Sam McNally

Sam McNally is a professional grappler from the Republic of Ireland who represents Dublin’s East Coast Jiu-Jitsu Academy (ECJJA) in the sport’s global circuit. A black belt in Jiu-Jitsu under Darragh O’Conaill, McNally gained worldwide notoriety in 2022 after two big performances in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) European Open – where Sam earned a bronze medal – and in the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) European Trials – gold medal, breaking through as one of the top athletes in his division.

Sam McNally Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Sam McNally

Nickname: N/A

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Royler Gracie > Saulo Ribeiro > (Xande Ribeiro >) Darragh O’Conaill > Sam McNally

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place ADCC European Trials (2022)
• 1st Place IBJJF London Fall Open (2019)
• 1st Place IBJJF Dublin Open (2022)
• 3rd Place IBJJF European Open (2022)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF Ireland Nationals (2019 brown)
• 1st Place AJP British National Pro (2019 brown)
• 1st Place AJP Spain National Pro (2019 brown)
• 3rd Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2019 brown)
• 3rd Place AJP Grand Slam, LDN (2017 purple)

Favorite Position/Technique: Modern JJ Style

Weight Division: Peso Pena (70,00 kg / 154.5 lbs)

Team/Association: East Coast Jiu-Jitsu

Sam McNally Biography

Sam McNally was born in November 1994, in Dublin, the capital city of the Republic of Ireland.

Despite not being particularly sporty as a child, not in a competitive environment at least, McNally had a short-lived experience with martial arts through his high school which taught judo as a part of its sport’s curriculum. This episode drove Sam to look for grappling as an extra-curricular activity, finding what he was looking for in jiu-jitsu.

McNally joined Darragh O’Conaill’s school at the age of 16, the gym that would later become East Coast Jiu-Jitsu, one of the most prestigious grappling schools in Europe. Sam went from white to black belt under the guidance of O’Conaill, with his black belt promotion taking place on June 29, 2019,