Ashley Bendle

Ashley Bendle (born 29 march 1997) is a Welsh submission grappler, Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and competitor.[lower-alpha 1] A British and European No-Gi champion in coloured belts, Bendle is a black belt No-Gi World, European Open and ADCC trials medalist.[1]

Ashley Bendle
BornAshley Louise Bendle
(1997-03-29) 29 March 1997
NationalityWelsh
DivisionFeatherweight -58.5 kg (129.0 lb)
StyleBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Submission Grappling
Fighting out ofSwansea, Wales
TeamDraig
Chris Rees Academy (CRA)
Rank     black belt[lower-alpha 1]
OccupationBJJ instructor
Medal record
Representing  Wales
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
World No-Gi Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Long Beach, California -56.5 kg
European Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Paris, France -58.5 kg
European No-Gi Championship
Silver medal – second place 2022 Rome, Italy -56.5 kg

Career

Ashley Louise Bendle was born on 29 march 1997, she started training Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) at the age of five.[2] After completing all the youth belts, she received her blue belt at age 16 and started competing in the adult division.[3] Bendle trained in Swansea under Chris Rees, the first Welsh BJJ black belt.[lower-alpha 2] At 17 she won silver at the 2015 IBJJF European Open Championship, competing in the light feather (-53.5 kg) division.[4]

After receiving her purple belt from Rees in 2015, Bendle became British featherweight champion and then won bronze at the European championship.[3][5] In 2016 she won gold at the European No-Gi Championship. In 2018 she was one of six athletes to be sponsored by the UKBJJA to compete at the IBJJF European Championship in Lisbon where she won bronze.[6] Bendle was promoted to black belt by Rees in 2019.[7]

In September 2021, Bendle fought in the first edition of the ADCC Submission Fighting Championship European Trials taking place in Poland where she arrived second in the -60 kg category.[8]

Competing at Polaris 18 on 27 November 2021, she defeated Kate Bacik via 1 Round Decision.[9] At Polaris 21 on 24 September 2022, Bendle was asked, on just a week's notice, to replace Ffion Davies in a fight for the inaugural under 60 kg title, against multiple-time World and ADCC champion Michelle Nicolini.[10] Bendle lost the fight by split decision but her performance in the match won praises.[11]

At the 2022 IBJJF London International Open, she won two Openweight gold medals, defeating Raquel Ferreira da Silvain in the Gi final and Joanna Dineva in the No-Gi final.[12] In 2022 she won silver at the European No-Gi Championship and bronze at the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship.

In January she won Silver at the 2023 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu European Championship, after defeating Rafaela Rosa of Checkmat, competing in the featherweight division.[13] Bendle trains alongside Polaris triple champion Ashley Williams.[14]

On February 25, 2023, Bendle fought for the inaugural Enyo Grappling under 55kgs title against Sophia Cassella.[15] She won the match by decision and became the promotion's first champion.[16]

Championships and accomplishments

Main Achievements (black belt level):[17]

Main Achievements (coloured belt level):[19]

  • IBJJF European No-Gi Champion (2016 purple)
  • Naga Elite Gi champion (2017)
  • British champion (2017 purple)
  • 2nd place IBJJF European Championship (2015 blue[4])
  • 2nd place IBJJF British National Championship (2015 purple[20])
  • 3rd place IBJJF European Championship (2019 brown[21])
  • 3rd place IBJJF European Championship (2018 purple[22])
  • 3rd place IBJJF European Championship (2016 purple[23])
  • 3rd place IBJJF British National Championship (2018 purple[24])

Instructor lineage

Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr > Braulio Estima > Chris Rees > Ashley Bendle

Notes
  1. under Chris Rees
  2. under Braulio Estima
  3. Absolute
  4. Weight and absolute

References
  1. "Ashley Bendle - Grappling". Awakening Fighters. 3 October 2022.
  2. "Interview with Ashley Bendle, BJJ black belt at CRA - MMA UK". MMA UK. 21 February 2021.
  3. "Ashley Bendle spars with Brett Johns but hopes to make her name in Jiu Jitsu". BBC Sport. 8 February 2018.
  4. "IBJJF EUROS 2015". IBJJF.
  5. "Ashley Bendle - Fighter profile". UAE Jiu Jitsu Federation. 14 November 2022.
  6. "UKBJJA Sponsored Athlete Ashley Bendle". Mynewsdesk. 17 January 2018.
  7. "Ashley Bendle - Fighter profile". Smoothcomp. 31 January 2023.
  8. "1st ADCC EUROPEAN, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICAN TRIAL 2021 • ADCC NEWS". adcombat.com. 7 February 2020.
  9. "Ashley Bendle vs. Kate Bacik, Polaris 18 - Grappling Bout". Tapology. 11 November 2021.
  10. Lindsey, Alex (23 September 2022). "Ashley Bendle steps in to face Michelle Nicolini on short notice – Polaris Pro Grappling". Polaris Pro Grappling.
  11. "enyo grappling 2". jitsmagazine.com.
  12. "2022 IBJJF London International Open results". IBJJF.
  13. "IBJJF Euros 2023". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  14. Burne, Kathrine (12 February 2022). "A Title-Fight And Two More Elite Matches Added To Polaris 19". Jitsmagazine.com.
  15. Burne, Kathrine. "Enyo Grappling 2 Sees Promotion's First Title Fight". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  16. Burne, Kathrine. "Ashley Bendle Becomes First Champion At Enyo Grappling 2". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  17. "Athlete Results Ashley Bendle". IBJJF. 22 February 1999.
  18. "IBJJF". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  19. "Team UK Athlete Profile: Ashley Bendle". UKBJJA. 28 May 2017.
  20. "IBJJF British National Championship 2015". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  21. "IBJJF EUROS 2019". IBJJF.
  22. "IBJJF EUROS 2018". IBJJF.
  23. Canaria, Kitt (23 January 2016). "The IBJJF Europeans 2016 Days 1-2 results". Jiu-Jitsu Times.
  24. "IBJJF British National Championship 2018". IBJJF.
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