On Sept. 3, islander Joshua A. Thorn won a second-place silver medal at the International Brazilian Jiujitsu’s World Master 2022 Championship in Las Vegas.

Thorn competed in the middleweight division in a huge bracket of 54 fighters from around the world. In the third round, Thorn defeated the number one ranked juijiteiro in the final 30 seconds with an astonishing judo throw.

Thorn’s success in the sport has been nothing less than meteoric. He first started training in his garage with friends during the winter days of the pandemic. Thorn is a former Vashon High School wrestler and operates Vashon Strong CrossFit.

Thorn trains at Combat Arts Academy in West Seattle and with the Vashon Grappling Arts club at the O Space for Arts & Community. The UMO School of Physical Arts and the club are now offering an introductory kids class in judo and jiujitsu. Interested students can register at umo.org or visit the Saturday 10 am adult open mat in the Tahoma room.

Brazilian jiujitsu is a combat sport that combines elements of judo and wrestling with a focus on submissions, or making your opponent surrender using chokeholds and joint locks.