Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Carl Ikeme faced a life-threatening diagnosis of leukemia in 2017, which ended his football career.
However, he found a new passion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and became a British open-age champion and bronze medalist at the European Championships.
Ikeme stumbled upon the Gracie Barra club near his home in Sutton Coldfield and signed up for a taster session.
Despite being in good shape, he quickly realized that “you don’t really know anything about fighting until you actually do it.”
The competition was not initially on his mind, but he found the experience humbling and focused on the two people on the mat trying to get the better of each other.
Ikeme’s journey from football to MMA champion is a testament to his resilience and determination.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
