I recently had the chance to visit and teach at Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy Singapore, thanks to an invitation from my longtime friend Vladimir Popović.
I’ve known Vladimir for over 15 years, going back to the time when one of my students competed against him as a blue belt. I still remember my student coming back and telling me he had just been smashed by this guy who was already a judo black belt and a blue belt in Jiu Jitsu. That was the first time I heard the name Vladimir Popović. Over the years we trained together many times and became friends.
Vladimir is now a BJJ black belt as well as a judo black belt. On top of that, he graduated from the prestigious Faculty of Sports science and physical education in Serbia and holds a master’s degree as a sports coach. That is a huge advantage in this profession because he understands not just techniques, but also methodology, structure, and how to actually teach people properly. He is not just someone who picked things up along the way. He is a true professional in the sport.
His path took him from Serbia to Kuwait, where he started building himself as a coach, and then to Singapore around seven years ago. Before he made the move, he asked me what I thought about it since I had spent a lot of time there visiting my sister. I told him honestly that if he took it seriously, he would do very well. Looking at what he has built today, that turned out to be true.
What started as one academy has grown into two in Singapore, and now they have also opened a branch in Tokyo, Japan. They are part of the Pedro Sauer network, which is one of the most respected lineages in Jiu Jitsu.
I arrived in Singapore after spending time in the Philippines, and the difference between the two countries hits you immediately. Singapore is on another level in terms of organization, cleanliness, and overall development. Everything just works, and you can feel that same level of professionalism inside the academy.
Vladimir picked me up the day before the seminar and showed me around while he was teaching a private class. I was really impressed. The academy is clean, well organized, and clearly run with a strong structure. They have programs for everyone, from kids to hobbyists to competitors. On top of that, their competition results are very strong. They have been one of the top teams in Singapore, which says a lot considering the level there.
We ran the seminar over two days. The first day was focused on the bottom game, including deep half, half guard, and my mermaid guard concepts. It was great to see that many of the students were already familiar with my system and had studied my instructionals.
Most of the room was made up of people over 30, which is pretty much my target group, and there were also visitors who came specifically for the seminar. One guy came all the way from Okinawa, and a couple of black belts came from Jakarta. One of them had already gone through all of my instructionals, which was really cool to see.
The level of engagement was very high. People were asking good, specific questions, mostly about how to deal with bigger, stronger, younger opponents. That is exactly what my game is built around, so I shared all the details and little adjustments that have worked for me over the years.
The second day was focused on the top game, mainly pressure passing. After the technical part, I got to roll with a lot of the students. What stood out the most was the atmosphere in the academy. It is relaxed, friendly, and completely ego free. People train hard, but there is no nonsense, no attitude. That always comes from the instructor. The head coach sets the tone, and it is clear that Vladimir is doing that the right way.
Good academies are not just about technique. They are about culture, leadership, and consistency. This is one of those places where people respect each other, train with purpose, and enjoy the process. That balance is not easy to create.
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Overall, it was a great experience. The academy is professional, well run, and very welcoming. I am really happy to see the success Vladimir has achieved because he deserves it.
I am sure this is just the beginning for him and that his academy will keep growing in the coming years. I will definitely be following his progress and I am looking forward to coming back again.
Thank you to Vladimir and the whole team at Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy Singapore for the hospitality and the great training.
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