Ashley Williams is a Welsh-born grappler, and a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Chris Rees, being one of the most well known European athletes of his generation. Williams is mostly recognized for his accolades in jiu-jitsu’s no-gi circuit, particularly his wins at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) European No-Gi Open, and his performances in submission-only events such as Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI), Polaris, GrappleFest and Kasai Pro.
Ashley Williams Jiu-Jitsu
Full Name: Ashley Jordan Williams
Nickname: N/A
Lineage: C. Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr > Braulio Estima > Chris Rees > Ashley Williams
Main Achievements:
- Polaris 70KG Champion (2018)
- RAW 70KG Champion (2022)
- 1st Place ADCC EU Trials (2021)
- 1st Place IBJJF European Open NoGi (2016, 2022)
- 2nd Place IBJJF European Open NoGi (2016)
- 3rd Place UAEJJF Grand Slam – LDN (2016)
Favorite Position/Technique: Z Guard
Weight Division: Peso Pena (70,00 kg / 154.5 lbs)
Team/Association: DRAIG
Ashley Williams Biography
Ashley Williams was born on July 18, 1992, in Swansea, Wales, growing up in the Morriston neighborhood.
A sports fan from his toddler days, Ashley was embedded in sporting culture early in life, a habit he maintained all the way through to adulthood, going on to compete in a variety of athletic endeavors such as football (soccer), rugby, athletics, and gymnastics.
Although already linked with different sports during his childhood, at the age of 6 Ash joined the world of martial arts, first through Japanese jiu-jitsu (ju-jutsu/traditional JJ), years later with sporadic ventures into judo and kickboxing.
Ashley and his twin brother Joshua, both practiced ju-jutsu for a number of years, but being true to their competitive nature, they craved to test their skills in a sporting environment. When they reached their 15th birthday, coach Kelly Chambers recommended that they give Brazilian jiu-jitsu a try, and give their techniques a challenge under that rule set. Both Williams brothers were black belts in ju-jutsu already and believed in their skills when they joined BJJ academy “CRA” in Swansea to get accustomed to the rhythm and rules of the BJJ game.
After one month of training with Chris Rees at CRA (Chris Rees Academy), the two brothers decided to enter a tournament, and although they did not get the results they expected, they were hooked on grappling and kept training with Rees from then on.
In 2015, after a solid career in the lower belt divisions of the sport, Ashley was awarded his black belt, while still standing on the podium of the British Open, a competition he had won. The belt was tied around Ashley’s waist by long-time coach Chris Rees and Braulio Estima, becoming (at the time) the youngest Welshman to ever be attributed the black belt (21).
While developing his ground game, Ashley Williams also ventured several times into the world of amateur mixed martial arts (MMA), although not with the intent of making a career out of cage fighting, simply to test his ground efficiency.
Ashley Williams’s twin brother Joshua is also a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Chris Rees.
Ashley Williams Grappling Record
-
BY POINTS
19 (30%) -
BY ADVANTAGES
1 (2%) -
BY SUBMISSION
29 (46%) -
BY DECISION
13 (21%) -
BY PENALTIES
1 (2%) - BY DQ
0 (0%)
29 SUBMISSIONS WINS
-
BY POINTS
9 (45%) -
BY ADVANTAGES
1 (5%) -
BY SUBMISSION
2 (10%) -
BY DECISION
5 (25%) -
BY PENALTIES
0 (0%) - BY EBI/OT
3 (15%)
2 SUBMISSIONS LOSSES
