Dominion BJJ

Women's Only Muay Thai Open Mat at Dominion!

Please join us every 3rd Saturday of the month from 1-2pm for an all women's open mat!

This is a great opportunity to spar and cross train with other women in the community! Those not interested in sparring are welcome to do bag work, pad work, or partner drills.

Please bring gloves (16oz), shin guards, and a mouthpiece.

First time visiting Dominion?
DM us for a link to the waiver.

January 10th was a dream fulfilled for not just these fine gentlemen, but for Michelle and myself as well. We not only celebrated our 9 year anniversary, but I had the huge honor to promote 5 people who I consider to be some of my best friends to black belt. I've trained with these guys since their first day on the mat, and I'm very proud of how far they've come.

We all have different reasons for training. Some love to compete, some love to teach, and some just love to be on the mat. These reasons can dictate how much time you spend studying and training, and ultimately how long the journey takes. Whatever motivation brings us in, the experience gained from time on the mat is the ultimate requisite to achieve black belt.

These 5 gentlemen have not only proven that they have the skills required to be a black belt, they have also become invaluable assets to Dominion BJJ. They are amazing assistance with new people, reliable help with teaching classes, and we consider them part of our family.

I would like to congratulate these guys on their huge achievement:

Jose Marquez -
Matt Bernier - .bernier4
Josh Petty
Kenny Johnson -
CJ Paris -

We are so proud of you, and we're very excited to see what the future holds for you!

This may be a bit of a long post, but it’s a long time coming—so maybe take a seat.

Nine years ago, unexpected tragedy led to the birth of Dominion BJJ. It’s not hyperbole at all to say that it almost never happened. Michelle and I took many leaps of faith along the way. One was moving into a new, smaller location, then eventually expanding into two spaces.

We had a vision that we set out with, and we were determined to build a great school. Not a good school—a great one.

David Trader taught us through his experience that we had to stick to a core group of principles along the way:

1. Atmosphere.
The atmosphere has to be open, accepting, patient, welcoming, and comfortable. No meatheads. No out-of-control egos. Humility. People who understand that the best way to make progress for themselves is to bring up everybody around them. We are open to anyone from any affiliation sharing their Jiu-Jitsu with us, and vice versa.

2. Technical instruction.
I’m not interested in people learning just how to do moves. I want them to understand why and when to do them. I want them to understand things so fully that they could teach them themselves. But it’s not just the steps—the beauty of Jiu-Jitsu lies in what happens in between the techniques, not the techniques themselves.

3. Integrity within the belt system.
All belts must be earned, not given. We don’t believe in the idea of “growing into” a belt. I want to feel comfortable putting any of my colored belts up against any other school—and I do.

4. A strong competition team.
Competition isn’t for everyone, but for some, it’s everything. Having a strong team doesn’t just put $5 medals on the wall—it instills pride within the gym. It builds confidence in the techniques being taught. But most of all, it creates bonds that are hard to replicate anywhere else. Those bonds spread almost like a virus through the gym and create lifelong friendships.
Every day, we strive to make sure that we are living up to our dreams. Every day, we strive to help others live theirs.

On January 10th, 2026, we celebrated our 9-year anniversary. It’s gone by so fast that it’s hard to believe, and every day I pinch myself to be sure that it’s real.

We want to thank everyone who came out to celebrate with us, and everyone who has been a part of the growth of the school. That includes every white belt who gave it a shot but for whom it didn’t work out. Every blue belt who quit just as the journey was really beginning (you know who you are). Every purple and brown belt who trained with us along their path before moving away. Every black belt who smashed us and gave us a glimpse of what could be waiting if we just stick it through.

They say it takes a village—and it’s true. Everybody who has stepped foot in the gym, and every spouse or child who has stood beside their partner or parent while they lived this lifestyle. Every one of you is responsible in some way for our success, and we are deeply humbled and appreciative of your support.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

– Michelle and Bill

Women's Only Muay Thai Open Mat at Dominion!

Please join us on January 24th from 1-2pm for an all women's open mat! This is a great opportunity to spar and cross train with other women in the community! Those not interested in sparring are welcome to do bag work, pad work, or partner drills. Please bring gloves (16oz), shin guards, and a mouthpiece.

First time visiting Dominion?
DM us for a llink to the waiver.

We will be running a regular class schedule today and tomorrow, then the above schedule goes into effect on Wednesday December24th. We will return to a normal schedule on Saturday, January 3rd!

Happy Holidays!

Join us January 10, 2026 for our 9 year anniversary and black belt promotions! All are welcome in helping us celebrate this special day!

It's back! Women's Only Muay Thai Open Mat at Dominion!

Please join us on November 29th from 1-2pm for an all women's open mat! This is a great opportunity to spar and cross train with other women in the community! Those not interested in sparring are welcome to do bag work, pad work, or partner drills. Please bring gloves (16oz), shin guards, and a mouthpiece.

First time visiting Dominion?
DM us for a llink to the waiver.

Congratulations to all of our amazing kids for their recent promotions! All three age groups did awesome on their testing this unit and we are so proud of all of them! Good job to the parents for raising great children!

This one is for the ladies!

Please join us on October 18th from 1-2pm for an all women's open mat! This is a great opportunity to spar and cross train with other women in the community! Those not interested in sparring are welcome to do bag work, pad work, or partner drills. Please bring gloves (16oz), shin guards, and a mouthpiece.

First time visiting Dominion?
DM us for a llink to the waiver.

Things may get a little SPOOKY this time around! Come join us for our Halloween themed Cosmic Rolling!

Lets turn the lights out, the music up, and the blacklights on for some Cosmic Rolling! Come join us at Dominion BJJ for our version of BJJ nightlife. Everyone is invited, regardless of affiliation. Invite your friends!

Keep in mind, this isn't competition training.
This is a fairly casual time, so please leave the ego at the door. Make some new friends, get in some good training, and most importantly, have fun!!

The event is FREE for any member of any BJJ gym.

Our student Behzad is headed to Philadelphia to compete at Tap Cancer Out! Here is a link to his donation page if you'd like to make a donation to the cause.

Behzad Baizayee's fundraising page for Tap Cancer Out Help Me Tap Cancer Out!

Congratulations, Leo Dalla! Coral belt!!

Yesterday, we had the honor and privilege to be a part of a once in a lifetime experience. Our professor, Leo Dalla, received his coral belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, an accomplishment of a lifetime of devotion and excellence. To put it into perspective, I wouldn't even be eligible for my coral belt until i'm into my 80s.

In attendance, legends of our sport. Hello Soneca, Paulo Guillobel, Wander Braga, Rodrigo Antunes, Gabriel Gonzaga, Ricardo Passo, Guigo, and the man himself, Jorge Pereira. Im sure I missed a few names, considering there were over 50 black belts on the mats, including almost all of Dalla's black belts.

There were so many funny stories from days long since past. Times that most of us will never fully comprehend, as the culture is so different now. Stories of experiences that have shaped every one of us in attendance. It was so awesome listening to how highly these guys speak of Dalla.

The wild thing to me, is that if you had asked anyone in that room, or any of the hundreds that weren't invited because of space limitations, you would have heard the same story of how much of an impact Leo Dalla has had on their lives. He brought Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu here and changed our lives, and he never asked for anything in return. The most humble of leaders.

Congratulations again, Leo. We all love and appreciate you every day for what you have done for us, we hope that we can carry on your legacy forever

🖤🖤🖤🖤❤️❤️❤️❤️🖤🖤🖤🖤❤️❤️❤️❤️🖤🖤🖤🖤