Lloyd BMW South Lakes proudly sponsors Sam Holladay

Lloyd BMW South Lakes are delighted to support Sam Holladay as he prepares to compete at the 2026 IBJJF No-Gi European Championships in Rome, on Wednesday 28th October.

Having worked tirelessly towards the opportunity to compete on the international stage, Sam's journey reflects the dedication, commitment and determination required to compete at the highest level of Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu. Travelling to Rome on 27th October, he will take on competitors from acorss Europe and beyond at one of the sport's prestigious championship events.

As part of our commitment to supporting local talent and recognising individuals pursuing their ambitions, Lloyd Motor Group are delighted to support Sam as he takes this exciting next step in his Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu journey.

We caught up with Sam to find out more about his journey, the preparation and what this opportunity means to him...

Sam, can you tell us a little about your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey? How did you first get involved in the sport, and what inspired you to take it seriously?

"I first started training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu when I was 15, I had always struggled with confidence and one of my friends suggested I started as it had helped them. At first, I was training twice a week but that quickly escalated into 4-5 sessions a week. I think the reason I began to take is so seriously so early on was the difference it makes to your day-to-day life, helping with physical and mental health, boosting your confidence and providing me with a community of people constantly supporting and pushing each other, many of them now being my closest friends."
 

What does your preparation look like in the lead-up to a competition of this level?

"I've done many competitions before but none of this calibre, the main difference in training for such a big competition has been in the intensity of the sessions. I always train hard but in the buildup to this competition I have been travelling to Preston 3 times a week to attend sessions with other competitors specifically preparing for Euros. The other big change has been in my lifestyle outside the gym making sure I am getting the proper nutrition and rest to allow me to give every session 100% wether it's in the weights room or on the mats."
 

Are there any particular achievements or moments in your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey that you're especially proud of so far?

"For me the biggest achievement hasn't been winning a specific competition or medal but seeing the improvement in myself, I try not to focus too much on results but the journey it takes to achieve them. Win or lose I am always able to feel proud of myself as long as I know that I have done everything I can to prepare for the match or tournament. That being said nothing does beat the feeling of winning a match knowing you have the whole team in your corner cheering for you."

What motivates you to keep pushing yourself and improving in the sport?

"I find that the community around me helps motivate and push me to keep improving. The gym has such a great environment where everyone is there to improve and being in a room full of people with the same mindset allows us all to push each other. I also find that having training partners that are close friends of mine always helps me push through even when I'm tired or not feeling 100%, we're all so competitive with each other that it forces us to put the work in even when we're not feeling up to it."

Do you have any pre-competition rituals or superstitions?

"Nothing out of the ordinary but once I've warmed up its headphones on and head down, when competing in front of a crowd it's easy to let the moment get to you so I just try and filter out any of the external pressure and just make sure I've done everything I can to perform as best I can and put on a show for the crowd - win or lose I make sure nobody can say I've had a boring match."

From everyone at Lloyd South Lakes BMW we wish you all the best in your upcoming competition!