Ashley Williams Fight History
ID | Opponent | W/L | Method | Competition | Weight | Stage | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8128 | Samir ChantreSamir Chantre | L | Pts: 4x2 | Dallas NoGi Open | 67KG | 4F | 2015 |
9207 | Max Campos | L | Points | Grand Slam LDN | 69KG | 4F | 2016 |
9415 | Ary FariasAry Farias | L | Pts: 14x6 | Rome Open | 70KG | SF | 2016 |
9949 | Ichitaro Tsukada | L | Pts: 0x0, Adv | World Champ. | 70KG | R1 | 2016 |
10296 | Rafael Domingos | L | EBI/OT | EBI 7 | 65KG | R1 | 2016 |
10893 | Osvaldo MoizinhoOsvaldo Moizinho | L | Kneebar | NoGi Worlds | 67KG | 4F | 2016 |
11262 | Alexis AlduncinAlexis Alduncin | L | EBI/OT | EBI 10 | 61KG | R1 | 2016 |
11329 | Jonathan ThomasJonathan Thomas | L | Points | Poznan Open | 70KG | SF | 2016 |
12349 | AJ AgazarmAJ Agazarm | L | Pts: 12x0 | European NoGi | 73KG | F | 2017 |
15187 | Geo MartinezGeo Martinez | L | EBI/OT | EBI 15 | 65KG | 4F | 2018 |
21391 | Richard AlarconRichard Alarcon | L | Pts: 3x2 | Kasai Pro 6 | 61KG | RR | 2019 |
21393 | Joao MiyaoJoao Miyao | D | --- | Kasai Pro 6 | 61KG | RR | 2019 |
23555 | Kade RuotoloKade Ruotolo | L | Referee Decision | Grapplefest 8 | 70KG | SPF | 2020 |
24090 | Eduardo RiosEduardo Rios | D | --- | Polaris Squads | ABS | RR | 2020 |
24099 | Marcin Held | D | --- | Polaris Squads | ABS | RR | 2020 |
24104 | Dino Bucalet | D | --- | Polaris Squads | ABS | RR | 2020 |
30573 | Marcelo FaustoMarcelo Fausto | L | Points | All Stars | N/A | N/A | 2022 |
35056 | Diogo ReisDiogo Reis | L | Pts: 2x0 | ADCC | 66KG | R1 | 2022 |
36906 | Daniel MairaDaniel Maira | L | Referee Decision | NoGi Worlds | 67KG | 4F | 2022 |
42797 | O. Jones | L | Referee Decision | ADCC EU Trials | 66KG | SF | 2023 |
43389 | Gabriel SousaGabriel Sousa | L | Kneebar | WNO 20 | 70KG | SF | 2023 |
47154 | Gairbeg Ibragimov | L | Referee Decision | ADCC EU Trials | 66KG | SF | 2024 |
52511 | Diego OliveiraDiego Oliveira | L | Pts: 6x0 | ADCC | 66KG | R1 | 2024 |
52900 | Diego OliveiraDiego Oliveira | L | Referee Decision | Polaris 29 | 70KG | SPF | 2024 |
6366 | Matthew Fuentes | W | Points | NAGA Florida NG | 68KG | F | 2015 |
6367 | Reynaldo Duarte | W | Points | NAGA Florida NG | 68KG | SF | 2015 |
6368 | Eduardo de Jesus | W | Points | NAGA Florida NG | 68KG | 4F | 2015 |
6369 | Reynaldo Duarte | W | Points | NAGA Florida | 68KG | SF | 2015 |
6370 | Eduardo de Jesus | W | Points | NAGA Florida | 68KG | F | 2015 |
8813 | Claudemir Souza | W | Pts: 2x0 | Madrid Open | 70KG | F | 2015 |
9092 | Marko Jokmanovic | W | Kimura | Munich No-Gi | 73KG | F | 2016 |
9211 | David Younan | W | Armbar | Grand Slam LDN | 69KG | 3RD | 2016 |
9413 | Cristofer Barrios | W | Armbar | Rome Open | 70KG | 4F | 2016 |
9426 | Cristofer Barrios | W | Points | European NoGi | 67KG | SF | 2016 |
9427 | Severi Nenonen | W | Pts: 20x0 | European NoGi | 67KG | F | 2016 |
10641 | Jaakko Sarkijarvi | W | Collar choke | Finnish Open | 70KG | SF | 2016 |
10642 | Riku Hapulahti | W | Pts: 6x6, Adv | Finnish Open | 70KG | F | 2016 |
10888 | Bruce Guevara | W | Points | NoGi Worlds | 67KG | R1 | 2016 |
11331 | Paul Cole | W | Armbar | Hertford Open | 67KG | F | 2016 |
12346 | Royi Neeman | W | Points | European NoGi | 73KG | 4F | 2017 |
12348 | Alex Cabanes | W | Points | European NoGi | 73KG | SF | 2017 |
12966 | Tuomas Tammilehto | W | RNC | Zurich Open | 70KG | F | 2017 |
15122 | Jay Butler | W | Pts: 12x0 | British Open | 76KG | F | 2018 |
15123 | Spencer Hewitt | W | Heel Hook | FFL UK | 68KG | SPF | 2018 |
