Maltese Team Wins Best Team Trophy At Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Nationals In Milan
Malta has once again stamped its mark on the international Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) scene. On 5th October, Avant-Garde BJJ Malta triumphed at the AJP Italian National Championship in Milan, bringing home the prestigious Best Team Trophy.
The team outperformed over 114 squads and 800 competitors from across Europe, Brazil and the UAE- a truly remarkable feat!
This is the second time Avant-Garde BJJ has claimed the Italian Nationals title, first winning in 2023 and now repeating the achievement in 2025. Even more impressively, the Maltese team remains the only non-Italian squad ever to win this championship.
Over 45 athletes representing Malta stepped onto the mats in Milan, returning home with an outstanding medal count: 16 Gold, 18 Silver, and 7 Bronze. Thanks to these results, Malta ranked among the top three nations out of more than 60 countries at the championship.
The team is led by Belgian twin brothers Thomas and David Vander Eecken, who moved to Malta seven years ago. In a short period, they have transformed Avant-Garde BJJ into one of Europe’s most successful academies.
Both Thomas and David competed in Milan themselves, dominating their brackets and winning gold in their respective black belt Gi and No-Gi divisions, even facing off against each other in the finals.
View this post on Instagram
The Abu Dhabi Jiu Jitsu Pro (AJP) tour is one of the world’s premier BJJ circuits, attracting elite competitors from countries such as Brazil, the UAE, and across Europe. Winning an AJP National Championship is a massive achievement for any academy — and for a Maltese team to do so, while placing the country in the Top 3 nations globally, is nothing short of historic.
“Coming from a small island of just 600,000 people, most would already celebrate a third, fourth, or fifth place in sports. But in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, one of the fastest-growing sports in the world and the very foundation of the UFC, Avant-Garde BJJ took the national title of another country for the second time in two years. While other nations have millions of inhabitants, Malta stands on top. This proves we are not only competing we are in the top 10 of the best European Academy by methodology, infrastructure, members and results,” said the Vander Eecken twins.
Avant-Garde BJJ continues to nurture the sport locally while competing at the highest international levels. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced martial artist, the academy offers world-class instruction, a supportive community, and the chance to be part of Malta’s most successful combat sports team.
Congratulations to the team!
Credit: Avant-Garde BJJ
READ NEXT: Unlicensed And Overspeeding Drivers Caught In Traffic Checks
