The Dungeon BJJ and MMA gym to open in Peterlee in February

The Dungeon BJJ and MMA has announced it will officially open in Peterlee at the start of February, led by a third-degree black belt with more than 20 years’ experience.

The new academy, run by Sean Colfer, will hold its first class for free on Monday, February 2, beginning with a children’s session at 5pm.

The new gym is located at 3 Gresley Row, Peterlee, SR8 2LU.

The 46-year-old from Station Town has been training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu since 2004, when the sport was relatively new in the UK.

Sean said: “At the time, there were hardly any black belts outside London. The sport was very much in its infancy and not many people knew about it.”

After trying out boxing, kickboxing and weight training, Sean said he was immediately drawn to jiu-jitsu after attending a class.

The Dungeon BJJ and MMA Peterlee (Image: The Dungeon BJJ and MMA Peterlee)

He said: “I was a big, strong lad and thought I’d be able to just overpower people.

“Then I got absolutely manhandled by people a lot smaller than me. I remember thinking, wow this really works – I need to learn this.”

After becoming part of a Sunderland-based team, Sean was inspired and encouraged to open his own academy in his hometown of Thornaby, which he has run for the last 20 years.

After moving to County Durham 13 years ago, Sean said it was now time to open a gym closer to home.

He said: “I was travelling up and down the A19 nearly every day, and it just became a lot.

“Bringing an academy closer to my home felt like the next natural step.”

The new academy will offer Gi and No-gi Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes for both children and adults, with a strong emphasis on making it an accessible, family-friendly environment.

The new gym is family run. (Image: The Dungeon BJJ and MMA Peterlee)

The 46-year-old said: “My wife’s a brown belt, my daughter’s a blue belt, and my son’s a grey belt.

“I want the academy to feel like one big family, not a place that feels intimidating to new people wanting to try out the sport.”

Sean also plans to offer free tea and coffee for parents dropping their children off, as well as providing a PlayStation to keep youngsters entertained while their parents’ train.

He said: “I want to ensure the academy is accessible to everyone. It means while parents are training, they have somewhere safe to keep their child occupied which saves money on childcare for them.”

Sean also wants to continue his long-standing practice of sponsoring a child who cannot afford to pay for classes.

He said: “I didn’t grow up with much. If I can give a child the opportunity to take up a new skill or hobby that they may not be able to afford, then I would love to give a child the chance to have that.”

Since announcing the opening, Sean said the response online has been “amazing”.

He said: “I’m not looking to take over the world. I just want to build a solid team and give people the chance to try something new.

“Everyone is welcome at all levels, whether they want to compete or just try out a new hobby for their mental health and wellbeing.”