People of Jiu Jitsu

This is Renzo Gracie
Long before Renzo Gracie became one of the most recognizable names in Jiu-Jitsu, before the legendary fights, and generations of students who would carry his lineage around the world, he was a kid growing up in Rio de Janeiro surrounded by Jiu-Jitsu.
Born into the Gracie family, Renzo learned early that Jiu-Jitsu was much more than fighting. One of his greatest influences was his uncle, Rolls Gracie—a man Renzo followed, admired and learned from both on and off the mats. When Rolls tragically died in a hang-gliding accident while Renzo was only 15, he lost not only a teacher, but one of his greatest role models.
Renzo continued forward.
His journey took him through Jiu-Jitsu, Vale Tudo and some of the biggest stages of early MMA. He fought legends, won championships, suffered losses and never built his reputation by protecting a record. Renzo's mentality was simple: test yourself, learn and come back.
Then came New York.
Leaving Brazil in the 1990s, Renzo began building an academy while supporting his family and continuing his own fighting career. The beginning wasn't glamorous. He taught, trained and fought while slowly creating something much bigger than a gym.
That academy became a home to generations of practitioners and produced some of the most influential names in Jiu-Jitsu and MMA, including , and .
Through victories and defeats, personal loss, family, fatherhood, business and decades on the mats, Renzo kept moving forward.
Today, the Renzo Gracie name can be found on academies around the world—but his real legacy isn't the name on the door.
It's the people.
The students who became champions. The students who became teachers. And the countless people who walked onto his mats and carried a piece of what they learned into their own lives.
A fighter can build a record.
A teacher builds a lineage.
Renzo Gracie built a legacy.
Presently he is a coral belt
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This is Vitor Freitas
He has been dedicating a lot of his time training and sharpening his tools under his professor , however, his relationship with the sport began long before he ever imagined that Jiu-Jitsu would also become such an important part of his professional life.
Vitor started training because of his father’s encouragement. At one point, he stepped away from the mats, but after his father passed away, he decided to return to the sport. During that time, he also became closely involved in supporting his sister career, as she established herself as a successful competitor. Following her competitions kept Vitor connected to Jiu-Jitsu even when he was no longer competing himself.
When he began studying journalism, that connection to the sport eventually opened the door to a professional career. Vitor landed an internship at GRACIEMAG and began turning something that had already been an important part of his family and his life into his profession. He later built his own communications and PR company before creating VF Comunica, which has grown into one of the leading platforms for Jiu-Jitsu news and event coverage.
Today, much of Vitor’s motivation comes from contributing to the growth of the Jiu-Jitsu industry as a whole. He is passionate about his work, about constantly developing a deeper understanding of the sport, and about finding ways to use communication to help athletes, events, brands, and the entire industry grow.
Outside of work and the mats, his family is his priority. His wife holds an especially important place in his life and has changed his life since the day they met. His mother, his sister, and his brother-in-law complete the group of people who have consistently stood by his side throughout the different stages of his life.
His hobbies reflect those priorities: studying, continuing to learn and improve at what he does, spending time with his wife, and being around the people he loves. For Vitor, Jiu-Jitsu, work, and family have become deeply connected parts of the same journey.
Presently he is a brown belt
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This is Carlos Wanderley Gusmão Braga Júnior
He is Brazilian, born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and his journey in martial arts began when he was 7yo.
Carlos started training Shotokan Karate at a martial arts academy in Vila da Penha, Rio de Janeiro, where he trained until he was 15. Later, he continued exploring martial arts, including Muay Thai, also in Vila da Penha, before eventually discovering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
In 1994, he started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Nova União, also in Vila da Penha. He began this journey with his childhood friend and instructor who was a brown belt and a two-time World Champion. I quickly fell in love with Jiu-Jitsu, and it became an important part of his life.
After some years, his professor changed teams. Out of loyalty and respect for the team and its flag, Carlos decided to step away from Jiu-Jitsu.
Later, he moved to Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, where he met his Master
He was one of the pioneers and the first Jiu-Jitsu instructor in Niterói, and today he holds the rank of Coral Belt. Meeting him gave Carlos the opportunity to restart his journey.
Carlos made the decision to start completely over. He went back from blue belt to white belt and rebuilt his entire journey from the beginning under the guidance of his Profeasor. Through discipline, dedication, perseverance, and many years of training, he earned every belt again, eventually reaching black belt.
