Wesley George
Wesley George balanced studies and career with BJJ, becoming a competitor and teacher linked to Renzo Gracie Cape Town.
Biography
Sources for this profile
BJJ Eastern Europe, Wesley George interview, February5,2013(opens in a new tab)
Wesley George’s older brother Kurdt introduced him to BJJ and encouraged him through his initially hesitant training.
Where in the source: Answer2, brother’s influence.
Accessed:
Watching Rickson Gracie’s documentary Choke made the brothers want to find somewhere to practise jiu-jitsu.
Where in the source: Answer2, documentary.
Accessed:
Before BJJ became his focus, Wesley boxed, played rugby and lifted weights.
Where in the source: Answer2, previous sports.
Accessed:
Around2004, Kurdt brought techniques home from private no-gi lessons with John Danaher in New York and practised them with Wesley.
Where in the source: Answer3, first New York connection.
Accessed:
In2006 the brothers joined an existing Cape Town academy that had shifted from no-gi grappling into gi BJJ.
Where in the source: Answer3,2006 academy.
Accessed:
Wesley regarded the move into gi training as a turning point in learning and developing technique.
Where in the source: Answer3, first gi classes.
Accessed:
He began competing in2006 and became more committed after being caught in a guillotine in his second bout at his first competition.
Where in the source: Answers1–2, first competition.
Accessed:
His enthusiasm nearly led him to abandon his studies for jiu-jitsu, but he eventually continued his education and career while training.
Where in the source: Answer2, studies and career decision.
Accessed:
For Wesley, BJJ also brought international friendships, travel, confidence, discipline and determination.
Where in the source: Answer2, personal meaning.
Accessed:
Kurdt took over running the Cape Town school and converted it into a Renzo Gracie affiliate in2008.
Where in the source: Answer3, academy transition.
Accessed:
Wesley linked the closer Renzo affiliation to a structured curriculum and the welcoming culture he valued at the academy.
Where in the source: Answer3, curriculum and culture.
Accessed:
InFebruary2013 Wesley described himself as a brown belt under Renzo Gracie, with Kurdt as the Cape Town head instructor.
Where in the source: Answer1, rank and instructor.
Accessed:
He reported winning the2012 South African FILA gi and no-gi championships, African Abu Dhabi trials and South African Grappling Association grand championship.
Where in the source: Answer1, recent achievements.
Accessed:
He recalled his2010 Abu Dhabi World Pro bronze as his strongest international result at that stage.
Where in the source: Answer1, international highlight.
Accessed:
He described Penny Thomas as a friend who regularly visited the Cape Town academy.
Where in the source: Answer4, Penny Thomas.
Accessed:
He welcomed growing participation across South Africa’s grappling community, including athletes whose main background was MMA or no-gi.
Where in the source: Answer4, community development.
Accessed:
He also described friendships with visiting competitors from Madagascar and Réunion and praised Angola’s BJJ development.
Where in the source: Answer5, African exchanges.
Accessed:
ByFebruary2013 he was staying in Houston and training at Gracie Barra Westchase under Ulpiano Malachias.
Where in the source: Answer6, Houston training.
Accessed:
During that Houston stay he reported brown-belt gold at a GBNet competition while remaining in contact with his Cape Town teammates.
Where in the source: Answer6, competition and home team.
Accessed:
He saw cost as a barrier to wider access and hoped that more support would bring BJJ to additional South African communities.
Where in the source: Answer7, access and future hopes.
Accessed:
Graciemag, Good news at the Cape, November17,2010(opens in a new tab)
Helio Pereira promoted Wesley to purple belt during a2010 teaching visit to Cape Town, with Renzo Gracie’s approval.
Where in the source: Good news at the Cape, promotion paragraph.
Accessed:
Liam Wandi, Part Time Grappler, own Cape Town training visit, October2011(opens in a new tab)
During a2011 visit, Liam Wandi described Wesley leading the warm-up and partnering him for drills before Kurdt taught the advanced class.
Where in the source: Friendliness and Technique sections.
Accessed:
After class Wesley introduced Wandi and his blog to the group, giving the visitor a place in the academy’s social life.
Where in the source: Friendliness, post-session stretching.
Accessed:
Grappling Games23, December12,2015 Houston results(opens in a new tab)
At Grappling Games23 inHouston inDecember2015, he placed first in the masters gi brown-belt185–199.9lb division for Gracie Barra Westchase.
Where in the source: Masters Gi / Brown /185.0–199.9lbs result.
Accessed:
IBJJF, Austin International Open2017 official results(opens in a new tab)
At the2017 Austin International Open he won Master1 male brown-belt heavyweight and open-class gold representing Gracie Barra.
Where in the source: Male / Master1 / Brown / Heavy(208lb) and Open Class podiums.
Accessed:
IBJJF, Houston International Open2018 official results(opens in a new tab)
Wesley George competed as a black belt by the2018 Houston International Open.
Where in the source: Male / Master1 / Black / Heavy(208lb).
Accessed:
At that2018 Houston Open he took Master1 male black-belt heavyweight silver for Gracie Barra.
Where in the source: Male / Master1 / Black / Heavy(208lb), second place.
Accessed:
Renzo Gracie Academy, Cape Town affiliate directory(opens in a new tab)
Renzo Gracie Academy’s affiliate directory names both Kurdt George and Wesley George as professors at the Cape Town academy.
Where in the source: About this Academy, Professor.
Accessed:
Lineage
No teaching connections are shown on this page.
Open lineage