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UEL student wins re-match to become UK No.1 Lightweight Champion

Thursday 24 June 2010

Djo Lema

University of East London student Djo Lema has beaten top UK cage-fighter Scott Jansen at UCMMA 13: Never Back Down which took place at the Troxy on Saturday, 19 May in front of a celebrity crowd including Katie Price and Alex Reid. Djo now holds the UK1 Lightweight Champion title and he’s emerging as the next big name in mixed martial arts.

Djo is a third-year Business Information Systems and Computer Networks student from Hackney, who beat reigning champion Scott Jansen in a re-match following Djo’s triumph in the previous round of competition.

A black belt in Judo and Jujitsu, Djo is determined to balance his coursework with the love for his sport during his final year at the School of Computing, Information Technology and Engineering (CITE) at the Docklands campus.

Djo was thrilled to take home the title and says he hopes to inspire other students and young people to achieve their dreams.

“I believe that if you work hard and believe in yourself, you can achieve anything you set your sights on. I proved to the world that you can fight and study at the same time and I hope that I inspire others to go to university and get a head start in life.”

Originally from the Congo, Djo was trained by his father in Mukumbusu, a popular form of African street fighting and a national sport in the Congo.

Mixed Martial Arts or MMA is a full contact combat sport that incorporates a range of techniques from different martial arts disciplines. The sport has become increasingly popular in recent years with the Ultimate Challenge UK hosting regular fights at the Troxy in London.

University of East London: London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Office

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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