Women's London Open Mat Comes to Diesel AK

On Saturday 25 July, Diesel Gym Woolwich welcomed grapplers from across the capital for the Women’s London Open Mat. Organised by Yeliz Akwei, the free session brought women of every belt level and training background together for an afternoon of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, no-gi grappling and good conversation.

Running from 2:30pm to 4:30pm at Diesel AK, Unit 7 Gunnery Terrace, Royal Arsenal, London SE18 6SW, the open mat made the most of the gym’s expansive training space. With Woolwich Station and the Elizabeth line close by, it was an easy meeting point for teammates and visitors travelling from across London.

Training beyond gym lines

The session formed part of the wider London Women’s Open Mat series: community-led events that rotate between venues and give female grapplers a welcoming place to train together. There was space to drill, share rounds and spar in both gi and no-gi, with the emphasis firmly on learning, respect and meeting people outside the usual gym circle.

That cross-gym spirit matters. Open mats give newer practitioners a friendly way into live training, while experienced athletes can test their game with unfamiliar styles and help set a generous tone on the mats. Everyone is there to improve, not to represent a rivalry.

A growing London women’s grappling community

Across London, women-only open mats, seminars and competition-preparation sessions are helping make the sport more connected and accessible. Eventbrite, Instagram and local WhatsApp communities remain useful places to hear about the next gathering, while host gyms provide the mat space and coaches that let those networks grow.

At Diesel AK—the home of 10th Planet London S.E.—members can also build towards future open mats through regular BJJ and no-gi training, from fundamentals through to active sparring. Dedicated ladies’ sessions and mixed training blocks give practitioners more ways to develop confidence, timing and a reliable group of training partners.

Related events and ways to get involved

• London Women’s Open Mat series — watch the organisers’ social channels and local grappling groups for the next rotating host gym and date.
• Ladies’ training at Diesel AK — a focused setting to develop technique and confidence alongside other women in the community.
• 10th Planet London S.E. BJJ and no-gi sessions — regular classes for building the skills and live-round experience that make open mats so rewarding.
• Seminars and competition-preparation sessions — local gyms and community networks regularly share opportunities for specialist coaching, hard rounds and tournament preparation.

Thank you to Yeliz, every visiting grappler and everyone who helped make the afternoon so welcoming. We look forward to opening the mats again soon.