Ares Arizona Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Yesterday was a great day.
We promoted four new black belts: Cammie, James, Rob, and Billy. Each of them put in years of work—countless hours on the mat, pushing through injuries, and never quitting. A black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of the hardest things to earn, and they earned it.
That brings us to 72 black belts, six of them women—something I’m extremely proud of.
We also promoted 10 new blue belts and three brown belts, and awarded Daniel Kim his second degree on his black belt.
Huge thank you to Marcus and Miranda for the amazing tacos—definitely one of the highlights of the day. Appreciate our photo booth team for coming out, and Alex Gomez for capturing great shots of our black belts.
The energy was real all day. Nothing forced. You can’t fake Jiu-Jitsu, and you can’t fake a community like this.
Congratulations to everyone who was promoted, and thank you to everyone who came out to support.
We truly have something special at Ares Arizona Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

This past Saturday, we took a team of 22 kids and 16 adults to compete at the AZBJJL Grand Canyon Spring Tournament. The goal was simple—test our skills at a high level and see where we stand.
We came home with 4th place in the adult division, 10th place in the kids division, and 2nd place overall as an organization.
As a coach, competitor, and owner, I couldn’t be more proud of how our team showed up. The effort on the mats was incredible, but what stood out even more was the unity off the mats. Seeing teammates and families come together, support each other, and represent what we stand for was truly special.
Thank you to everyone who trusts me and my staff for guidance, and for the time and commitment you put into showing up to class and improving every day.
Next up: the AZBJJL Arizona State Tournament in July. Let’s keep building.

We’re adding a Kids & Youth Competition Class on select Fridays at 6:00 PM leading up to the Grand Canyon Tournament on April 11th.
These sessions will be focused on competition preparation — drilling, pace, strategy, situational rounds, and sharpening the mindset needed for competition.
Details: • Select Fridays at 6:00 PM
• $40 for all 3 classes
• Limited to 20 athletes
• No late arrivals — students must be on time and ready to train
• Athletes should come prepared to work hard
These classes are designed for students planning to compete and who want extra preparation before the tournament.
Spots are limited — once we reach 20 athletes the room is full. Let’s get ready for April 11th! 💪🥋

Now booking Summer & Fall Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Seminars.
4th Degree Black Belt
11x IBJJF Black Belt World Champion
If you want high-level details, competition-tested systems, and an energetic seminar your team won’t forget — let’s lock in a date.
Contact:
Paul Nava
[email protected]
480.491.5440
480.241.9878
[email protected]
Let’s build 👊🔥

🔥 PRE-ORDERS NOW OPEN 🔥
We’re taking pre-orders for our custom BLACK team uniforms 🖤
Available in ALL sizes.
💲 Price: $150
⏳ Ordering window: next 2 weeks only
These are LIMITED EDITION, so once the cutoff hits, that’s it.
If you want one, don’t wait.
Come see Cammie or me to place your order.
Rep the team. Train sharp. Look sharp. 🥋💪

So proud of this crew at the AZBJJL Arizona International Open 🖤🥋
Our team showed up ready to compete and left it all on the mats.
Kids Division
Gigi fought hard and earned 3rd place, putting together two great matches and showing real growth and confidence 👏
Youth Division
Juani had an outstanding performance, taking GOLD in Gi 🥇 and GOLD in No-Gi 🥇—dominant and composed all day.
Jeremiah battled the same tough opponent in two great matches, earning Silver 🥈 and showing a ton of heart and resilience.
Adult Division
Great to see Brock, Brenden, and Enrique step up and represent.
Enrique was the standout for the 18+ club, delivering three amazing fights with nonstop pressure and grit 💪🔥
Extremely proud of the effort, sportsmanship, and teamwork on display. This squad keeps leveling up—on to the next one 🖤🥋

January 17th was one for the books.
We had the honor of hosting 10th Planet for a Jiu-Jitsu event that brought real energy, real respect, and real battles to the mats. No ego. No shortcuts. Just people who love the grind and showed up ready to test themselves.
Every round was fast, technical, and honest. Different styles, different systems, same goal: get better. Wins, losses, scrambles, exhaustion, laughs after the bell—this is what community in Jiu-Jitsu actually looks like.
Huge respect to the 10th Planet crew for coming through and matching the intensity with professionalism and heart. These kinds of events push everyone forward and remind us that iron sharpens iron.
Proud of our team for stepping up, supporting each other, and representing with class. This is how you grow—together, on the mat, one hard round at a time.
Until the next one 🤙

🥋 Ares Arizona BJJ x Beer Barn Taphouse Collaboration 🍻
Seminar & Open Mat – Sunday, November 30th, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

We’re bringing Jiu-Jitsu and community together for a special morning at Beer Barn Taphouse! This collaboration event is open to all Jiu-Jitsu practitioners, regardless of team or affiliation.

Guest Instructors:
🥇 Paul Nava – 11x World Champion
🥇 John Cabay – World Champion
💼 Jay & Karla Shellhammer – Owner of High Street Jiu-Jitsu🔥

Schedule:
🕘 9:00–10:30 AM — Technique Seminar
🕥 10:30–12:00 PM — Open Mat

📍 Location: We’ll be set up between Beer Barn Taphouse and Matt’s Big Breakfast in Gilbert, AZ.

Come train, connect, and enjoy a great morning of Jiu-Jitsu and community — then grab a cold one after at Beer Barn, home of the best beer selection in the Valley! 🍻

I'll be teaching No-gi tonight at 7pm!! Stop by!!

🥋 Ares AZ BJJ Little Cubs Shine at the Southwest Classic! 🥋

Our Little Cubs team hit the mats at the Southwest Classic – October 2025 and absolutely crushed it! 💪🦁
These young warriors showed incredible focus, teamwork, and heart — proving once again that the future of Ares AZ BJJ is strong.

🏆 Highlights:

Gold, silver, and bronze medal finishes across divisions

Outstanding sportsmanship and support for teammates

Huge improvements in technique, confidence, and composure under pressure

🔥 Every Little Cub who stepped on the mat made us proud — win or lose, you represented our team with heart and class!

🙏 Thank you to all the parents, coaches, and teammates for the energy, encouragement, and belief you bring to our program every day.

Let’s keep building, keep learning, and keep representing Ares with pride! 💙🤍💪