansea — arriving with ju-jutsu black belts already tied around their waists. Within just one month of training, they entered their first BJJ tournament. The results were humbling, but rather than discouraging them, the experience only deepened their passion. From that point forward, Ashley Williams committed fully to the BJJ path.

Following that initial tournament, Ashley Williams became a fixture at Chris Rees Academy, training consistently under Chris Rees and building the technical and competitive foundation that would carry him through the belt ranks. His progression was marked by a growing results portfolio that reflected both his ju-jutsu background and his rapid assimilation of the BJJ game.

In 2015, after years of dedicated development, Williams received his black belt — and the moment was made all the more significant by its setting. The promotion took place on the podium of the British Open, a competition he had just won. Chris Rees and Braulio Estima, two figures of substantial influence in British BJJ, tied the belt around his waist together. At the time of his promotion, Williams was recognized as the youngest Welshman to receive the BJJ black belt, a distinction that underscored the exceptional pace of his development.

Williams competes under DRAIG, the Welsh-rooted grappling team with which he has become closely associated and which stands as one of the more recognized team identities in British and European BJJ. His twin brother Joshua Williams also earned his black belt under Chris Rees, making the Williams brothers a notable pairing within the British BJJ community and a clear reflection of what the CRA environment consistently produces.

In the years following his black belt promotion, Ashley Williams carved out a reputation as one of Europe's foremost no-gi competitors, earning particular recognition in the submission-only format. His style — built around dynamic grappling exchanges and a finishing-oriented approach rather than points accumulation — proved ideally suited to the submission-only circuit that emerged as a premier stage for elite grapplers.

Polaris and Key Submission-Only Titles

Among his most significant titles in this arena was the Polaris 70KG championship, claimed in 2018. Polaris stands as one of Europe's most prestigious submission-only events, and winning at that weight class placed Williams firmly among the continent's elite. He also competed at the Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI), GrappleFest, and Kasai Pro — events that collectively represent the highest tier of international submission-only competition — accumulating experience against opponents drawn from across the global grappling landscape.

In 2022, Williams added the RAW 70KG title to his record, demonstrating sustained elite-level performance across multiple competitive cycles. Rather than peaking in a single era, Williams proved his ability to remain relevant and dangerous at the top of his division years apart. Beyond pure competition, he also ventured into amateur mixed martial arts during this period — using the cage environment as a testing ground for ground game efficiency, driven by curiosity and the desire to pressure-test his skills rather than any ambition to pursue MMA professionally.

Some of the clearest markers of Ashley Williams's standing in European grappling come from his performances at the IBJJF European No-Gi Open and the ADCC European Trials — two events that together span the organized no-gi competition calendar and the pathway to the most coveted event in submission grappling.

IBJJF European No-Gi Open

At the IBJJF European No-Gi Open, Williams established himself as one of the dominant forces in the Feather division, claiming gold in 2016 and again in 2022. The first title arrived in the early stages of his black belt career and confirmed that his no-gi skillset translated immediately to success at the international IBJJF level. The second, earned six years later, demonstrated a rare longevity — the ability to return to the top of the same podium across different competitive eras, against fields that had evolved significantly in the intervening period.

ADCC European Trials and Beyond

The 2021 ADCC European Trials produced perhaps the single result most reflective of Williams's elite status: an outright victory that earned him qualification for the ADCC World Championship. The ADCC Worlds represents the pinnacle of submission grappling, and a trials victory to reach it places Williams in rare company among European competitors. His record also includes a 3rd place finish at the UAEJJF Grand Slam in London in 2016, adding gi competition credentials to a portfolio otherwise anchored in no-gi achievement.

Competing in the Peso Pena division at 70 kilograms (154.5 lbs), Williams has consistently operated within one of European grappling's deepest and most competitive weight classes. Taken together, his results across IBJJF, ADCC, and submission-only formats position him as one of the most versatile and enduring Welsh grapplers of his generation.