Classes

Prof Greg Fernandes has been teaching BJJ and Muay Thai for over a decade.  He received his BJJ black belt in 2022 and was an IBJJF Master's division brown belt World Champion in gi and no gi in 2021, as well as a black belt no gi silver medalist in 2022.  Prof Greg has trained with numerous BJJ adult world champions and has travelled to Thailand to train at some of the top Muay Thai gyms in the country.  Along with owning the business, Prof Greg is an automotive engineer with over 30 years of experience in that field.

Dan assists teaching our adult BJJ classes.  He earned his black belt from his home gym in Curitiba, Brazil, but joined us in 2021 when he moved to the United States.  He is also a black belt in Judo.  Dan brings a wealth of knowledge from his extensive background and is as talented of a practitioner as he is a genuinely good human being.

John "Beloved" Rios is the heart and soul of our Muay Thai kickboxing program.  When John moved here from NY, he reached out looking for a gym to become a part of.  With his extensive 20 year background in various styles of striking and grappling martial arts including Shoto Khan Karate, American Karate, Chinese Gojo, Taekwondo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and his infectious energy, it was a no brainer to bring him on board.  John is an incredible fighter with a passion to share his knowledge with everyone: a true martial artist.  As a member of our armed forces, he occasionally has to leave us for service but knows that he will always be an integral part of what we are doing in the gym.

Andriy is our head children's instructor for kids 9-12 years old, as well as one of our adult instructors.  He began training Jiu-Jitsu in 2018 after he enrolled his son in classes and soon after began assisting our kids program.  Andriy has been our most stalwart instructor, helping out where ever he can when asked.  He is a regular competitor and great ambassador for the gym.  As a physicist, he brings a wealth of intelligence and knowledge to the gym as well.

Graham is one of our primary GB1 instructors and has been a member since 2020.  As a technician for an automotive supply company, Graham has great attention to detail and thrives on sharing that detail with students.  Even as one of our smaller coaches and practitioners, he is a great example of never shying away from a challenge.

Chris is our head instructor for our Junior Champs BJJ programs (ages 3-8 years old).  Chris is a Major in the Air Force at Selfridge AFB and has been teaching since 2021.  He, his wife, and all of their 7 children train at the gym, with many of his older children assisting with instruction.  We are truly blessed to have a leader who is passionate about developing children as our primary Junior Champs instructor.

"Dre" is our second in command for our Junior Champs program.  Dre has an extensive background not only in BJJ but also in Muay Thai.  He has plenty of competition experience and like many of our coaches, his young son is a student as well.  During the day he works in construction pouring concrete.

Michelle is our primary coach for our Women's Only BJJ program.  She is an awesome example that Jiu-Jitsu truly is for everyone.  As a mother of 7 kids, she started training around 2022 as the last member of her family to join.  Along with her husband Chris, they have been fixtures in the gym since 2018.  Michelle occasionally helps teach kids classes as well and has competed numerous times at local tournaments.  She is truly and inspiration for the women in our gym.

Noah is an assistant BJJ instructor as well as one of our Muay Thai instructors.  He joined us in 2019 starting out in Muay Thai and soon added BJJ to his training.  Noah is currently a student studying archeology, and if you aren't careful, he might just bury you with a heel hook or a slippery jab.

Anastasia "Juice Box" Manley has been teaching along side her parents in our kids classes and our women's only classes, and often leads our women's only classes.  Even as a teenager, she would often step up front and lead our adult class warm-ups when volunteers were asked for.  She is a great example of displaying the confidence that Jiu-Jitsu can bring to someone's life.

Anya began training with us as a teenager, most impressively commuting over an hour each way for a year when her family moved.  She assists with our women's only and adult classes.  At only 17 years old Anya started assisting the business by working behind the counter, scheduling intro appointments and signing up new members.  Fluent in Japanese, as well as an adventurous traveler, she is another great example of someone committed to bettering themselves through martial arts.

Braiden began training with us when he was about 8 years old.  After a couple year layoff from Covid, he rejoined and has been a stalwart leader in our kids classes.  Braiden is an avid competitor, and when he turned 14 years old he started competing in adult divisions and winning!  The success on the competition mat had his HS begging him to join the wrestling team.  We look forward to seeing his competition success grow, and being an inspiration for all competitors to follow.

Brian is one of our assistant coaches in our kids classes.  He also assists in our adult classes where he shares his extensive knowledge as a brown belt in judo.  Inspired by The Karate Kid Part and The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, he began a lifelong pursuit of training in a variety of Eastern and Western martial art systems.  Brian became a member after his kids joined, and he holds the rank of Nidan in Iaido, Shodan in Karate, and Nikyu in Judo.  He has also dabbled in Tae Kwon Do, Western Sport Fencing, and Archery.

Maverick joined us in 2025 and very quickly we had offered him the opportunity to assist teaching our kids classes, having children of his own.  While new to BJJ in 2025, Maverick has an extensive wrestling background and is a fierce competitor.  His wrestling background brings an additional perspective to our adult programs as well.  Maverick is the picture of resilience, coming back to combat sports after nearly losing his leg due to an accident at work years ago.

Rob started training about a year ago after his 2 daughters joined our kids program.  He started assisting in our Junior Champs class where his daughters participate, in the summer of 2025.  Working in law enforcement, Rob has shared many stories with us on the benefits he has received from his training at the gym.  We are very grateful to be able to help our law enforcement protect themselves and our community, and grateful that Rob wants to share his time with our younger students, helping them grow.

Gabe assists in teaching our Junior and Senior Champs kids classes.  He has been a student for about 7 years and is now challenging the adults in sparring on a regular basis.  His calm demeanor and keen intellect are a great addition to our kids coaching crew.

Tristan assists teaching our Junior and Senior Champs kids classes.  He has been training with us for 7 years and started assisting his father in our Junior Champs classes last year.  He is a great example of developing our younger students into leadership roles withing the gym and being an example for the next generation of kids to start assisting.

Niko has been assisting in our Junior and Senior Champs BJJ classes.  He has been training with us for 7 years like his brothers, and is an avid competitor as well.  One of his notable wins was over a sponsored athlete that had over 100 competition victories at the time of their competition.

John is one of our assistant Muay Thai instructor and has been a student since 2022.  John has competition experience and supports the gym through assisting with classes and attending seminars to continually learn and improve.

Colleen is our primary staff member that helps with greeting a preparing intro students for their first class, answering any membership questions, and helping students get signed up for memberships.  Both of Colleen's children are active students and she has been a part of our gym since 2018 when her son first joined.