New Labour MP to take on pro MMA fighter in jiujitsu 'grappling' bout

As a new MP barely three months into his career, Will Stone is currently grappling with Westminster politics and Parliament's often arcane working practices.

But next month the Labour member for Swindon North will be grappling for real - against a professional MMA fighter.

Mr Stone, a former British Army rifleman and Brazilian jiujitsu black belt, is taking part in Polaris 30, 'a night of professional grappling' in south London. 

He is going up against Matt Inman, a middleweight mixed martial-artist and former pro boxer from Manchester. He will donate his match purse to a mental health charity. 

Inman, a jiujitsu blackbelt, has previously trained alongside UFC legend Conor McGregor.

According to promotional material for the event, it marks 'the first time a sitting MP will step into the Polaris arena ... fans can expect a thrilling clash of styles as Inman’s experience meets Stone’s determination.' 

The fight will take place on November 2 at Fairfield Hall in Croydon. 

Mr Stone explained his martial arts background in his maiden speech in the Commons last month. 

He told MPs: 'I am the first Brazilian jiu-jitsu black-belt to be elected to Parliament, and I used to run my own academy...

'When I left the Army, I had offers to teach Brazilian jiu-jitsu across the world, from Abu Dhabi to Arizona, but I picked Swindon.

'I am often asked, ''Why did you choose Swindon?'', but it is an easy answer for me: I love Swindon. I love my hometown. It is a wonderful town built on industry and is full of passion and hope. Our history is a proud history of reinvention.'

Brazilian jiujitsu, or BJJ, is a martial art that's gaining high-profile celebrity fans including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Movie director Guy Ritchie is also a black belt. Former US President Barack Obama has a blue belt, and Peaky Blinders star Tom Hardy has won competitions in Wolverhampton and Milton Keynes.

It is an offshoot of Japanese jiujitsu that became a sport in its own right, and a key component of MMA fighting.

BJJ teaches students how to control their opponent. The aim is to create a submission hold (a joint lock or a stranglehold, for example) in an attempt to get a 'tap' (a signal that your opponent cannot escape and concedes).

Practitioners wear reinforced heavy cotton suits — known as Gis — designed to withstand the strong grappling, falls and rolls, and, similar to Japanese jiu-jitsu, competitors wear belts to signify rank which also range from white to black.