15182 | Sergio Hernandez | W | Triangle armbar | EBI 15 | 65KG | R1 | 2018 |
16912 | Masakazu Imanari | W | Referee Decision | Polaris 7 | 68KG | SPF | 2018 |
17050 | John Battle | D | --- | Show the ART 6 | ABS | SPF | 2018 |
17232 | F. Rosenthal | W | Referee Decision | Kasai Pro 3 | 66KG | SPF | 2018 |
18435 | Ben Eddy | W | Referee Decision | GrappleFest 3 | 66KG | SPF | 2018 |
20555 | Ethan CrelinstenEthan Crelinsten | W | Referee Decision | Polaris 10 | 65KG | SPF | 2019 |
20980 | Chris Newman | W | Submission | Pantheon Inv. | 65KG | SF | 2019 |
20981 | Kamil Wilk | W | RNC | Pantheon Inv. | 65KG | F | 2019 |
21389 | Rafael FreitasRafael Freitas | W | RNC | Kasai Pro 6 | 61KG | RR | 2019 |
22746 | Richard AlarconRichard Alarcon | W | Armbar | Polaris 12 | 61KG | SPF | 2019 |
23842 | Kevin Corkhill | W | Referee Decision | GrappleFest 9 | 70KG | SPF | 2020 |
24412 | Thomas HalpinThomas Halpin | W | Referee Decision | Polaris Squads 2 | 70KG | SPF | 2020 |
27784 | G. Bigdon | W | Triangle | ADCC EU Trials | 66KG | 8F | 2021 |
27787 | Anthony Oliveira | W | Outside heel hook | ADCC EU Trials | 66KG | 4F | 2021 |
27790 | Tuomas Kokkonen | W | Reverse triangle | ADCC EU Trials | 66KG | SF | 2021 |
27792 | Gairbeg Ibragimov | W | Pts: 0x0, Pen | ADCC EU Trials | 66KG | F | 2021 |
29408 | Paulo MiyaoPaulo Miyao | W | Referee Decision | Polaris 18 | 66KG | SPF | 2021 |
29818 | Robert DegleRobert Degle | W | RNC | Grapple Kings | 73KG | SPF | 2021 |
31618 | Jack Sear | W | Referee Decision | Polaris 19 | 70KG | SPF | 2022 |
32860 | Keith KrikorianKeith Krikorian | W | Referee Decision | GrappleFest 12 | 73KG | SPF | 2022 |
33552 | Thiago MacedoThiago Macedo | W | Referee Decision | RAW 2 | 70KG | SPF | 2022 |
35172 | Hansley Puransing | W | Tarikoplata | Grapplefest | NA | SPF | 2022 |
35368 | Sean Stewart | W | Referee Decision | GrappleFest 13 | 73KG | SPF | 2022 |
35725 | Tyrone Connor | W | Pts: 11x0 | London FO | 70KG | SF | 2022 |
35726 | Lee Renault | W | Pts: 16x0 | London FO | 70KG | F | 2022 |
35744 | Sean White | W | Choke | London FNGO | 67KG | F | 2022 |
36085 | Carlos Condit | W | Inside heel hook | Polaris 22 | ABS | SPF | 2022 |
36155 | Lucas Andrade | W | Inside heel hook | European NG | 67KG | SF | 2022 |
36156 | Anthony Oliveira | W | Outside heel hook | European NG | 67KG | F | 2022 |
37834 | Jae Young | W | Referee Decision | London NGO | 73KG | SF | 2023 |
37835 | Victor Dabush | W | Anaconda choke | London NGO | 73KG | F | 2023 |
42766 | Tor Toudahl | W | Triangle | ADCC EU Trials | 66KG | R1 | 2023 |
42781 | Boris Tonev | W | Pts: 3x0 | ADCC EU Trials | 66KG | 16F | 2023 |
42790 | V. Bussolotti | W | N/A | ADCC EU Trials | 66KG | 8F | 2023 |
42792 | M. Altantugs | W | Pts: 2x0 | ADCC EU Trials | 66KG | 4F | 2023 |
47137 | Loris Zanolini | W | RNC | ADCC EU Trials | 66KG | R1 | 2024 |
47142 | Simon Klein | W | Guillotine | ADCC EU Trials | 66KG | R2 | 2024 |
47145 | Chris Sterling | W | Armbar | ADCC EU Trials | 66KG | 8F | 2024 |
47149 | Nino Ondris | W | Pts: 9x0 | ADCC EU Trials | 66KG | 4F | 2024 |
47156 | Nadav Bar-gil | W | Outside heel hook | ADCC EU Trials | 66KG | 3RD | 2024 |
47521 | Abdelmajid Faouri | W | Kneebar | AIGA Trials | 70KG | 4F | 2024 |
47533 | Ali Gherbi | W | Outside heel hook | AIGA Trials | 70KG | SF | 2024 |
47538 | Ali Gadjimurad | W | Points | AIGA Trials | 70KG | F | 2024 |
48500 | Ali Elk | W | Referee Decision | Subversion | 70KG | SPF | 2024 |
Ashley Williams vs Marko Jokmanovic
Should add Ash’s RNC against Robert Degle at Grapple Kings (Dec 2021), both BJJ heroes athletes