Sergio began his career in 1989 in Curitiba, at the world famous Chute Boxe Academy. There he earned a black belt in Muay Thai, and coached renowed athletes such as Anderson Silva (UFC middle weight champion ) Wanderlei Silva (Pride middleweight world champion) and several other renowned athletes. He remained in Curitiba until 2002, when he moved to Japan and opened the first franchise of Chute Boxe Academy in Tokyo. He then returned to Brazil in 2005 to coach both Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Former UFC Champ and Pride fighter) and his brother Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (UFC and Pride fighter). He has since continued to train some of the biggest names in MMA.

Experience:

• 1989-2002 Chute Boxe where he coached athletes such as Anderson Silva (UFC middle weight), Wanderlei Silva (former Pride middle weight champion)
• 2005 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Former UFC Champ and Pride fighter) and his brother Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (UFC and Pride fighter)
• 2007 BJ Penn (Former UFC Champion)
• 2008-9 Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua (Former UFC champion) preparing for the fight against Chuck Liddell at UFC 97.
• 2011 Brazillian Top Team to help Murilo Bustamante (Fight Club), Milton Vieira (Strikeforce) and Rousimar Palhares (UFC) to prepare them for their struggles.

Marcio Nunes began studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) in 1992. Since then, he has dedicated his life to perfecting the art. The solid techniques displayed by Marcio Nunes, are a result of a combination of years dedicated to the art as well as the experience acquired during countless tournaments both in Brazil and Canada. His mandate in BJJ is to maintain consistent improvement of techniques, as well as showing anyone, who is willing to learn, how BJJ can improve our lives. Marcio’s fluidity and technical expertise during combat has been achieved thanks to years spent training with experts such as Totila Jordan “Pitoco”, Roberto Traven, Alexander Crispim, Omar Salvosa, Carlos Gracie Jr., Roberto “Gordo” Correia and many other friends in Brazil.

• 2005 he received his Brown Belt from Carlos Gracie Jr.
• 2007, while training in Brazil, Marcio followed his then friend and mentor “Gordo”, and began training full time at the GORDO BJJ ACADEMY.
• 2008, while training in Brazil at the GORDO BJJ ACADEMY, he received his Black Belt from Roberto “Gordo” Correia.
• Marcio “Tortinho” Nunes is the only Canadian representative of GORDO BJJ ACADEMY

Mark has been involved in the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu scene of Toronto since 1994.  A black belt under Marcus Soares and a part of the celebrated Carlson Gracie Team Mark has a keen eye for detail and an advance understanding of body positioning and pressure development.  Mark has had the opportunity to work with some of the best Jiu Jitsu players in the world including Ricardo De La Riva, Carlos Machado, Fabricio Costa.  He has also worked the corner at many professional MMA organizations including Pride FC, Bellator as well as The Score Fighting Series.  Mark works with his students showing a variety techniques from all positions to help develop a customized set of techniques for an individual student.  Mark is also one of the coaches for our pro-MMA team, where he not only brings a wealth of experience in Jiu Jitsu but also his understanding of takedowns, striking and how to blend the three.

Experience:

• 20 years martial arts experience
• Black Belt 1st degree
• Certified Instructor of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
• BJJ Black Belt, Carlson Gracie Team/Marcus Soares
• Martial arts studied include Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Shotokan Karate, Moo Duk Kwan, Savate (Boxe Francais)

Nick is a top competitor turned coach from the sport of amateur wrestling. In his competitive years he won multiple national and international competitions. He is a national champion in three different countries: Norway, Romania and Canada for Greco-Roman wrestling.   Over the years he has worked with UFC and WEC fighters such as George St. Pierre, Mark Hominick, Chris Hordecki, Sam Stout as well as up-comers Sergei Juskevic, Igor Caetano, Alex Ricci and Albert Cheng to name a few.  Nicks desire to see people succeed as well as a wealth of knowledge in wrestling make him an asset to the personal development of students at the club.  His attention to individual strengths and weakness allows him to create programs that work on an individual level as well as an overall team.

Experience:

• Over 20 years wrestling experience including a decade of coaching
• Multiple time national champion in Greco-Roman wrestling
• Has coached high level athletes including ones who have competed in MMA
• Great understanding of how to blend styles together

Kru Ed is one of Toronto’s best Muay Thai instructors.  With over 35 years experience in various martial arts including Shotokan Karate, boxing, wrestling and Muay Thai, Ed brings a level of understanding to fighting that most don’t.  He is focused on drilling his students and getting them proficient at the basics before helping them to learn more advance movements and techniques.  Ed runs some of the most physically demanding classes, all structured to not only get good at Muay Thai but to also get into amazing shape.  Ed has a strong focus on footwork, adding a lot of hand combinations and keeping yourself grounded as opposed to a higher stance.  And because of his background in wrestling Ed teaches a style easily adaptable for MMA.  Along with being a phenomenal coach Ed has been the Canadain Co-Director for Muay Thai USA Association.

Experience:

• Over 35 years of martial arts experience
• Certified Muay Thai coach under Master Tong Trithara of Muay Thai USA
• Certified Boxing coach
• Multiple time corner man in various combat sports

A passionate and tireless advocate for the sport of women’s grappling, Alaina is Mecha’s most decorated competitor. She received her BJJ blue belt from after only ten months of training and her BJJ purple belt from Mark Stables after less than three years on the mat. She is also a purple belt in no-gi 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu under Eddie Bravo. Her instruction focuses not just on techniques themselves, but on the concepts that underlie the techniques.

Along with her friends Felicia Oh and Val Worthington, Alaina was one of the founders of the Women’s Grappling Camp.

Achievements:

• BJJ Purple Belt, Carlson Gracie Team/Mark Stables
• Purple Shirt in 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu under Eddie Bravo
• Crossfit Lvl 1 Certification
• Established Competitior (Competition Highlights)

Tami is a decorated Judoka with a wealth of competitive and teaching experience.  She has competed at multiple national level and international tournaments.  Some of her titles include a silver in the 2009 Pan Am Masters open
weight, 2010 Canadian Masters National champion as well as 2 silver medals and a bronze at the World Masters in 2010.  Tami focuses on traditional technique and basics to improve students understanding of Judo.  She also has an excellent grasp on modifying these techniques for competitive judo.

Experience:

• Multiple time competitor at high level tournaments
• Certified Shodan
• Advance understanding of techniques
• NCCP level 2 certified

Marcus is a 7th degree black belt under the late Carlson Gracie.  He is also the highest ranked black belt in Canada.  Marcus focuses heavily on basic positioning, physical fitness and crushing technique.  An original Team Carlson Gracie member, Marcus has had the opportunity to coach some of the greatest jiu jitsu and mma fighters ever.  Names such as Andre Pederneiras, Mario Sperry, Conan Silveira, Murilo Bustamante, Ricardo De La Riva, Wallid Ismail, Denis Kang and Bibiano Fernandes.  Marcus is known to be a walking an encyclopedia of grappling knowledge, often at times helping students find multiple solutions to problems they encounter while doing jiu jitsu.  Marcus also has a great understanding of mixed martial arts and the necessity to cross train between different styles to be the best fighter.

Experience:

• Over 40 years experience as well as an original student of Carlson Gracie
• 7th degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and a black belt in Judo
• Trained multiple world Jiu Jitsu champions
• Holds a degree in Physical education
• Advance understanding of body positioning, pressure and submission holds