Throughout his career, he competed in municipal, state, Brazilian, and international championships. He had the opportunity to compete in different cities and countries, and one of the most important experiences of my competitive career was the 2018 World Pro in Abu Dhabi, where he finished as runner-up. It was the greatest international competition experience of his career and one of the most meaningful moments of Carlos Jiu Jitsu journey.
He also had the opportunity to compete in major tournaments throughout the United States, including New York, New Jersey, and Boston.
At the same time, his professional life was always divided between his career and Jiu-Jitsu. For more than 20 years, he worked as a commercial diver. He started in shallow-water diving and later progressed to saturation diving, working at depths of up to 300 meters.
Saturation diving was an extremely demanding profession. During operations, he could spend up to 28 consecutive days living inside a pressurized hyperbaric chamber, breathing a helium-and-oxygen gas mixture while working under extreme conditions. It required discipline, physical conditioning, mental strength, resilience, and an extraordinary level of responsibility.
Because of the nature of the work, he had periods of time off after his diving rotations. Whenever he came off rotation, he used that time to travel, compete in tournaments, visit different academies, train with other athletes, and gain new experiences and knowledge in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Carlos entire life was divided between his professional career with his life as an athlete, his work as a commercial diver and journey in Jiu-Jitsu developed side by side. Both demanded sacrifice, discipline, courage, and the ability to perform under pressure.
What started as a passion when he was seven years old eventually became another profession in his life.
Today, Carlos lives in Massachusetts, where he teaches, competes and helps to develop new athletes and champion and still chasing his biggest goal: becoming a World Master Champion in Las Vegas.
His journey is proof that even with a demanding professional career, it is possible to continue pursuing your passion, competing at a high level, and eventually turning that passion into a profession.
Presently he is a black belt
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This is Thomas Bepko
He is a husband, father, entrepreneur, real estate broker, mortgage executive, investor, and fresh of getting his black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at under Professor
A U.S. Army veteran, Thomas has built his career around helping people create opportunities through homeownership, real estate, and investing. As Executive Vice President of Sales and the owner of a real estate brokerage, he is passionate about serving families, mentoring others, and helping people build lasting wealth.
But Thomas will tell you that his greatest accomplishments have nothing to do with business.
More than 15 years ago, his life changed forever through sobriety. He credits his Higher Power with saving his life and giving him a second chance when he needed it most. That foundation of faith continues to guide every decision he makes today.
He also credits his wife, with changing his life. Her love, belief, and unwavering support have been the foundation of the family they’ve built together. Above everything else, Thomas is driven by being the best husband and father he can be.
His two sons, DJ and Cole, are his “why.” Everything he builds—in business, on the mats, and in life—is ultimately for them. He hopes that by the example he sets, they’ll see what discipline, integrity, humility, and perseverance look like.
Jiu Jitsu has become one of the greatest teachers in Thomas’s life. Under the guidance of Professor Joe Oppedisano and surrounded by an incredible team at FitClub Jiu Jitsu, as well as mentors Professor and , he’s learned that the lessons earned on the mats extend far beyond grappling. They’ve made him a better husband, father, leader, businessman, and friend.
Thomas is also deeply grateful to the mentors, teammates, coaches, family, friends, clients, and colleagues who have believed in him, challenged him, and supported him throughout his journey. He believes that no one succeeds alone, and he never forgets the people who helped him become the man he is today.
Presently he is a black belt
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This is Pedro Schilks
He was born in Recife, Brazil, and started judo at a young age, stopping around 8 or 9 when he reached blue/yellow bet.
At 12yo, his family moved to the U.S and though he tried soccer, it didn’t fit. MMA captured his heart. One day, on the way to boxing training, a man named Reda asked if he had tried jiu-jitsu, in the car next to him in a random traffic light. Though he didn’t mention his father, who stopped at purple belt 25 years ago, Reda kept him in jiu-jitsu, always encouraging him. Soon, Pedro’s life changed. The gym became his family.
He’s grateful to his professors, and especially and for guiding him always. Pedro hopes jiu-jitsu will take him to places he never imagined, and he trains with hope every day!
Presently he is a white belt.
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This is J Goy
In 5th grade at PS130, a neighborhood photography contest run by Mr. Brocco quietly altered the trajectory of Jay’s life. A simple school competition revealed a latent passion for visual storytelling that would shadow him for decades to come.
