Samantha Cook

Samantha Cook was born on November 10, 1987, in Kingswood, a town neighbouring Bristol in England. Growing up near Britain's countryside, Cook developed a deep affinity for horse riding from a young age — a passion that shaped her earliest identity as an athlete. She went on to compete in showjumping as a member of the British Showjumping Association, a commitment that ran from her 14th birthday through to age 20. That six-year career in competitive equestrian sport instilled in her the discipline, focus, and mental fortitude that would later prove instrumental when she discovered Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Finding the Sport

At age 21, Cook was introduced to Brazilian jiu-jitsu through a boyfriend who competed in mixed martial arts. She began training under Italo Ferreira, who guided her early development and promoted her to blue belt. When Ferreira subsequently relocated to the United Arab Emirates, Chico Mendes — co-founder of Checkmat — stepped in to fill that coaching role. Training under Chico proved pivotal: it was during this period that Cook fell in love with the competitive side of the sport and established herself as one of the top competitors in the United Kingdom.

Going Full-Time

Her dedication deepened to the point where, in 2014, Cook made the decisive choice to leave her career as a physiotherapist and pursue jiu-jitsu full-time. The gamble paid off quickly. In 2015, she claimed quadruple gold at the IBJJF/UKBJJF British Nationals — a performance that caught the attention of Shoyoroll, one of the sport's most prestigious brands, which extended her a sponsorship deal. With that support and the backing of her family, Cook relocated to London to train in a more competitive environment, spending time at London Fight Factory before settling at Fight Zone London, both Checkmat affiliates in England's capital.

Promotion to Black Belt

At Fight Zone London, Cook's training came under the direction of Marco Canha, one of the country's leading instructors. The results were immediate and significant. She earned gold at the ADCC European Trials and claimed gold at the IBJJF European Open in both gi and no-gi formats. A double silver medal — in weight and absolute — at the IBJJF World Championship further underscored her readiness for the sport's highest level. These performances culminated in her promotion to black belt in June 2017, marking the beginning of her career as an elite competitor on the international circuit.

Colored Belt Foundations

Samantha Cook operates primarily in the female medium heavyweight division at 163.5 lbs (74 kg) under the Checkmat banner, and her decorated colored-belt career laid a clear foundation for her black belt success. The standout achievement of that era was her victory at the 2015 IBJJF World Championship No-Gi as a brown belt — a result that signaled her readiness to compete at the sport's highest level before she had even received her black belt. She also claimed gold at multiple editions of the IBJJF European Open in both gi and no-gi formats across her purple and brown belt years, and added gold at the UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Grand Slam as a brown belt in 2016.

Black Belt Dominance

After receiving her black belt, Cook continued to perform at the highest level across both the IBJJF and UAEJJF circuits. In 2018, she claimed gold at the UAEJJF Grand Slam Tour events in both Tokyo and Abu Dhabi, demonstrating her versatility across different formats and continents. She added further gold at the 2019 IBJJF European Open to her black belt record, reinforcing her standing among the elite in her division. At the IBJJF World Championship — the sport's most prestigious gi event — Cook reached the podium with bronze medals in both 2018 and 2019, building on the double silver she earned in weight and absolute at the 2017 edition during her brown belt campaign. Across both circuits, her sustained level of excellence has firmly established her as one of Britain's most prominent representatives in international jiu-jitsu competition.