Chris Haueter Warns Against Academies That Try To Control Students Off The Mat: “Toxic Relationship”
Sep 29, 2026BJJEE1 Admin
Chris Haueter, one of the first twelve non-Brazilians to earn a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and a member of the “Dirty Dozen”, has spent decades around the sport. In a recent podcast...
Braulio Estima Defends Gracie Barra’s Strict Uniform Policy: “It Builds Unity”
Sep 18, 2026BJJEE1 Admin
Braulio Estima recently defended Gracie Barra’s strict uniform policy – arguing that wearing the team kit builds a sense of unity that outweighs individual preference on the mat. Estima, who...
Tom DeBlass Shares His No. 1 Piece Of Advice For Academy Owners
Jun 01, 2026BJJEE1 Admin
Tom DeBlass recently shared what he considers the most important advice for anyone opening or running a BJJ academy. According to DeBlass, too many gym owners focus their attention on attracting new...
Fabio Gurgel Explains Why BJJ Beginners Should Learn Self-Defense Before Sport Jiu-Jitsu
May 06, 2026BJJEE1 Admin
For many people, their first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class can feel overwhelming. They walk into the academy with little understanding of the sport, hoping to learn how to defend themselves and gain...
Tom DeBlass On Dealing With Gym Conflict: “Don’t Gossip”
Jan 16, 2026BJJEE1 Admin
Tom DeBlass has offered straightforward advice to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu students dealing with conflict inside their academy… Emphasizing direct communication with school leadership rather than...
Tom DeBlass Says That Coaches Are Responsible For Bad Matchups – And The Injuries That Follow
Nov 21, 2025BJJEE1 Admin
Tom DeBlass is calling on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructors to take more responsibility in protecting their students, especially when pairing training partners. In DeBlass’s view, instructors must...
Andrew Wiltse Announces Return To BJJ With New Academy
Aug 29, 2025BJJEE1 Admin
Andrew Wiltse has confirmed that he will be making a return to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, this time by opening Wiltse Brothers BJJ alongside his brother, Bird Wiltse! The move marks a major turning point...
Matt Serra Explains Why He Regularly Kicks Students Out Of His Gym
Aug 17, 2025BJJEE1 Admin
UFC Hall of Famer and former welterweight champion Matt Serra is known for his toughness inside the cage, but that same no-nonsense attitude also extends to how he runs his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu...
Caio Terra Academy Damaged After Car Crashes Into Facility: “We Can Rebuild”
Aug 04, 2025BJJEE1 Admin
Caio Terra shared a shocking update this week after a car crashed directly into his academy, causing significant damage to the facility. Despite the chaos, Terra shared an optimistic tone in an...
Tom DeBlass: “School Owners, You Don’t Need To Nickle & Dime Everyone To Be Successful”
Jun 05, 2025BJJEE1 Admin
If you have been training Jiu-Jitsu for any length of time, chances are that you’ve heard of certain academies that charge their students, well… A substantial amount of money. And, even...
Jasmine Rocha Criticizes BJJ Black Belts Who Shame Students For Being Late To Class
Jan 28, 2025BJJEE1 Admin
Jasmine Rocha, daughter of renowned BJJ competitor Vagner Rocha, shared her thoughts on how coming to class late is treated in some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academies. Specifically, Rocha criticized the...
BJJ Instructor Stabbed In His Academy – By His Own Student
Aug 07, 2024BJJEE1 Admin
Scott Savage, 3rd Degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt who owns and operates a BJJ school “Scott Savage Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu” in Los Banos (California), has been a victim of a knife...
Pay Attention To These 2 Things In A BJJ Academy
May 15, 2024BJJEE1 Admin
Do you want to start training… Or have you already been a part of a BJJ academy for some time now, but are considering whether or not it has what you need? As in – you’re thinking...
Keenan Cornelius: “The Only Way To Thrive In BJJ Is To Operate A BJJ Academy”
Apr 22, 2024BJJEE1 Admin
A lot of people who train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu would, at least in part, like to earn money from the Gentle Art. And while that is possible, not a lot of BJJ students get to make a living from it....
The Simple Problem With Belt Tests in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Mar 31, 2024BJJEE1 Admin
Belt tests in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu straddle a delicate balance between tradition, discipline, and practicality. While not as common as in some other martial arts, they do occur and serve a purpose in...
Who Should Be Cleaning The Mats In A BJJ School?
Mar 29, 2024BJJEE1 Admin
Having clean mats in a BJJ school is incredibly important. It lowers the chances of something like ringworm from happening in the first place… And when someone does get ringworm or similar, clean...
Advice For Dating Your BJJ Teammates: Move Very Slowly & Respect The Situation
Mar 13, 2024BJJEE1 Admin
If you’ve been practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for a while, it’s natural that the idea of dating a fellow gym member might have crossed your mind. But is it a good idea to pursue a...
Dean Lister’s MMA Gym Has Burned Down – Lister Escapes With Minor Injuries
Feb 23, 2024BJJEE1 Admin
Victory MMA and Fitness, a renowned gym owned by BJJ legend Dean Lister, was partly destroyed by a devastating fire. The fire, which erupted in the early hours of February 22, not only destroyed the...
How To Train BJJ If You Can’t Afford To Pay For an Academy
Feb 19, 2024BJJEE1 Admin
So, you want to train Jiu Jitsu… And, whether you want to continue training or just get started on your BJJ journey, the problem is the same – you don’t have the money for it! Look, we...
Fabio Gurgel: “A Coach Shouldn’t Feed The Athlete’s Ego”
Jan 30, 2024BJJEE1 Admin
What makes for a good Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coach? Well, Fabio Gurgel believes that there is no “big secret”. You have to invest time and effort into your craft, plus provide opportunities...
Ruotolo Brothers Show Off Their New BJJ Gym In Costa Rica: “So Stoked!”
Jan 27, 2024BJJEE1 Admin
The Ruotolo brothers – Kade and Tye – have recently opened the doors to their new Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training facility in Costa Rica! They’ve shared the awesome news via social...
Craig Jones: “Running a BJJ Gym is Horrible, Dealing with New People is Fu*king Horrible”
Jan 23, 2024BJJEE1 Admin
So you’ve been training BJJ for a couple of years already. You’re one of the best Jiujiteiros in your team and you’ve gained some experience in teaching others… What’s...
What A ‘Mat Enforcer’ In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu – And How To Be One?
Jan 12, 2024BJJEE1 Admin
If you’ve been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for long enough, then you’ve probably heard of someone being called a „mat enforcer“. But, what does this even mean – is the mat enforcer...
Thomas Bracher Opens First ATOS Affiliate In The United Kingdom
Dec 28, 2023BJJEE1 Admin
In a significant move for the UK’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu scene, Thomas Bracher – a prominent English BJJ competitor – has established the first ATOS affiliate in the United Kingdom!...