Growing up in Brooklyn in the early 1990s, as the eldest child of a mother who did not speak English, Jay came of age in an environment of pressure, limited options, & constant risk. At one point, joining a gang felt like the only viable path. A guidance counselor even told him he would never amount to anything & would end up dead or in prison. That prediction became a quiet obsession to disprove.
After a long & winding journey, Jay joined the military, where he was first exposed to martial arts through combatives, a cousin of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He later became a DEA Task Force Officer, kicking down doors, working undercover ops, & living the high-adrenaline version of what had once seemed like an impossible dream. The whole time, he kept a camera close, documenting the world around him even when he could not show it to the masses.
Years of government service, a lingering haze of PTSD, & hard-earned realizations eventually forced a switch. Jay left Uncle Sam, pivoted into the private sector, rose quickly through several promotions, & then was abruptly let go. Being cut loose became the inflection point. He chose to invest fully in the passion that had been with him since that 5th-grade contest.
As his work evolved, another void made itself felt. The camaraderie he had chased in gangs, found in the military, & nearly lost in gov service had vanished. That is when Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu entered his life as a hobby & lifeline. On the mats, he discovered a community willing to sweat, struggle, & grow together. BJJ gave him a way to feed his appetite for adrenaline, soften the edges of PTSD, & rebuild a sense of belonging.
Jay began his BJJ journey at . After a couple of months of group training, he sought private instruction, spending countless 6 ams with before the 7 am class. Eventually, he transitioned to , where he refined his game & was promoted to blue belt under UFC Hall of Famer & Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend .
Today, Jay’s photography & his BJJ are inseparable. His perspective is informed by the streets that almost claimed him, the institutions that shaped him, the wars external & internal that tested him, & the mats that helped put him back together. His work embodies resilience, community, & the quiet, often invisible battles people fight long before they ever step onto the mat.
Presently he is a blue belt
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This is Javier Mercado
Javie waa born in Cayey, Puerto Rico, raised in the Bronx, New York, and grew up in Bogota, NJ. Javier was always an active kid. Baseball and basketball was his first love. He moved to New Jersey at 14 years old, and took up wrestling in high school. He quickly realized his passion for the mats and grappling was in his blood. After high school he wrestled briefly in college before dropping out to work full time. He played softball, basketball, racquetball, and every adult sport in between trying to stay active and keep a competitive spirit. He was then introduced to the UFC and ultimately BJJ by his brother-in-law . He started primarily training in No Gi but still remembers putting on a Gi for the first, and falling even more in love with Jiu Jitsu. He trained extensively and competed from white to purple belt until the Covid pandemic in 2020. He was off the mat for almost 4 years and in poor shape physically before being reinvigorated by a 5am class lead by his teammate .
Javier has trained in Lyndhurst, NJ for almost 15 years. He credits and for their years of coaching and friendship. He wants his story to be one of perseverance. Jiu Jitsu is defined as a life time marathon not a sprint. You may find yourself off the mat for a number of reasons but always find your way back. He thanks Jiu Jitsu, Subforce, and his teammates for providing him with the opportunity to share the mats and affording him the space to be able to work on himself mentally and physically.
Presently he is a brown belt
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This is Kris Desjardins
Kris is 45 yo, wife, mother of two pre-teen boys,
struggling with her weight for most of her life and reaching 275 pounds despite being active and running more than 20 half marathons, she experienced a TIA (mini stroke) in 2019 from a congenital heart defect that required a heart implant to close the hole and later developed severe GI issues requiring surgical repair. It was time to focus on her own health or risk not being around for her family.
She was already 60 pounds down when she brought her son to his first Jiu-Jitsu class. Three weeks later, she stepped onto the mats herself, taking a class with Coach who helped build her foundation and gave her the confidence to believe she belonged in Jiu-Jitsu. Three and a half years later, she has lost 139 pounds total and is training for Masters Worlds.
Today, she is happy to train under Professor at . Seph has created a supportive community that feels like home while making complex concepts accessible and inspiring his students to become the best versions of themselves.
Through both her profession and her time on the mats, Kris has learned that everyone is fighting battles that others cannot see. That perspective shapes how she approaches life. She believes in supporting others, building community, and showing up consistently, even when things are difficult.
That same mindset led her to create Mats & Bats Photography. What began as a way to photograph her children instead of being the mom sitting on her phone became a passion that helps keep her present and engaged in the moment.
Whether she is in the clinic, behind a camera, or training on the mats, Kris believes it is never too late to start something new, invest in yourself, and become the person you were always capable of being.
Presently she is a blue belt.
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