Sport
31 July, 2026
Lazaros perform well
Team Lazaros BJJ & Muay Thai athletes displayed outstanding determination, sportsmanship and skill across all age divisions at the weekend’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition.
Held at Monash University’s Clayton Campus, more than 500 athletes competed in the Savage Grappling event, with Lazaros competitors ranging from Pee Wee divisions through to Adult Blue Belt.
The club’s youngest competitors gained valuable experience on the competition mats. Emma Miller contested both the Gi and No-Gi divisions, facing quality opponents and despite not progressing through the brackets, showed resilience and courage against experienced competitors.
Ava Miller also represented Team Lazaros in both Gi and No-Gi competition. Competing in multiple matches throughout the day, Ava showed perseverance and composure while taking on strong opponents from Extreme Mixed Martial Arts Chadstone and Mustang BJJ Australia.
Bella Savvidis produced one of the club’s standout performances in the Teen I Grey Belt divisions. After suffering an early submission loss in the Gi competition, Bella bounced back impressively in the No-Gi division, securing a lightning-fast submission victory in just 29 seconds over Amelie Kowalski from Bones MMA.
The highlight of the tournament belonged to Team Lazaros’ senior blue belt competitors, Jemma and Alayla Savvidis, who met each other in every one of their divisions.
Rather than facing outside opposition, the teammates battled in a series of all-Team Lazaros finals across the Gi, No-Gi and Absolute divisions, showcasing the depth of talent within the club.
Jemma claimed victory in each encounter, securing every match by submission, with finishes ranging from just two seconds to 69 seconds.