'Hard as nails' Labour MP announces he's going to fight against martial arts pro

A Labour MP has announced he'll be fighting a martial arts pro next month in an unexpected bout.

Newly elected Will Stone, who represents Swindon North, has confirmed he will take on MMA professional Matt Inman. Mr Stone, who has a black belt in Brazilian jiujitsu, has confirmed he's signed up to the submission grappling contest on November 2.

He posted on /X: "Whilst Parliament is a battle for the future of our country I’m excited to battle and grapple in a different arena. Although I may be a little rusty, I’ll be donating my fee to a local Swindon North mental health charity so no matter what happens the event will be worth it!"

Fellow MP Mike Tapp wrote: "One of nicest guys in politics… and hard as nails!" The match-up will happen at Polaris, which organisers brand "Europe's premier submission grappling event".

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The fight will happen at Fairfield Halls in Croydon, South London. Promotional material says the MP's opponent, Mr Inman, is known for "his intense pressure and technical acumen". It goes on: "With years of experience in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA, Inman is a former member of SBG in and has trained with the likes of in the past."

Both fighters' earnings from the event will go to the Kelly Foundation - a charity that supports mental health initiatives across the UK. He said: “I did the trials for Polaris twice and didn’t quite make the cut, but after I became the first ever Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt MP, they reached out to me.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to elevate the sport so I had to take it.” He said grappling had given him the "mental robustness" needed to compete.

Promoters said: "This exciting matchup at Polaris 30 marks the first time a sitting MP will step into the Polaris arena, and it promises to draw attention from both the political and sporting worlds. Fans can expect a thrilling clash of styles as Inman’s experience meets Stone’s determination."

Mr Stone won the Wiltshire seat from sitting Tory Justin Tomlinson on July 4. Before being voted into the Commons he ran a martial arts gym, having served in the Army. He has competed in a number of grappling contests over the years.

Mr Stone's opponent, Manchester-based middleweight Mr Inman, has been a professional fighter since 2008 and has an MMA record of 20 wins and 11 losses.

He said: "Respect to Will for stepping up for the challenge and doing it for a good cause. Hopefully we can get a few eyeballs on that and bring the sport to a wider audience as well."

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